CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS - USD ($) $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2023		Dec. 31, 2022		Dec. 31, 2021
Cash Flows From Operating Activities
Net income (loss)	$ 630,674		$ 983,285		$ 805,582
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by (used in) operating activities:
Change in fair value of investments, net	843,878		(1,108,366)		(11,723)
Change in fair value of equity investments	28,407		13,265		(5,986)
Change in fair value of secured notes and bonds payable	17,155		(45,792)		(12,991)
(Gain) loss on settlement of investments, net	(820,238)		1,354,263		232,151
(Gain) loss on sale of originated residential mortgage loans, held-for-sale, net	(508,434)		(1,086,232)		(1,826,909)
(Gain) loss on transfer of loans to real estate owned (“REO”)	(10,224)		(7,726)		(3,752)
Accretion and other amortization	(120,699)		(91,891)		(49,382)
Provision (reversal) for credit losses on securities, loans and REO	(478)		14,962		(47,744)
Non-cash portions of servicing revenue, net	618,005		(639,945)		577,763
Deferred tax provision	90,002		271,167		151,200
Mortgage loans originated and purchased for sale, net of fees	(39,817,843)		(76,420,262)		(130,737,605)
Sales proceeds and loan repayment proceeds for residential mortgage loans, held-for-sale	40,420,708		83,313,008		132,834,967
Interest received from servicer advance investments, RMBS, loans and other	54,485		62,375		153,539
Changes in:
Servicer advances receivable, net	15,022		(36,695)		226,173
Other assets	(428,763)		405,469		939,953
Due to affiliates	0		(17,819)		8,369
Accrued expenses and other liabilities	89,897		(89,003)		(349,733)
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities	1,101,554		6,874,063		2,883,872
Cash Flows From Investing Activities
Business acquisitions, net of cash acquired	(324,783)		0		(1,173,171)
Maturity of U.S. Treasury Bills	1,030,000		0		0
Purchase of U.S. Treasury Bills	(998,148)		0		0
Purchase of servicer advance investments	(852,015)		(988,847)		(1,286,526)
Purchase of RMBS	(4,094,934)		(15,629,483)		(6,099,550)
U.S. Treasury Note short sales	1,765,360		0		0
Reverse repurchase agreements entered	(1,769,601)		0		0
Purchase of residential mortgage loans	0		(7,182)		0
Purchase of SFR properties, MSRs and other assets	(106,351)		(416,610)		(1,390,317)
Purchase of mortgage loans receivable	(146,631)		0		0
Draws on revolving consumer loans	(27,510)		(29,615)		(29,002)
Net settlement of derivatives and hedges	867,637		311,073		(182,971)
Return of investments in Excess MSRs	31,940		17,701		54,037
Principal repayments from servicer advance investments	880,861		1,033,326		1,382,344
Principal repayments from RMBS	693,546		1,091,538		2,330,850
Principal repayments from residential mortgage loans	47,735		85,836		119,841
Principal repayments from consumer loans	439,540		140,574		214,619
Proceeds from sale of MSRs and MSR financing receivables	705,300		10,698		62,971
Proceeds from sale of RMBS	2,087,419		14,565,043		8,238,974
Proceeds from sale of residential mortgage loans	0		0		9,922
Proceeds from sale of REO	23,153		14,201		54,232
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities	252,518		198,253		2,306,253
Cash Flows From Financing Activities
Repayments of secured financing agreements	(48,921,875)		(55,998,234)		(69,206,600)
Repayments of warehouse credit facilities	(41,096,041)		(83,793,352)		(130,744,991)
Net settlement of margin deposits under repurchase agreements and derivatives	(862,662)		1,460,458		249,367
Repayments of secured notes and bonds payable	(7,636,954)		(4,696,136)		(8,078,073)
Deferred financing fees	(7,364)		(11,062)		(8,385)
Dividends paid on common and preferred stock	(570,878)		(558,301)		(438,544)
Borrowings under secured financing agreements	50,079,186		54,385,892		64,749,425
Borrowings under warehouse credit facilities	41,065,479		76,069,417		129,899,057
Borrowings under secured notes and bonds payable	6,669,483		6,192,823		7,964,077
Issuance of common and preferred stock	0		0		962,910
Repurchase of common and preferred stock	0		(5,227)		0
Noncontrolling interest in equity of consolidated subsidiaries - distributions	(17,261)		(27,047)		(78,123)
Payment of contingent consideration	0		(2,355)		(12,276)
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities	(1,298,887)		(6,983,124)		(4,742,156)
Net Increase (Decrease) in Cash, Cash Equivalents, and Restricted Cash	55,185		89,192		447,969
Cash, Cash Equivalents, and Restricted Cash, Beginning of Period	1,617,634		1,528,442		1,080,473
Cash, Cash Equivalents, and Restricted Cash, End of Period	1,672,819		1,617,634		1,528,442
Supplemental Disclosure of Cash Flow Information
Cash paid during the period for interest	1,361,090		734,232		505,978
Cash paid during the period for income taxes	6,524		4,012		23,506
Supplemental Schedule of Non-Cash Investing and Financing Activities
Dividends declared but not paid on common and preferred stock	143,199		140,984		139,170
Transfer from residential mortgage loans to REO and other assets	21,943		14,936		30,020
Real estate securities retained from loan securitizations	113,136		206,082		173,631
Residential mortgage loans subject to repurchase	1,782,998	[1]	1,219,890	[1]	1,787,314
Purchase of Agency RMBS, settled after quarter-end	0		731,216		0
Cashless exercise of 2020 warrants (par)	93		69
Seller financing in acquisition of notes receivable	323,452		0		0
Genesis Acquisition
Supplemental Schedule of Non-Cash Investing and Financing Activities
Seller financing in acquisition	0		0		1,256,279
Marcus Acquisition
Supplemental Schedule of Non-Cash Investing and Financing Activities
Seller financing in acquisition	$ 1,317,347		$ 0		$ 0

[1] See Note 6 for details.