| 
           REAL ESTATE RELATED LOANS, RESIDENTIAL MORTGAGE LOANS AND SUBPRIME MORTGAGE LOANS - Loans By Maturity (Details 3) (USD $) 
        In Thousands, unless otherwise specified  | 
        
           Dec. 31, 2013
 
          Integer 
         | 
        
           Dec. 31, 2012
 
          Integer 
         | 
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|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Number of Investments | 165 | 229 | ||||||||
| 
           Total Real Estate Related and Other Loans Held for Sale 
         | 
        ||||||||||
| Outstanding Face Amount | $ 567,829 | [1] | ||||||||
| Carrying Value | 437,530 | [1],[2] | 843,132 | [2] | ||||||
| Number of Investments | 20 | [1] | ||||||||
| 
           Total Real Estate Related and Other Loans Held for Sale | Delinquent Loans 
         | 
        ||||||||||
| Outstanding Face Amount | 12,000 | [3] | ||||||||
| Carrying Value | [3] | |||||||||
| Number of Investments | 1 | [3] | ||||||||
| 
           Total Real Estate Related and Other Loans Held for Sale | Maturity Period from January 1, 2014 to December 31, 2014 
         | 
        ||||||||||
| Outstanding Face Amount | 115,623 | |||||||||
| Carrying Value | 49,236 | |||||||||
| Number of Investments | 5 | |||||||||
| 
           Total Real Estate Related and Other Loans Held for Sale | Maturity Period from January 1, 2015 to December 31, 2015 
         | 
        ||||||||||
| Outstanding Face Amount | 57,943 | |||||||||
| Carrying Value | 56,271 | |||||||||
| Number of Investments | 5 | |||||||||
| 
           Total Real Estate Related and Other Loans Held for Sale | Maturity Period from January 1, 2016 to December 31, 2016 
         | 
        ||||||||||
| Outstanding Face Amount | 64,955 | |||||||||
| Carrying Value | 63,334 | |||||||||
| Number of Investments | 2 | |||||||||
| 
           Total Real Estate Related and Other Loans Held for Sale | Maturity Period from January 1, 2017 to December 31, 2017 
         | 
        ||||||||||
| Outstanding Face Amount | 94,912 | |||||||||
| Carrying Value | 81,213 | |||||||||
| Number of Investments | 4 | |||||||||
| 
           Total Real Estate Related and Other Loans Held for Sale | Maturity Period from January 1, 2018 to December 31, 2018 
         | 
        ||||||||||
| Outstanding Face Amount | 22,628 | |||||||||
| Carrying Value | 18,796 | |||||||||
| Number of Investments | 1 | |||||||||
| 
           Total Real Estate Related and Other Loans Held for Sale | Maturity Period Thereafter 
         | 
        ||||||||||
| Outstanding Face Amount | 199,768 | |||||||||
| Carrying Value | $ 168,680 | |||||||||
| Number of Investments | 2 | |||||||||
          
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