Short-Term Debt - Remaining Maturities of Short Term Debt (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands		Dec. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016
Short-term Debt [Line Items]
Short-term debt	[1],[2]	$ 1,938,682	$ 791,539
Within 30 days
Short-term Debt [Line Items]
Short-term debt		667,942
31 to 90 days
Short-term Debt [Line Items]
Short-term debt		450,923
Over 90 days
Short-term Debt [Line Items]
Short-term debt		819,817
Line of Credit
Short-term Debt [Line Items]
Short-term debt		1,688,412
Line of Credit | Held-for sale residential loans
Short-term Debt [Line Items]
Short-term debt		1,039,666	485,544
Line of Credit | Real estate securities
Short-term Debt [Line Items]
Short-term debt		648,746	$ 305,995
Line of Credit | Within 30 days
Short-term Debt [Line Items]
Short-term debt		667,942
Line of Credit | Within 30 days | Held-for sale residential loans
Short-term Debt [Line Items]
Short-term debt		150,095
Line of Credit | Within 30 days | Real estate securities
Short-term Debt [Line Items]
Short-term debt		517,847
Line of Credit | 31 to 90 days
Short-term Debt [Line Items]
Short-term debt		450,923
Line of Credit | 31 to 90 days | Held-for sale residential loans
Short-term Debt [Line Items]
Short-term debt		320,024
Line of Credit | 31 to 90 days | Real estate securities
Short-term Debt [Line Items]
Short-term debt		130,899
Line of Credit | Over 90 days
Short-term Debt [Line Items]
Short-term debt		569,547
Line of Credit | Over 90 days | Held-for sale residential loans
Short-term Debt [Line Items]
Short-term debt		569,547
Line of Credit | Over 90 days | Real estate securities
Short-term Debt [Line Items]
Short-term debt		0
Convertible notes, net
Short-term Debt [Line Items]
Short-term debt		250,270
Convertible notes, net | Within 30 days
Short-term Debt [Line Items]
Short-term debt		0
Convertible notes, net | 31 to 90 days
Short-term Debt [Line Items]
Short-term debt		0
Convertible notes, net | Over 90 days
Short-term Debt [Line Items]
Short-term debt		$ 250,270

[1] Includes $250 million of convertible notes, which were reclassified from Long-term debt, net to Short-term debt as the maturity of the notes was less than one year as of December 31, 2017. See Note 11 for further discussion.

[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, 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.