BORROWINGS (Unsecured Junior Subordinated Debentures) (Details) RSO (Resource Capital Corp [Member], USD $)			3 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2012	Sep. 30, 2012	Dec. 31, 2012 Unsecured Junior Subordinated Debentures [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Interest in RCT I [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Interest in RCT I [Member] Unsecured Junior Subordinated Debentures [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Interest in RCT II [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Interest in RCT II [Member] Unsecured Junior Subordinated Debentures [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 RCT II entity [Member] Unsecured Junior Subordinated Debentures [Member]	Sep. 30, 2012 RCT II entity [Member] Unsecured Junior Subordinated Debentures [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 RCT I entity [Member] Unsecured Junior Subordinated Debentures [Member]	Sep. 30, 2012 RCT I entity [Member] Unsecured Junior Subordinated Debentures [Member]	May 31, 2006 RCT I entity [Member] Unsecured Junior Subordinated Debentures [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Variable Interest Entity, Not Primary Beneficiary [Member] Interest in RCT I [Member] Unsecured Junior Subordinated Debentures [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Variable Interest Entity, Not Primary Beneficiary [Member] Interest in RCT II [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Ownership percentage (in hundredths)													100.00%	100.00%
Face amount of debt issued								$ 25,800,000				$ 25,800,000
Debt issuance costs, amortization period			10 years
Unamortized debt issuance costs	0	0						377,000	400,000	358,000	381,000
Interest rate at period end (in hundredths)								4.26%	4.40%	4.26%	4.41%
Investments in unconsolidated entities				$ 774,000	$ 774,000	$ 774,000	$ 774,000