Segment Information - Schedule of Business Segment Financial Information (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2024		Dec. 31, 2023		Dec. 31, 2022
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Interest income	$ 945,164		$ 724,462		$ 707,854
Interest expense	(842,556)		(631,519)		(552,400)
Net interest income (expense)	102,608		92,943		155,454
Non-interest income (loss)
Mortgage banking activities, net, excluding risk management derivatives	118,903		86,208		(171,103)
Risk management derivatives (losses) gains, net	(19,505)		(18,822)		157,444
Mortgage Banking Activities, Net	99,398		67,386		(13,659)
Investment fair value changes, net	(14,759)		(44,400)		(178,272)
HEI income, net	41,831		35,117		2,714
Other income, net	27,528		12,886		21,204
Realized gains, net	306		1,699		5,334
Total non-interest income (loss), net	154,304		72,688		(162,679)
General and administrative expenses	(136,393)		(128,295)		(140,908)
Portfolio management costs	(20,915)		(14,571)		(7,951)
Loan acquisition costs	(12,675)		(7,166)		(11,766)
Other expenses	(14,088)		(16,238)		(15,590)
(Provision for) benefit from income taxes	(18,837)		(1,635)		19,920
Net Income (Loss)	54,004		(2,274)		(163,520)
Total Assets	18,258,344	[1]	14,504,327	[1]	13,030,899
Activities Excluding Risk Management Derivatives
Non-interest income (loss)
Investment fair value changes, net	(4,570)		(42,921)		(204,424)
Risk Management Derivatives
Non-interest income (loss)
Investment fair value changes, net	(10,189)		(1,479)		26,152
Sequoia Mortgage Banking
Non-interest income (loss)
Mortgage Banking Activities, Net	57,579		27,782		(21,282)
CoreVest Mortgage Banking
Non-interest income (loss)
Mortgage Banking Activities, Net	41,819		39,604		7,623
Operating Segments | Sequoia Mortgage Banking
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Interest income	97,860		25,404		45,202
Interest expense	(54,065)		(24,114)		(32,735)
Net interest income (expense)	43,795		1,290		12,467
Non-interest income (loss)
Mortgage banking activities, net, excluding risk management derivatives	82,202		45,690		(121,995)
Risk management derivatives (losses) gains, net	(24,623)		(17,908)		100,713
Mortgage Banking Activities, Net	57,579		27,782		(21,282)
Investment fair value changes, net	0		1,076		0
HEI income, net	0		0		0
Other income, net	0		0		0
Realized gains, net	0		0		0
Total non-interest income (loss), net	57,579		28,858		(21,282)
General and administrative expenses	(20,008)		(17,171)		(22,566)
Portfolio management costs	0		0		0
Loan acquisition costs	(3,860)		(1,266)		(3,085)
Other expenses	0		0		74
(Provision for) benefit from income taxes	(16,009)		(1,659)		12,814
Net Income (Loss)	61,497		10,052		(21,578)
Total Assets	1,231,723		971,535		660,916
Operating Segments | Sequoia Mortgage Banking | Activities Excluding Risk Management Derivatives
Non-interest income (loss)
Investment fair value changes, net	0		1,076		0
Operating Segments | Sequoia Mortgage Banking | Risk Management Derivatives
Non-interest income (loss)
Investment fair value changes, net	0		0		0
Operating Segments | CoreVest Mortgage Banking
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Interest income	20,280		15,896		28,674
Interest expense	(14,970)		(13,078)		(18,041)
Net interest income (expense)	5,310		2,818		10,633
Non-interest income (loss)
Mortgage banking activities, net, excluding risk management derivatives	36,701		40,518		(49,108)
Risk management derivatives (losses) gains, net	5,118		(914)		56,731
Mortgage Banking Activities, Net	41,819		39,604		7,623
Investment fair value changes, net	0		0		0
HEI income, net	0		0		0
Other income, net	10,930		5,613		3,509
Realized gains, net	0		0		0
Total non-interest income (loss), net	52,749		45,217		11,132
General and administrative expenses	(40,008)		(44,547)		(56,557)
Portfolio management costs	0		0		0
Loan acquisition costs	(8,563)		(5,900)		(8,681)
Other expenses	(9,413)		(12,442)		(13,969)
(Provision for) benefit from income taxes	2,219		2,279		13,157
Net Income (Loss)	2,294		(12,575)		(44,285)
Total Assets	334,529		293,225		487,159
Operating Segments | CoreVest Mortgage Banking | Activities Excluding Risk Management Derivatives
Non-interest income (loss)
Investment fair value changes, net	0		0		0
Operating Segments | CoreVest Mortgage Banking | Risk Management Derivatives
Non-interest income (loss)
Investment fair value changes, net	0		0		0
Operating Segments | Redwood Investments
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Interest income	823,939		675,478		632,806
Interest expense	(702,505)		(536,527)		(450,360)
Net interest income (expense)	121,434		138,951		182,446
Non-interest income (loss)
Mortgage banking activities, net, excluding risk management derivatives	0		0		0
Risk management derivatives (losses) gains, net	0		0		0
Mortgage Banking Activities, Net	0		0		0
Investment fair value changes, net	(13,080)		(42,482)		(195,164)
HEI income, net	41,831		35,117		2,714
Other income, net	17,674		10,361		18,596
Realized gains, net	565		858		3,174
Total non-interest income (loss), net	46,990		3,854		(170,680)
General and administrative expenses	(3,982)		(5,638)		(6,036)
Portfolio management costs	(20,750)		(14,516)		(7,951)
Loan acquisition costs	(244)		0		0
Other expenses	(4,675)		(5,796)		(1,695)
(Provision for) benefit from income taxes	(5,586)		(2,946)		(6,051)
Net Income (Loss)	133,187		113,909		(9,967)
Total Assets	16,358,430		12,858,272		11,489,844
Operating Segments | Redwood Investments | Activities Excluding Risk Management Derivatives
Non-interest income (loss)
Investment fair value changes, net	(2,891)		(41,003)		(221,316)
Operating Segments | Redwood Investments | Risk Management Derivatives
Non-interest income (loss)
Investment fair value changes, net	(10,189)		(1,479)		26,152
Corporate/ Other
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Interest income	3,085		7,684		1,172
Interest expense	(71,016)		(57,800)		(51,264)
Net interest income (expense)	(67,931)		(50,116)		(50,092)
Non-interest income (loss)
Mortgage banking activities, net, excluding risk management derivatives	0		0		0
Risk management derivatives (losses) gains, net	0		0		0
Mortgage Banking Activities, Net	0		0		0
Investment fair value changes, net	(1,679)		(2,994)		16,892
HEI income, net	0		0		0
Other income, net	(1,076)		(3,088)		(901)
Realized gains, net	(259)		841		2,160
Total non-interest income (loss), net	(3,014)		(5,241)		18,151
General and administrative expenses	(72,395)		(60,939)		(55,749)
Portfolio management costs	(165)		(55)		0
Loan acquisition costs	(8)		0		0
Other expenses	0		2,000		0
(Provision for) benefit from income taxes	539		691		0
Net Income (Loss)	(142,974)		(113,660)		(87,690)
Total Assets	333,662		381,295		392,980
Corporate/ Other | Activities Excluding Risk Management Derivatives
Non-interest income (loss)
Investment fair value changes, net	(1,679)		(2,994)		16,892
Corporate/ Other | Risk Management Derivatives
Non-interest income (loss)
Investment fair value changes, net	$ 0		$ 0		$ 0

[1] Our consolidated balance sheets include assets of 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, 2024 and 2023, assets of consolidated VIEs totaled $14,654,942 and $10,988,885, respectively. At December 31, 2024 and 2023, liabilities of consolidated VIEs totaled $13,620,239 and $10,096,308, respectively. See Note 15 for further discussion.