VARIABLE INTEREST ENTITIES - RSO Cash Flow Detail (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2014	Sep. 30, 2014	Jun. 30, 2014	Mar. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013	Sep. 30, 2013	Jun. 30, 2013	Mar. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2010
CASH FLOWS FROM OPERATING ACTIVITIES:
Net income	$ 1,744,000	$ 1,516,000	$ 2,718,000	$ 990,000	$ 1,375,000	$ 3,442,000	$ 1,113,000	$ 496,000	$ 6,968,000	$ 6,426,000	$ 24,028,000
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by (used in) operating activities:
Non-cash incentive compensation to the Manager									0	484,000	1,468,000
Settlement of derivative instruments - investing									(4,142,000)	0	0
Net impairment losses recognized in earnings										214,000	74,000
Equity in net (earnings) losses of unconsolidated subsidiaries									(4,199,000)	(5,389,000)	(4,083,000)
CASH FLOWS FROM INVESTING ACTIVITIES:
Subtotal - principal payments and proceeds from sales received by consolidated VIE - RSO, before eliminations									858,751,000
(Decrease) increase in restricted cash of consolidated VIE - RSO									(23,568,000)
Capital expenditures									(430,000)
Other investing activity of consolidated VIE - RSO									(24,082,000)
Proceeds from borrowings:
Reissuance of debt										0	0
Payments on borrowings:
Subtotal - net (repayments) borrowings of debt by consolidated VIE - RSO									207,604,000
Dividends paid									(4,272,000)
Net proceeds from issuances of common stock (net of offering costs of $0, $3,837 and $2,165)									15,584,000
Repurchase of common stock									(10,591,000)
Increase (decrease) in cash									7,689,000	7,954,000	(904,000)
Cash, beginning of year				19,853,000				11,899,000	19,853,000	11,899,000	12,803,000
Cash, end of year	27,542,000				19,853,000				27,542,000	19,853,000	11,899,000
SUPPLEMENTAL DISCLOSURE:
Interest expense paid in cash									1,654,000	1,690,000	1,980,000
Income taxes paid in cash									1,268,000	1,651,000	1,367,000
RSO [Member]
CASH FLOWS FROM OPERATING ACTIVITIES:
Net income									62,168,000	46,453,000	64,443,000
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by (used in) operating activities:
Provision for loan losses									1,804,000	3,020,000	16,818,000
Depreciation of investments in real estate and other									690,000	1,946,000	1,838,000
Amortization of intangible assets									2,059,000	1,970,000	4,047,000
Amortization of term facilities									2,508,000	1,395,000	957,000
Accretion of net discounts on loans held for investment									(2,223,000)	(9,521,000)	(17,817,000)
Accretion of net discounts on securities available-for-sale									(3,941,000)	(2,712,000)	(3,177,000)
Amortization of discount on notes of securitizations									1,228,000	14,524,000	2,470,000
Amortization of debt issuance costs on notes of securitizations									3,601,000	7,426,000	4,700,000
Amortization of stock-based compensation									6,566,000	10,472,000	4,636,000
Amortization of terminated derivative instruments									282,000	339,000	227,000
Accretion of interest-only available-for-sales securities									(790,000)	(1,005,000)	(719,000)
Non-cash incentive compensation to the Manager									0	0	0
Deferred income tax (benefit) expense									(11,536,000)	(6,710,000)	2,329,000
Purchase of mortgage loans held for sale, net									(96,536,000)	(146,000)	0
Purchase of securities, trading									(20,190,000)	(11,044,000)	(8,348,000)
Principal payments on securities, trading									1,928,000	4,309,000	1,027,000
Proceeds from sales of securities, trading									1,747,000	19,696,000	33,579,000
Net realized and unrealized loss (gain) on investment securities, trading									2,818,000	324,000	(12,435,000)
Net realized gains on sales of investment securities available-for-sale and loans									(15,283,000)	(10,986,000)	(4,106,000)
Loss (gain) on the reissuance / (extinguishment) of debt									4,442,000	0	(16,699,000)
Gain on sale of real estate									(6,127,000)	(16,616,000)	0
Net impairment losses recognized in earnings									0	855,000	180,000
Linked Transactions fair value adjustments									(5,615,000)	6,018,000	(168,000)
Equity in net (earnings) losses of unconsolidated subsidiaries									(4,767,000)	(949,000)	2,709,000
Adjust for impact of imputed interest on VIE accounting									0	0	1,879,000
Changes in operating assets and liabilities
Decrease (increase) in restricted cash									5,204,000	8,445,000	(2,062,000)
(Increase) decrease in interest receivable, net of purchased interest									(7,295,000)	(1,108,000)	987,000
Decrease (increase) in principal paydowns receivable
Increase (decrease) in management fee payable									171,000	(6,357,000)	3,929,000
Increase (decrease) in security deposits									4,696,000	(337,000)	25,000
(Decrease) increase in accounts payable and accrued liabilities									(3,363,000)	(16,327,000)	6,329,000
Increase (decrease) in accrued interest expense									430,000	(1,445,000)	(193,000)
Increase (decrease) in other assets									9,873,000	7,259,000	(22,505,000)
Subtotal - consolidated VIE - RSO operating activity									(131,761,000)	3,219,000	1,905,000
Change in consolidated VIE - RSO cash for the period									182,365,000	(176,992,000)	(42,162,000)
Adjustments to reconcile net income of VIE - RSO to net cash provided by (used in) operating activities									50,485,000	(174,485,000)	(39,325,000)
Net cash (used in) provided by operating activities (excluding eliminations)									(69,593,000)	49,672,000	66,348,000
CASH FLOWS FROM INVESTING ACTIVITIES:
Purchase of loans									(1,019,721,000)	(725,657,000)	(649,983,000)
Purchase of securities available-for-sale									(180,990,000)	(136,282,000)	(119,779,000)
Purchase of loans and investments									(1,200,711,000)	(861,939,000)	(769,762,000)
Principal payments received on loans									376,219,000	590,663,000	544,811,000
Proceeds from sale of loans									209,707,000	674,977,000	173,378,000
Principal payments on securities available-for-sale									56,053,000	52,812,000	47,284,000
Proceeds from sale of securities available-for-sale									147,171,000	11,893,000	28,652,000
Proceeds from sale of real estate held-for-sale									65,753,000	37,001,000	2,886,000
Principal payments received on loans – related parties									3,848,000	1,685,000	1,251,000
(Decrease) increase in restricted cash of consolidated VIE - RSO									(23,568,000)	22,248,000	50,756,000
Acquisition of controlling interest in Moselle CLO S.A.									0	(7,613,000)	0
Acquisition of Primary Capital Advisors, LC									0	(7,613,000)	0
Return of investment in (investment in) unconsolidated entity									9,557,000	(28,034,000)	474,000
Equity contribution to VIE									0	0	(710,000)
Improvement of real estate held-for-sale									0	(404,000)	(138,000)
Distributions from investments in real estate									0	1,094,000	1,152,000
Improvements in investments in real estate									(221,000)	(365,000)	(3,878,000)
Investment in loans - related parties									(1,572,000)	(1,241,000)	0
Purchase of furniture and fixtures									(69,000)	(133,000)	0
Capital expenditures									(865,000)	(373,000)	0
Other investing activity of consolidated VIE - RSO									(24,082,000)	(37,662,000)	(3,147,000)
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities (excluding eliminations)									(389,131,000)	492,271,000	76,156,000
Proceeds from borrowings:
Repurchase agreements									277,875,000	15,226,000	71,121,000
CRE Securitization									235,344,000	260,840,000	0
6.0% Convertible senior notes									0	115,000,000	0
Senior secured revolving credit facility									113,500,000	0	0
Reissuance of debt									52,663,000
Payments on borrowings:
Collateralized debt obligations									(451,991,000)	(797,573,000)	(243,539,000)
CRE Securitization									(34,000,000)	0	0
Senior secured revolving credit facility									0	0	0
Mortgage payable									0	(13,600,000)	0
Repurchase of issued bonds									0	0	0
Retirement of debt									0	0	(20,365,000)
Proceeds received from non-controlling interests									14,213,000	5,531,000	114,000
Subtotal - net (repayments) borrowings of debt by consolidated VIE - RSO									207,604,000	(414,576,000)	(192,669,000)
Dividends paid									(101,936,000)	(91,255,000)	(71,876,000)
Net proceeds from issuances of common stock (net of offering costs of $0, $3,837 and $2,165)									0	114,454,000	55,502,000
Net proceeds from dividend reinvestment and stock purchase plan (net of offering costs of $0, $0 and $19)									30,297,000	19,211,000	73,044,000
Proceeds from issuance of redeemable preferred shares, net of offering costs									116,268,000	0	0
Repurchase of common stock									(6,832,000)	0	0
Subtotal - net proceeds from issuance of stock by consolidated VIE									196,198,000	189,991,000	171,056,000
Payment of debt issuance costs									(8,939,000)	(9,786,000)	(586,000)
Settlement of derivative instruments									3,052,000	0	0
Payment of equity to third party sub-note holders									(2,323,000)	(30,709,000)	(3,480,000)
Distributions paid on preferred stock									(15,008,000)	(6,413,000)	(613,000)
Other consolidated VIE -RSO financing activity									(23,043,000)	(46,703,000)	(4,679,000)
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities (excluding eliminations)									276,359,000	(364,951,000)	(100,342,000)
Increase (decrease) in cash									(182,365,000)	176,992,000	42,162,000
Cash, beginning of year				262,270,000				85,278,000	262,270,000	85,278,000		43,116,000
Cash, end of year	79,905,000				262,270,000				79,905,000	262,270,000	85,278,000	43,116,000
SUPPLEMENTAL DISCLOSURE:
Interest expense paid in cash									35,690,000	41,453,000	41,369,000
Income taxes paid in cash									3,305,000	10,710,000	22,758,000
RSO [Member] | Redeemable Preferred Stock Series A [Member]
Payments on borrowings:
Proceeds from issuance of redeemable preferred shares, net of offering costs									8,984,000	112,000	16,411,000
RSO [Member] | Redeemable Preferred Stock Series B [Member]
Payments on borrowings:
Proceeds from issuance of redeemable preferred shares, net of offering costs									47,481,000	56,214,000	26,099,000
Reportable Legal Entities [Member] | RSO [Member]
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by (used in) operating activities:
Non-cash incentive compensation to the Manager									0	484,000	1,468,000
Changes in operating assets and liabilities
Adjustments to reconcile net income of VIE - RSO to net cash provided by (used in) operating activities									50,604,000	(173,773,000)	(40,257,000)
CASH FLOWS FROM INVESTING ACTIVITIES:
Purchase of loans and investments									(1,200,711,000)	(861,939,000)	(769,762,000)
Subtotal - principal payments and proceeds from sales received by consolidated VIE - RSO, before eliminations									858,751,000	1,369,031,000	798,262,000
Other investing activity of consolidated VIE - RSO									(23,603,000)	(37,069,000)	(3,100,000)
Payments on borrowings:
Dividends paid									(104,225,000)	(93,458,000)	(74,050,000)
Other consolidated VIE -RSO financing activity									(23,218,000)	(46,908,000)	(4,679,000)
Consolidation, Eliminations [Member]
CASH FLOWS FROM OPERATING ACTIVITIES:
Net income									(46,077,000)
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by (used in) operating activities:
Equity in net (earnings) losses of unconsolidated subsidiaries									483,000
CASH FLOWS FROM INVESTING ACTIVITIES:
Other investing activity of consolidated VIE - RSO									(479,000)
Payments on borrowings:
Other consolidated VIE -RSO financing activity									175,000
Consolidation, Eliminations [Member] | RSO [Member]
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by (used in) operating activities:
Non-cash incentive compensation to the Manager									0	(484,000)	(1,468,000)
Changes in operating assets and liabilities
Adjustments to reconcile net income of VIE - RSO to net cash provided by (used in) operating activities									(119,000)	(712,000)	932,000
CASH FLOWS FROM INVESTING ACTIVITIES:
Purchase of loans and investments									0	0	0
Other investing activity of consolidated VIE - RSO									(479,000)	(593,000)	(47,000)
Payments on borrowings:
Dividends paid									2,289,000	2,203,000	2,174,000
Other consolidated VIE -RSO financing activity									175,000	205,000	0
Moselle CLO [Member] | RSO [Member]
CASH FLOWS FROM INVESTING ACTIVITIES:
Acquisition of controlling interest in Moselle CLO S.A.									(30,433,000)	0	0
Acquisition of Primary Capital Advisors, LC									$ (30,433,000)	$ 0	$ 0