Other Assets and Liabilities - Accrued Expenses and Other Liabilities (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands		Dec. 31, 2020	Sep. 30, 2020	Dec. 31, 2019
Deferred Costs, Capitalized, Prepaid, and Other Assets Disclosure [Abstract]
Accrued interest payable		$ 34,858		$ 60,655
Accrued compensation		24,393		33,888
Operating lease liabilities		16,687		13,443
Margin payable		14,728		1,700
Deferred consideration		14,579		0
Guarantee obligations		10,039		14,009
Payable to minority partner		16,941		13,189
Current accounts payable		6,455		5,468
Bridge loan holdbacks		5,708		10,682
Accrued taxes payable		5,614		5,268
Residential loan and MSR repurchase reserve		8,631		4,268
Legal reserve			$ 2,000
Accrued operating expenses		5,509		4,358
Contingent consideration		0		28,484
Other		15,198		11,481
Accrued Liabilities	[1]	$ 179,340		$ 206,893

[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, 2020 and December 31, 2019, assets of consolidated VIEs totaled $8,141,069 and $11,931,869, respectively. At December 31, 2020 and December 31, 2019, liabilities of consolidated VIEs totaled $7,148,414 and $10,717,072, respectively. See Note 4 for further discussion.