CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2019 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2018 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2017 USD ($)
Cash flow from operating activities
Net income	$ 392,965	$ 244,443	$ 311,522
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash used in operating activities:
Net gains on loans held for sale at fair value	(725,528)	(249,022)	(391,804)
Amortization, impairment and change in fair value of mortgage servicing rights, mortgage servicing liabilities and excess servicing spread	583,861	245,889	273,238
Capitalization of interest on loans held for sale at fair value	(73,611)	(79,317)	(44,922)
Accrual of interest on excess servicing spread financing	10,291	15,138	16,951
Amortization of net debt issuance (premiums) and costs	(4,100)	(29,170)	6,348
Carried Interest from Investment Funds		365	1,040
Results of real estate acquired in settlement of loans	(557)	(589)	(94)
Stock based compensation expense	24,771	25,251	20,697
Provision for servicing advance losses	36,149	40,306	43,249
Depreciation and amortization	15,021	12,925	8,395
Amortization of right-to-use assets	10,158
Loss from disposition of fixed assets and impairment of capitalized software			1,336
Origination of loans held for sale	(11,831,703)	(5,000,193)	(5,557,244)
Purchase of loans held for sale from non-affiliates	(1,725,227)	(531,665)
Purchase of loans from Ginnie Mae securities and early buyout investors for modification and subsequent sale	(6,271,447)	(4,036,147)	(3,957,384)
Sale to non-affiliates and principal payments of loans held for sale	61,214,102	44,557,560	50,235,245
Repurchase of loans subject to representations and warranties	(18,660)	(26,021)	(20,324)
Collection of repurchase agreement derivative	31,993	31,907
Increase in servicing advances	(98,121)	(33,415)	(15,675)
Sale of real estate acquired in settlement of loans	28,901	4,037	4,655
(Increase) decrease in other assets	(62,549)	(7,791)	16,092
Decrease in operating lease liabilities	(12,680)
Increase (decrease) in accounts payable and accrued expenses	38,551	32,750	(59,378)
Net cash (used in) provided by operating activities	(2,245,123)	572,396	(883,412)
Cash flow from investing activities
Decrease (increase) in short-term investments	43,213	52,256	(84,116)
Net settlement of derivative financial instruments used for hedging	366,137	(122,227)	(36,618)
Purchase of mortgage servicing rights	(227,445)	(227,664)	(178,531)
Purchase of furniture, fixtures, equipment and leasehold improvements	(6,124)	(13,421)	(6,791)
Acquisition of capitalized software	(29,385)	(17,444)	(16,992)
Increase in margin deposits	(21,127)	(7,214)	(22,055)
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities	148,782	(322,611)	(339,231)
Cash flow from financing activities
Sale of assets under agreements to repurchase	63,803,260	41,375,177	35,698,381
Repurchase of assets sold under agreements to repurchase	(61,596,780)	(41,820,843)	(35,054,437)
Issuance of mortgage loan participation purchase and sale certificates	23,451,400	25,284,270	23,011,607
Repayment of mortgage loan participation purchase and sale certificates	(23,485,918)	(25,279,510)	(23,155,463)
Advances of obligations under capital lease	25,123		10,298
Repayments of obligations under capital lease	(10,918)	(14,366)	(12,751)
Issuance of notes payable secured by mortgage servicing assets		1,300,000	935,000
Repayments of notes payable secured by mortgage servicing assets		(900,000)	(186,935)
Payment of debt issuance costs	(6,603)	(19,982)	(22,201)
Issuance of common stock pursuant to exercise of stock options	5,145	5,317	1,254
Repurchase of common stock and Class A common stock	(1,056)	(5,293)	(8,599)
Payment of withholding taxes relating to stock-based compensation	(4,634)
Payment of dividend to common stock and Class A common stockholders	(9,708)	(10,054)
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities	2,128,995	(132,034)	1,161,174
Net increase (decrease) in cash and restricted cash	32,654	117,751	(61,469)
Cash and restricted cash at beginning of year	155,924	38,173	99,642
Cash and restricted cash at end of year	188,578	155,924	38,173
Cash	188,291	155,289	37,725
Restricted cash included in Other assets	287	635	448
Investment Funds
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash used in operating activities:
Accrual of servicing rebate payable to Investment Funds			129
Carried Interest from Investment Funds		365	1,040
PMT
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash used in operating activities:
Amortization, impairment and change in fair value of mortgage servicing rights, mortgage servicing liabilities and excess servicing spread	(9,256)	8,500	(19,350)
Change in fair value of investment in common shares of PennyMac Mortgage Investment Trust	(275)	(192)	23
Purchase of loans held for sale from PennyMac Mortgage Investment Trust	(50,110,085)	(37,967,724)	(42,624,288)
Sale of loans held for sale to Penny Mac Mortgage Investment Trust	6,255,915	3,343,028	904,097
Increase in receivable from affiliates	(20,257)	(9,672)	(11,475)
Decrease in payable to affiliate	(36,645)	(34,472)	(34,076)
Increase in income taxes payable	104,023	25,313	29,901
Cash flow from investing activities
Net change in assets purchased from PMT under agreement to resell	23,513	13,103	5,872
Cash flow from financing activities
Repayment of excess servicing spread financing	(40,316)	(46,750)	(54,980)
Exchanged Unit Holders
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash used in operating activities:
Repricing of payable to exchanged Private National Mortgage Acceptance Company, LLC unitholders under tax receivable agreement	$ (379)	$ (1,126)	(32,940)
Payments to exchanged Private National Mortgage Acceptance Company, LLC unitholders under tax receivable agreement			$ (6,726)