Real Estate Securities, Available for Sale - Activity Reported in Statement of Operations Related to Securitized Trust (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2020	Sep. 30, 2019	Sep. 30, 2020	Sep. 30, 2019
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items]
Interest expense	$ (13,426)	$ (23,167)	$ (50,915)	$ (63,505)
Interest income on mortgage loans held in securitization trusts	20,462	22,586	61,556	99,718
Interest expense on mortgage obligations issued by securitization trusts	(18,204)	(20,299)	(54,627)	(91,690)
Administrative expense	(5,780)	(7,732)	(19,569)	(22,395)
Unrealized (gain) loss on mortgage loans and obligations held in securitization trusts, net	(13,162)	(1,976)	(41,589)	4,602
Realized gain on mortgage loans and obligations held in securitization trusts, net	0	2,724	0	2,772
Net income (loss) attributable to Colony Credit Real Estate, Inc. common stockholders	5,007	(356,647)	(301,146)	(450,173)
Primary beneficiary
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items]
Interest expense	(75)	(220)	(420)	(761)
Interest income on mortgage loans held in securitization trusts	20,462	22,586	61,556	99,718
Interest expense on mortgage obligations issued by securitization trusts	(18,204)	(20,299)	(54,627)	(91,690)
Net interest income	2,183	2,067	6,509	7,267
Administrative expense	(274)	(225)	(969)	(915)
Unrealized (gain) loss on mortgage loans and obligations held in securitization trusts, net	(13,162)	(1,976)	(41,589)	4,602
Realized gain on mortgage loans and obligations held in securitization trusts, net	0	2,724	0	2,772
Net income (loss) attributable to Colony Credit Real Estate, Inc. common stockholders	$ (11,253)	$ 2,590	$ (36,049)	$ 13,726