Real Estate Securities, Available for Sale - Activity Reported in Statement of Operations Related to Securitized Trust (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2020	Jun. 30, 2019	Jun. 30, 2020	Jun. 30, 2019
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items]
Interest expense	$ (16,745)	$ (21,046)	$ (37,489)	$ (40,338)
Interest income on mortgage loans held in securitization trusts	20,539	38,656	41,094	77,132
Interest expense on mortgage obligations issued by securitization trusts	(18,364)	(35,756)	(36,423)	(71,391)
Administrative expense	(6,751)	(8,010)	(13,789)	(14,663)
Unrealized (gain) loss on mortgage loans and obligations held in securitization trusts, net	(8,975)	5,549	(28,427)	6,578
Realized gain on mortgage loans and obligations held in securitization trusts, net	0	0	0	48
Net income (loss) attributable to Colony Credit Real Estate, Inc. common stockholders	(227,059)	(107,968)	(306,153)	(93,526)
Primary beneficiary
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items]
Interest expense	(160)	(278)	(345)	(541)
Interest income on mortgage loans held in securitization trusts	20,539	38,656	41,094	77,132
Interest expense on mortgage obligations issued by securitization trusts	(18,364)	(35,756)	(36,423)	(71,391)
Net interest income	2,015	2,622	4,326	5,200
Administrative expense	(180)	(331)	(695)	(690)
Unrealized (gain) loss on mortgage loans and obligations held in securitization trusts, net	(8,975)	5,549	(28,427)	6,578
Realized gain on mortgage loans and obligations held in securitization trusts, net	0	0	0	48
Net income (loss) attributable to Colony Credit Real Estate, Inc. common stockholders	$ (7,140)	$ 7,840	$ (24,796)	$ 11,136