Cash Flows Related to Unconsolidated Variable Interest Entity's Sponsored by Redwood (Detail) (Variable Interest Entity, Not Primary Beneficiary, USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended	9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2013	Sep. 30, 2012	Sep. 30, 2013	Sep. 30, 2012
Variable Interest Entity, Not Primary Beneficiary
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items]
Cash proceeds	$ 507,202	$ 299,582	$ 4,366,556	$ 1,271,655
MSR fees received	3,160	260	6,235	414
Funding of compensating interest	(152)	(27)	(415)	(43)
Cash flows received on retained securities	$ 15,656	$ 2,333	$ 30,606	$ 5,432

Cash Flows between a transferor and a transferee attributable to newly transferred assets related to either a securitization, asset-backed financing arrangement, or similar transfer in which the transferor has continuing involvement with the transferred financial assets underlying the transaction (including, but not limited to, servicing, recourse, and restrictions on transferor's interests in the transferred financial assets).

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 860

-SubTopic 20

-Section 50

-Paragraph 3

-Subparagraph b

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=13989330&loc=d3e107207-111719

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- Definition

Cash flows between transferor and transferee in payment of service fees in advance, prior to or in contemplation of a securitization, asset-backed financing arrangement, or similar transfer in which the transferor will have continuing involvement with the transferred financial assets underlying the transaction (including, but not limited to, servicing, recourse, and restrictions on transferor's interests in the transferred financial assets).

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 860

-SubTopic 20

-Section 50

-Paragraph 3

-Subparagraph d

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=13989330&loc=d3e107207-111719

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
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Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Cash Flows between a transferee and a transferor attributable to servicing fees related to a securitization, asset-backed financing arrangement, or similar transfer in which the transferor has continuing involvement with the transferred financial assets underlying the transaction (including, but not limited to, servicing, recourse, and restrictions on transferor's interests in the transferred financial assets).

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 860

-SubTopic 20

-Section 50

-Paragraph 3

-Subparagraph d

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=13989330&loc=d3e107207-111719

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Cash flows between transferee and transferor in payment of the transferor's beneficial interest related to a securitization, asset-backed financing arrangement, or similar transfer in which the transferor has continuing involvement with the transferred financial assets underlying the transaction.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Details

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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration