Consolidated Balance Sheets (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Mar. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
ASSETS
Mortgage-backed securities	$ 3,879,723	$ 3,516,239
Loans and Leases Receivable, Net Amount	32,775	39,700
Cash and cash equivalents	38,504	43,944
Restricted cash	66,967	42,263
Derivative assets	8,079us-gaap_DerivativeAssets	5,727us-gaap_DerivativeAssets
Principal receivable on investments	8,792	7,420
Accrued interest receivable	22,856us-gaap_InterestReceivable	21,157us-gaap_InterestReceivable
Investment in limited partnership	10,022us-gaap_EquityMethodInvestments	4,000us-gaap_EquityMethodInvestments
Other assets, net	7,793us-gaap_PrepaidExpenseAndOtherAssets	7,861us-gaap_PrepaidExpenseAndOtherAssets
Total assets	4,075,511us-gaap_Assets	3,688,311us-gaap_Assets
Liabilities:
Repurchase agreements	3,185,843	3,013,110
Payable for unsettled mortgage-backed securities	196,473	0
Non recourse collateralized financing	10,196us-gaap_OtherSecuredFinancings	10,786us-gaap_OtherSecuredFinancings
Derivative Liabilities	57,168us-gaap_DerivativeLiabilities	35,898us-gaap_DerivativeLiabilities
Accrued interest payable	2,260	1,947
Accrued dividends payable	15,112	15,622
Other liabilities	2,998us-gaap_OtherLiabilities	3,646us-gaap_OtherLiabilities
Total liabilities	3,470,050us-gaap_Liabilities	3,081,009us-gaap_Liabilities
Shareholders’ equity:
Common stock, par value $.01 per share, 200,000,000 shares authorized; 54,734,817 and 54,310,484 shares issued and outstanding, respectively	549us-gaap_CommonStockValue	547us-gaap_CommonStockValue
Additional paid-in capital	763,979	763,935
Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss)	44,369	21,316
Accumulated deficit	(313,094)	(288,154)
Total shareholders' equity	605,461	607,302
Total liabilities and shareholders’ equity	4,075,511	3,688,311
Series A Preferred Stock [Member]
Shareholders’ equity:
Preferred Stock, par value $.01 per share, 8.5% Series A Cumulative Redeemable; 8,000,000 shares authorized; 2,300,000 shares issued and outstanding ($57,500 aggregate liquidation preference)	55,407	55,407
Preferred Stock, par value $.01 per share, 7.625% Series B Cumulative Redeemable; 7,000,000 shares authorized 2,250,000 shares issued and outstanding ($56,250 aggregate liquidation preference)	55,407	55,407
Series B Preferred Stock [Member]
Shareholders’ equity:
Preferred Stock, par value $.01 per share, 8.5% Series A Cumulative Redeemable; 8,000,000 shares authorized; 2,300,000 shares issued and outstanding ($57,500 aggregate liquidation preference)	54,251	54,251
Preferred Stock, par value $.01 per share, 7.625% Series B Cumulative Redeemable; 7,000,000 shares authorized 2,250,000 shares issued and outstanding ($56,250 aggregate liquidation preference)	$ 54,251	$ 54,251

Accumulated change in equity from transactions and other events and circumstances from non-owner sources, net of tax effect, at period end. Excludes Net Income (Loss), and accumulated changes in equity from transactions resulting from investments by owners and distributions to owners. Includes foreign currency translation items, certain pension adjustments, unrealized gains and losses on certain investments in debt and equity securities, other than temporary impairment (OTTI) losses related to factors other than credit losses on available-for-sale and held-to-maturity debt securities that an entity does not intend to sell and it is not more likely than not that the entity will be required to sell before recovery of the amortized cost basis, as well as changes in the fair value of derivatives related to the effective portion of a designated cash flow hedge.

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 220

-SubTopic 10

-Section 45

-Paragraph 11

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=36458714&loc=d3e637-108580

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 220

-SubTopic 10

-Section 45

-Paragraph 14

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=36458714&loc=d3e681-108580

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 220

-SubTopic 10

-Section 45

-Paragraph 14A

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=36458714&loc=SL7669686-108580

Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher SEC

-Name Regulation S-X (SX)

-Number 210

-Section 02

-Paragraph 31

-Article 5

Reference 5: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher SEC

-Name Regulation S-X (SX)

-Number 210

-Section 04

-Article 3