Residential Loans - Summary of Classifications and Carrying Value of Residential Loans (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands		Dec. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016
Residential Loans Held For Sale
Mortgage Loans on Real Estate [Line Items]
Loan market valuation adjustment	[1]	$ 1,427,945	$ 835,399
Residential Loans
Mortgage Loans on Real Estate [Line Items]
Loan market valuation adjustment		1,430,000	830,000
Residential loans, at lower of cost or fair value
Mortgage Loans on Real Estate [Line Items]
Loan market valuation adjustment		1,000	1,000
Legacy Sequoia | Residential Loans Held For Investment at Fair Value
Mortgage Loans on Real Estate [Line Items]
Loan market valuation adjustment		633,000	792,000
Sequoia Choice | Residential Loans Held For Investment at Fair Value
Mortgage Loans on Real Estate [Line Items]
Loan market valuation adjustment		620,000
Redwood | Residential Loans Held For Investment at Fair Value
Mortgage Loans on Real Estate [Line Items]
Loan market valuation adjustment			2,260,000
Residential Loans
Mortgage Loans on Real Estate [Line Items]
Loan market valuation adjustment		5,115,210	3,888,051
Residential Loans | Residential Loans Held For Sale
Mortgage Loans on Real Estate [Line Items]
Loan market valuation adjustment		1,427,945	835,399
Residential Loans | Residential Loans | Jumbo Loans
Mortgage Loans on Real Estate [Line Items]
Loan market valuation adjustment		1,427,052	834,193
Residential Loans | Residential loans, at lower of cost or fair value
Mortgage Loans on Real Estate [Line Items]
Loan market valuation adjustment		893	1,206
Residential Loans | Residential Loans Held For Investment at Fair Value | Jumbo Loans
Mortgage Loans on Real Estate [Line Items]
Loan market valuation adjustment		3,687,265	3,052,652
Residential Loans | Legacy Sequoia
Mortgage Loans on Real Estate [Line Items]
Loan market valuation adjustment		632,817	791,636
Residential Loans | Legacy Sequoia | Residential Loans Held For Sale
Mortgage Loans on Real Estate [Line Items]
Loan market valuation adjustment		0	0
Residential Loans | Legacy Sequoia | Residential Loans | Jumbo Loans
Mortgage Loans on Real Estate [Line Items]
Loan market valuation adjustment		0	0
Residential Loans | Legacy Sequoia | Residential loans, at lower of cost or fair value
Mortgage Loans on Real Estate [Line Items]
Loan market valuation adjustment		0	0
Residential Loans | Legacy Sequoia | Residential Loans Held For Investment at Fair Value | Jumbo Loans
Mortgage Loans on Real Estate [Line Items]
Loan market valuation adjustment		632,817	791,636
Residential Loans | Sequoia Choice
Mortgage Loans on Real Estate [Line Items]
Loan market valuation adjustment		620,062	0
Residential Loans | Sequoia Choice | Residential Loans Held For Sale
Mortgage Loans on Real Estate [Line Items]
Loan market valuation adjustment		0	0
Residential Loans | Sequoia Choice | Residential Loans | Jumbo Loans
Mortgage Loans on Real Estate [Line Items]
Loan market valuation adjustment		0	0
Residential Loans | Sequoia Choice | Residential loans, at lower of cost or fair value
Mortgage Loans on Real Estate [Line Items]
Loan market valuation adjustment		0	0
Residential Loans | Sequoia Choice | Residential Loans Held For Investment at Fair Value | Jumbo Loans
Mortgage Loans on Real Estate [Line Items]
Loan market valuation adjustment		620,062	0
Residential Loans | Redwood
Mortgage Loans on Real Estate [Line Items]
Loan market valuation adjustment		3,862,331	3,096,415
Residential Loans | Redwood | Residential Loans Held For Sale
Mortgage Loans on Real Estate [Line Items]
Loan market valuation adjustment		1,427,945	835,399
Residential Loans | Redwood | Residential Loans | Jumbo Loans
Mortgage Loans on Real Estate [Line Items]
Loan market valuation adjustment		1,427,052	834,193
Residential Loans | Redwood | Residential loans, at lower of cost or fair value
Mortgage Loans on Real Estate [Line Items]
Loan market valuation adjustment		893	1,206
Residential Loans | Redwood | Residential Loans Held For Investment at Fair Value | Jumbo Loans
Mortgage Loans on Real Estate [Line Items]
Loan market valuation adjustment		$ 2,434,386	$ 2,261,016

[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, 2017 and December 31, 2016, assets of consolidated VIEs totaled $1,259,774 and $798,317, respectively. At December 31, 2017 and December 31, 2016, liabilities of consolidated VIEs totaled $1,167,157 and $773,980, respectively. See Note 4 for further discussion.