ORGANIZATION - Narrative (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, $ in Thousands				3 Months Ended								9 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
		Oct. 23, 2015	Apr. 06, 2015	Dec. 31, 2017	Sep. 30, 2017	Jun. 30, 2017	Mar. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016	Sep. 30, 2016	Jun. 30, 2016	Mar. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015	Apr. 08, 2015	Mar. 31, 2015
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Common stock, shares outstanding (in shares)				307,361,309				250,773,117					307,361,309	250,773,117
Stock options outstanding (in shares)				18,502,188.000				13,196,610.00				12,380,107	18,502,188.000	13,196,610.00	12,380,107
Common stock, par value (in dollars per share)				$ 0.01				$ 0.01					$ 0.01	$ 0.01
Restricted cash				$ 150,252				$ 163,095					$ 150,252	$ 163,095
Compensation expense													699	300	$ 450
Interest income				235,266	$ 272,444	$ 356,795	$ 194,309	231,811	$ 185,900	$ 176,792	$ 108,808		1,058,814	703,311	371,059
Income before income taxes				346,945	$ 272,334	$ 420,247	$ 142,754	262,781	$ 151,986	$ 101,145	$ 105,715		1,182,280	621,627	270,881
Servicer advance investments, at fair value	[1]			$ 4,027,379				$ 5,706,593					$ 4,027,379	$ 5,706,593
HLSS
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Interest income												$ 282,300
Income before income taxes												131,500
HLSS
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Purchase price			$ 1,000,000
Shares issued (in shares)			28,286,980
Common stock, par value (in dollars per share)		$ 0.01	$ 0.01
Restricted cash		$ 45,100														$ 50,000
Exercisable rights, per right amount in cash (in dollars per share)		$ 0.704059
Non-cash contingent consideration		$ 50,000
Fair value of stock issued			$ 434,092
Cash consideration			621,982
HLSS seller financing			385,174
Capitalized deferred financing costs, net of amortization			27,000
Acquisition related costs incurred															26,100
HLSS | Minimum
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Non-cash contingent consideration		$ 0
HLSS | Ocwen
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
UPB of underlying mortgages																	$ 156,400,000
Fee arrangement, term (in years)													8 years
Servicer advance investments, at fair value			$ 5,600,000
Contractual term			8 years
Contract extension notification period, prior to end of term			6 months
Outstanding loan balance fee, percent			0.50%
HLSS | Ocwen | Other Income
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Purchase agreement contract clause accrual												$ 14,500			14,500
HLSS | Ocwen | Minimum
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Contractual term			6 years
HLSS | Retention Bonus Payments
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Compensation expense															3,200
HLSS | Employee Severance Payments
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Compensation expense															$ 2,800
Fortress-managed funds
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Common stock, shares outstanding (in shares)				2,400,000									2,400,000
Stock options outstanding (in shares)				16,400,000									16,400,000

[1] New Residential’s Consolidated Balance Sheets include the assets and liabilities of certain consolidated VIEs, the Buyer (Note 6), the RPL Borrowers (Note 8), and the Consumer Loan SPVs (Note 9), which primarily hold investments in Servicer Advance Investments, residential mortgage loans, and consumer loans, respectively, financed with notes and bonds payable. The balance sheets of the Buyer, the RPL Borrowers, and the Consumer Loan SPVs are included in Notes 6, 8, and 9, respectively. The creditors of the Buyer, the RPL Borrowers, and the Consumer Loan SPVs do not have recourse to the general credit of New Residential and the assets of the Buyer, the RPL Borrowers, and the Consumer Loan SPVs are not directly available to satisfy New Residential’s obligations.