CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS (USD $) In Thousands, except Per Share data, unless otherwise specified	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012
REVENUES:
Revenues from consolidated VIE - RSO	$ 169,279	$ 145,724	$ 153,071
COSTS AND EXPENSES:
Restructuring expenses			365
General and administrative	11,118	10,268	9,792
Impairment charges			2,280
Provision for credit losses	3,058	4,265	20,148
Depreciation and amortization	1,819	1,936	2,084
Costs and expenses	121,603	115,076	124,344
OPERATING INCOME	47,676	30,648	28,727
OTHER INCOME (EXPENSE):
Gain on deconsolidation and sale of subsidiaries			54,542
Other-than-temporary impairment on investments		(214)	(74)
Interest expense	(1,905)	(2,036)	(2,289)
Other (expense) income	24,339	21,997	86,181
Income from continuing operations before taxes	72,015	52,645	114,908
Income tax provision	3,641
Income from continuing operations	68,374	52,029	87,189
Loss from discontinued operations, net of tax	0	(2)	(44)
Net income	68,374	52,027	87,145
Net income attributable to common shareholders	6,968	6,426	24,028
Amounts attributable to common shareholders:
Income from continuing operations	6,968	6,428	24,072
Discontinued operations	0	(2)	(44)
Net income	6,968	6,426	24,028
Basic earnings per share:
Continuing operations (in dollars per share)	$ 0.33	$ 0.32	$ 1.21
Discontinued operations (in dollars per share)	$ 0.00	$ 0.00	$ 0.00
Basic earnings per common share:	$ 0.33	$ 0.32	$ 1.21
Weighted average shares outstanding (in shares)	21,148	20,217	19,919
Diluted earnings per share:
Continuing operations (in dollars per share)	$ 0.31	$ 0.29	$ 1.14
Discontinued operations (in dollars per share)	$ 0.00	$ 0.00	$ 0.00
Diluted earnings per common share:	$ 0.31	$ 0.29	$ 1.14
Weighted average shares outstanding (in shares)	22,371	21,905	20,994
RAI [Member]
REVENUES:
Real estate (includes revenues of $10,349, $12,600 and $13,956 related to RSO)	54,861
Financial fund management (includes revenues of $2,983, $1,120 and $4,894 related to RSO)	28,400
Commercial finance	(164)
Revenues from consolidated VIE - RSO	83,097
COSTS AND EXPENSES:
Real estate	37,411
Financial fund management	14,824
Commercial finance	979
General and administrative	11,118
Impairment charges	0	0	2,280
Provision for credit losses	3,058	4,265	20,148
Depreciation and amortization	1,819
Costs and expenses	69,209
OTHER INCOME (EXPENSE):
Gain on deconsolidation and sale of subsidiaries	0	0	54,542
Other-than-temporary impairment on investments	0	(214)	(74)
Interest expense	(1,905)
Income tax provision	5,853	1,657	13,117
Loss from discontinued operations, net of tax	0	(2)	(44)
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests	(89)	(20)	(557)
RSO [Member]
REVENUES:
Real estate (includes revenues of $10,349, $12,600 and $13,956 related to RSO)		12,600	13,956
Financial fund management (includes revenues of $2,983, $1,120 and $4,894 related to RSO)		1,120	4,894
Commercial finance		0	0
Revenues from consolidated VIE - RSO	99,446
COSTS AND EXPENSES:
Costs and expenses	62,783
OPERATING INCOME	36,663
OTHER INCOME (EXPENSE):
Income tax provision	(2,212)	(1,041)	14,602
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests	(61,317)	(45,581)	(62,560)
Reportable Legal Entities [Member]
OTHER INCOME (EXPENSE):
Other (expense) income	(1,217)	(1,675)	52,291
Reportable Legal Entities [Member] | RAI [Member]
REVENUES:
Real estate (includes revenues of $10,349, $12,600 and $13,956 related to RSO)	54,861	57,143	45,083
Financial fund management (includes revenues of $2,983, $1,120 and $4,894 related to RSO)	28,400	19,773	18,053
Commercial finance	(164)	(341)	(1,659)
Revenues from consolidated VIE - RSO	83,097	76,575	61,477
COSTS AND EXPENSES:
Real estate	37,411	40,612	30,475
Financial fund management	14,824	10,155	12,299
Commercial finance	979	56	402
Restructuring expenses	0	0	365
General and administrative	11,118	10,268	9,792
Impairment charges	0	0	2,280
Provision for credit losses	3,058	4,265	20,148
Depreciation and amortization	1,819	1,936	2,084
Costs and expenses	69,209	67,292	77,845
OPERATING INCOME	13,888
OTHER INCOME (EXPENSE):
Gain on deconsolidation and sale of subsidiaries	0	0	54,542
Gain on sale of investment securities, net	445	0	0
Other-than-temporary impairment on investments	0	(214)	(74)
Interest expense	(1,905)	(2,036)	(2,289)
Other (expense) income	243	575	112
Income from continuing operations before taxes	14,960
Income tax provision	5,853
Net income	9,107
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests	(89)
Net income attributable to common shareholders	9,018
Amounts attributable to common shareholders:
Net income	9,018
Reportable Legal Entities [Member] | RSO [Member]
REVENUES:
Revenues from consolidated VIE - RSO	99,446	82,983	109,138
COSTS AND EXPENSES:
Costs and expenses	64,995	60,999	63,850
OTHER INCOME (EXPENSE):
Other (expense) income	25,505	23,428	33,757
Income from continuing operations before taxes	62,168
Income tax provision	0
Net income	62,168
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests	(18,141)
Net income attributable to common shareholders	44,027
Amounts attributable to common shareholders:
Net income	44,027
Intersegment Eliminations [Member]
REVENUES:
Revenues from consolidated VIE - RSO	(13,264)	(13,834)	(17,544)
COSTS AND EXPENSES:
Costs and expenses	(12,601)	(13,215)	(17,351)
OTHER INCOME (EXPENSE):
Other (expense) income	51	244	133
Consolidation, Eliminations [Member]
REVENUES:
Revenues from consolidated VIE - RSO	(13,264)	(13,834)	(17,544)
COSTS AND EXPENSES:
Costs and expenses	(10,389)
OPERATING INCOME	(2,875)
OTHER INCOME (EXPENSE):
Income from continuing operations before taxes	(5,113)
Income tax provision	(2,212)
Net income	(2,901)
Net income attributable to common shareholders	(46,077)
Amounts attributable to common shareholders:
Net income	(46,077)
Consolidation, Eliminations [Member] | RSO [Member]
COSTS AND EXPENSES:
Costs and expenses	2,212
OTHER INCOME (EXPENSE):
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests	$ (43,176)