Asset-Backed Securities Issued - Components of Asset-Backed Securities Issued by Consolidated Securitization Entities Sponsored, Along With Other Selected Information (Details) $ in Thousands		Dec. 31, 2016 USD ($) series	Dec. 31, 2015 USD ($) series
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total	[1],[2]	$ 2,620,683	$ 2,027,737
Asset-backed securities issued, net
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt, gross		773,462	1,049,957
Market valuation adjustments		(110,829)	(116,637)
Deferred debt issuance costs		0	(542)
Total		773,462	1,049,415
Asset-backed securities issued, net | Certificates with principal balance
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt, gross		880,517	1,161,922
Asset-backed securities issued, net | Interest-only certificates
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt, gross		3,774	4,672
Asset-backed securities issued, net | Sequoia Entities
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt, gross		773,462	996,820
Market valuation adjustments		(110,829)	(116,637)
Deferred debt issuance costs		0	0
Total		$ 773,462	$ 996,820
Number of series | series		20	21
Asset-backed securities issued, net | Sequoia Entities | Minimum
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Weighted average interest rates, by series		0.14%	0.15%
Asset-backed securities issued, net | Sequoia Entities | Maximum
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Weighted average interest rates, by series		2.21%	1.95%
Asset-backed securities issued, net | Sequoia Entities | Certificates with principal balance
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt, gross		$ 880,517	$ 1,108,785
Asset-backed securities issued, net | Sequoia Entities | Interest-only certificates
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt, gross		3,774	4,672
Asset-backed securities issued, net | Commercial Securitization
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt, gross		0	53,137
Market valuation adjustments		0	0
Deferred debt issuance costs		0	(542)
Total		$ 0	$ 52,595
Weighted average interest rates, by series		0.00%	5.62%
Number of series | series		0	1
Asset-backed securities issued, net | Commercial Securitization | Certificates with principal balance
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt, gross		$ 0	$ 53,137
Asset-backed securities issued, net | Commercial Securitization | Interest-only certificates
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt, gross		$ 0	$ 0

[1] At December 31, 2016 and December 31, 2015, Asset-backed securities issued, net included $0 and $542, respectively, of deferred debt issuance costs, and long-term debt, net included $7,081 and $10,438, respectively, of deferred debt issuance costs.

[2] Our consolidated balance sheets include assets of consolidated variable interest entities (“VIEs”) that can only be used to settle obligations of these VIEs and liabilities of consolidated VIEs for which creditors do not have recourse to Redwood Trust, Inc. or its affiliates. At December 31, 2016 and December 31, 2015, assets of consolidated VIEs totaled $798,317 and $1,195,574, respectively. At December 31, 2016 and December 31, 2015, liabilities of consolidated VIEs totaled $773,980 and $1,050,861, respectively. See Note 4 for further discussion.