Other Investments - Summary of Other Investments (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands		Dec. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016
Investment [Line Items]
Loan held-for-investment, amount		$ 0	$ 39,703
Other Investments	[1]	358,130	438,518
5 Arches, LLC
Investment [Line Items]
Carrying amount of equity method investments		0	10,754
Shared home appreciation options
Investment [Line Items]
Loan held-for-investment, amount			0
Mortgage servicing rights
Investment [Line Items]
Servicing asset, fair value		42,224	60,281	$ 63,598	$ 118,526
Multifamily loans
Investment [Line Items]
Loan held-for-investment, amount		39,802	0
Other
Investment [Line Items]
Loan held-for-investment, amount		30,001	0
Residential Loans
Investment [Line Items]
Servicing asset, fair value		169,204	300,468
Excess MSRs
Investment [Line Items]
Servicing asset, fair value		$ 31,814	$ 27,312

[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, 2019 and December 31, 2018, assets of consolidated VIEs totaled $11,931,869 and $6,331,191, respectively. At December 31, 2019 and December 31, 2018, liabilities of consolidated VIEs totaled $10,717,072 and $5,709,807, respectively. See Note 4 for further discussion.