VARIABLE INTEREST ENTITIES RSO Summarized Cash Flow (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2013	Jun. 30, 2012	Jun. 30, 2013	Jun. 30, 2012
CASH FLOWS FROM OPERATING ACTIVITIES:
Net income	$ 9,511,000	$ 46,201,000	$ 22,278,000	$ 57,810,000
Line items included in Change in cash attributable to consolidated VIE - RSO
Net impairment losses recognized in earnings			214,000	74,000
Equity in losses of unconsolidated subsidiaries	117,000	(273,000)	(1,144,000)	56,000
Changes in cash attributable to operations of consolidated VIE- RSO			(59,968,000)
Share-based Compensation			610,000
CASH FLOWS FROM INVESTING ACTIVITIES:
Subtotal - purchase of loans and investment securities by consolidated VIE - RSO			(1,522,000)
Principal payments and proceeds from sales received by consolidated VIE - RSO			584,563,000
Decrease in restricted cash			(5,926,000)
Subtotal - other investing activities of consolidated VIE, before eliminations			(14,022,000)
Payments on borrowings:
Net borrowings (repayments) of debt by consolidated VIE - RSO			(182,637,000)
Distributions paid on common stock			(1,183,000)
Net proceeds from issuances of common stock (net of offering costs of $4,265 and $2,165)			1,253,000
Net proceeds from issuance of equity by consolidated VIE - RSO			179,826,000
Increase in cash			274,000	6,866,000
Cash, beginning of year			11,899,000	12,803,000
Cash, end of period	12,173,000	19,669,000	12,173,000	19,669,000
Interest expense paid in cash			840,000	1,102,000
Resource Capital Corp [Member]
CASH FLOWS FROM OPERATING ACTIVITIES:
Net income			21,170,000	30,931,000
Line items included in Change in cash attributable to consolidated VIE - RSO
Provision for loan losses	(1,242,000)	4,253,000	(200,000)	6,431,000
Depreciation of investments in real estate and other			1,202,000	789,000
Amortization of intangible assets			996,000	1,936,000
Amortization of term facilities			495,000	455,000
Accretion of net discounts on loans held for investment			(6,930,000)	(8,013,000)
Accretion of net discounts on securities available-for-sale			(1,430,000)	(1,559,000)
Amortization of discount on notes of CDOs			1,772,000	689,000
Amortization of debt issuance costs on notes of CDOs			1,965,000	2,356,000
Amortization of stock-based compensation			5,746,000	2,008,000
Amortization of terminated derivative instruments			193,000	113,000
Distribution accrued to preferred stockholders			(3,111,000)	0
Accretion of interest-only available-for-sales securities			(485,000)	0
Deferred income tax provision (benefit)			(115,000)	(1,718,000)
Purchase of securities, trading			(10,044,000)	(8,348,000)
Principal payments on securities, trading			3,272,000	898,000
Proceeds from sales of securities, trading			18,713,000	5,531,000
Net realized and unrealized loss (gain) on investment securities, trading			635,000	(3,568,000)
Net realized gain on sales of investment securities available-for-sale and loans			(2,785,000)	(1,802,000)
Gain on early extinguishment of debt			0	(1,835,000)
Net impairment losses recognized in earnings			548,000	171,000
Linked transactions fair value adjustments			6,385,000	0
Equity in losses of unconsolidated subsidiaries	(72,000)	1,761,000	353,000	690,000
Changes in operating assets and liabilities			6,635,000	(13,839,000)
Subtotal - net cash provided by operating activities (1)			23,810,000	(18,615,000)
Change in consolidated VIE - RSO cash for the period			(83,124,000)	11,219,000
Changes in cash attributable to operations of consolidated VIE- RSO			(59,968,000)	(6,936,000)
Share-based Compensation			0	0
CASH FLOWS FROM INVESTING ACTIVITIES:
Purchase of loans			(377,679,000)	(340,523,000)
Purchase of securities available-for-sale			(96,031,000)	(39,184,000)
Subtotal - purchase of loans and investment securities by consolidated VIE - RSO			(473,710,000)	(379,707,000)
Proceeds from sale of loans			170,450,000	93,236,000
Principal payments received on loans			386,686,000	240,407,000
Principal payments on securities available-for-sale			20,040,000	17,954,000
Proceeds from sale of securities available-for-sale			7,025,000	6,719,000
Principal payments received on loans – related parties			362,000	137,000
Principal payments and proceeds from sales received by consolidated VIE - RSO			584,563,000	358,453,000
Decrease in restricted cash			(5,926,000)	64,085,000
Investment in unconsolidated entity			(15,534,000)	1,470,000
Minority interest equity			1,759,000	0
Improvement of real estate held-for-sale			(404,000)	(138,000)
Proceeds from sale of real estate held-for-sale			0	2,886,000
Distributions from investments in real estate			522,000	851,000
Improvements in investments in real estate			(365,000)	(504,000)
Purchase of intangible asset			0	(1,517,000)
Subtotal - other investing activities of consolidated VIE, before eliminations			(14,022,000)	3,087,000
Net cash provided by investing activities (excluding eliminations)			90,905,000	45,879,000
Proceeds from borrowings:
Repurchase agreements			104,325,000	44,295,000
Payments on borrowings:
Collateralized debt obligations			(286,962,000)	(108,881,000)
Retirement of debt			0	(4,850,000)
Net borrowings (repayments) of debt by consolidated VIE - RSO			(182,637,000)	(69,436,000)
Distributions paid on common stock			(42,542,000)	(35,885,000)
Net proceeds from issuances of common stock (net of offering costs of $4,265 and $2,165)			114,018,000	0
Net proceeds from dividend reinvestment and stock purchase plan (net of offering costs of $0 and $19)			18,164,000	32,282,000
Net proceeds from issuance of equity by consolidated VIE - RSO			179,826,000	38,114,000
Payment of debt issuance costs			(1,178,000)	(586,000)
Payment of equity to third party sub-note holders			(2,661,000)	(1,219,000)
Distributions paid on preferred stock			(2,446,000)	0
Subtotal - Other consolidated VIE - RSO financing activity			(6,285,000)	(1,805,000)
Net cash used in financing activities (excluding eliminations)			(52,761,000)	(70,027,000)
Increase in cash			83,124,000	(11,219,000)
Cash, beginning of year			85,278,000	43,116,000
Cash, end of period	168,402,000	31,897,000	168,402,000	31,897,000
Interest expense paid in cash			20,214,000	8,253,000
Redeemable Preferred Stock Series A [Member] | Resource Capital Corp [Member]
Payments on borrowings:
Proceeds from issuance of preferred shares			0	5,832,000
Redeemable Preferred Stock Series B [Member] | Resource Capital Corp [Member]
Payments on borrowings:
Proceeds from issuance of preferred shares			47,644,000	0
Consolidation, Eliminations [Member]
Line items included in Change in cash attributable to consolidated VIE - RSO
Net impairment losses recognized in earnings			0	0
Equity in losses of unconsolidated subsidiaries	0	0	0	0
Consolidation, Eliminations [Member] | Resource Capital Corp [Member]
Line items included in Change in cash attributable to consolidated VIE - RSO
Changes in cash attributable to operations of consolidated VIE- RSO			(654,000)	460,000
Share-based Compensation			0	(613,000)
CASH FLOWS FROM INVESTING ACTIVITIES:
Subtotal - other investing activities of consolidated VIE, before eliminations			0	39,000
Payments on borrowings:
Distributions paid on common stock			1,123,000	1,015,000
Reportable Legal Entities [Member] | Resource Capital Corp [Member]
Line items included in Change in cash attributable to consolidated VIE - RSO
Subtotal - net cash provided by operating activities (1)			44,980,000	12,929,000
Changes in cash attributable to operations of consolidated VIE- RSO			(59,314,000)	(7,396,000)
Share-based Compensation			0	613,000
CASH FLOWS FROM INVESTING ACTIVITIES:
Subtotal - other investing activities of consolidated VIE, before eliminations			(14,022,000)	3,048,000
Payments on borrowings:
Distributions paid on common stock			$ (43,665,000)	$ (36,900,000)