Mortgage Servicing Rights - Schedule of Fair Value of MSRs and Aggregate Principal Amounts of Associated Loans (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands		Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
Servicing Assets at Fair Value [Line Items]
MSR Fair Value	[1]	$ 118,526	$ 191,976
MSRs
Servicing Assets at Fair Value [Line Items]
MSR Fair Value		118,526	191,976	$ 139,293	$ 64,824
Associated Principal		10,456,889	18,266,472
MSRs | Conforming Loans
Servicing Assets at Fair Value [Line Items]
MSR Fair Value		58,523	133,838
Associated Principal		4,989,720	12,560,533
MSRs | Jumbo Loans
Servicing Assets at Fair Value [Line Items]
MSR Fair Value		60,003	58,138
Associated Principal		$ 5,467,169	$ 5,705,939

[1] 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.