Consolidated Statements of Income (USD $) In Thousands, except Share data, unless otherwise specified	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2012		Dec. 31, 2011		Dec. 31, 2010
Interest income:
Agency MBS	$ 77,761		$ 56,814		$ 22,920
Non-Agency MBS	29,967		18,825		13,491
Securitized mortgage loans	5,395		7,615		12,234
Other investments	425		123		136
Total interest income	113,548		83,377		48,781
Interest expense:
Repurchase agreements	33,789		19,569		6,368
Non recourse collateralized financing	1,358		4,513		7,989
Total interest expense	35,147		24,082		14,357
Net interest income	78,401		59,295		34,424
Provision for loan losses	(192)		(871)		(1,379)
Net interest income after provision for loan losses	78,209		58,424		33,045
Litigation settlement and related costs	0		(8,240)		0
Loss on non-recourse collateralized financing	0		(1,970)		561
Gain on sale of investments, net	8,461		2,096		2,891
Fair value adjustments, net	(173)		(676)		294
Other income, net	281		134		1,498
General and administrative expenses:
Compensation and benefits	(7,635)		(5,321)		(4,930)
Other general and administrative	(5,101)		(4,635)		(3,887)
Net income	74,042		39,812		29,472
Preferred Stock Dividends, Income Statement Impact	(2,036)		0		(3,061)
Net Income (Loss) Available to Common Stockholders, Basic	72,006		39,812		26,411
Weighted average common shares:
Basic	53,146,416		38,579,780		17,595,022
Diluted	53,146,416		38,580,579		20,919,036
Net income per common share:
Basic Net Income Per Common Share	$ 1.35		$ 1.03		$ 1.50
Diluted Net Income Per Common Share	$ 1.35	[1]	$ 1.03	[1]	$ 1.41
Dividends declared per common share	$ 1.15		$ 1.09		$ 0.98
Accumulated Distributions in Excess of Net Income [Member]
General and administrative expenses:
Net income			$ 39,812		$ 29,472

[1] For the years ended December 31, 2012, December 31, 2011 and December 31, 2010, the calculation of diluted net income per common share excludes the effect of 15,000 unexercised stock option awards because their inclusion would have been anti-dilutive.