Other Assets and Liabilities - Accrued Expenses and Other Liabilities (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands		Dec. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018
Deferred Costs, Capitalized, Prepaid, and Other Assets Disclosure [Abstract]
Accrued compensation		$ 33,888	$ 19,769
Contingent consideration		28,484	0
Guarantee obligations		14,009	16,711
Lease liability		13,443	0
Payable to minority partner		13,189	14,331
Residential bridge loan holdbacks		10,682	0
Accrued taxes payable		5,268	423
Deferred tax liabilities		5,152	9,022
Residential loan and MSR repurchase reserve		4,268	4,189
Legal reserve		2,000	2,000
Margin payable		1,700	835
Other		14,155	11,439
Accrued Liabilities	[1]	$ 146,238	$ 78,719

[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.