Variable Interest Entities (Details) (USD $)							3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012	Mar. 31, 2013 Variable interests in unconsolidated VIEs	Mar. 31, 2013 Special-Purpose Investment Entity VIEs	Mar. 31, 2013 Special-Purpose Investment Entity VIEs Primary Beneficiary	Mar. 31, 2013 Acquisition Partnership VIEs item	Mar. 31, 2013 Acquisition Partnership VIEs Minimum item	Mar. 31, 2013 Operating Entity VIEs
Variable interest entities
Number of investors in VIEs							1
Number of VIEs in which entity and respective non-affiliated investors each hold equal ownership and voting interests						4
Maximum recourse available to third-party creditors under various limited guaranty provisions related to certain debt obligations of the VIEs				$ 29,500,000
Carrying amount and classification of assets and liabilities of VIEs included in consolidated balance sheet
Cash					15,657,000
Portfolio Assets, net	51,464,000	55,075,000			39,397,000
Loans receivable			7,039,000		10,227,000			7,039,000
Assets held for sale	27,439,000	24,143,000			27,439,000
Equity investments	67,219,000	77,466,000	(670,000)		11,707,000	(1,036,000)		366,000
Other assets	30,234,000	32,005,000			28,535,000
Total assets of consolidated VIEs (1)					132,962,000
Notes payable (2)					44,352,000
Liabilities associated with assets held for sale	19,896,000	16,664,000			19,896,000
Other liabilities (2)	19,803,000	28,975,000			12,165,000
Total liabilities of consolidated VIEs					76,413,000
Notes payable for which creditors do not have recourse					22,600,000
Liabilities					1,500,000
Other liabilities (2)					12,200,000
FirstCity's Maximum Exposure to Loss (1)			$ 8,425,000			$ 1,020,000		$ 7,405,000