Annual report pursuant to Section 13 and 15(d)

REAL ESTATE RELATED LOANS, RESIDENTIAL MORTGAGE LOANS AND SUBPRIME MORTGAGE LOANS - Loss Allowance Rollforward (Details 5)

v2.4.1.9
REAL ESTATE RELATED LOANS, RESIDENTIAL MORTGAGE LOANS AND SUBPRIME MORTGAGE LOANS - Loss Allowance Rollforward (Details 5) (USD $)
In Thousands, unless otherwise specified
 12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2014
Dec. 31, 2013
Dec. 31, 2012
Valuation (allowance) reversal on loans $ (2,419)us-gaap_ProvisionForLoanLeaseAndOtherLosses $ (25,035)us-gaap_ProvisionForLoanLeaseAndOtherLosses $ (24,587)us-gaap_ProvisionForLoanLeaseAndOtherLosses
Real Estate Related and Other Loans Held For Sale [Member]      
Beginning balance (94,037)us-gaap_LoansAndLeasesReceivableAllowance
/ us-gaap_FinancingReceivableRecordedInvestmentByClassOfFinancingReceivableAxis
= nct_RealEstateLoansHFSMember 		(182,062)us-gaap_LoansAndLeasesReceivableAllowance
/ us-gaap_FinancingReceivableRecordedInvestmentByClassOfFinancingReceivableAxis
= nct_RealEstateLoansHFSMember 		(228,017)us-gaap_LoansAndLeasesReceivableAllowance
/ us-gaap_FinancingReceivableRecordedInvestmentByClassOfFinancingReceivableAxis
= nct_RealEstateLoansHFSMember
Charge-offs 14,808us-gaap_AllowanceForLoanAndLeaseLossesWriteOffs
/ us-gaap_FinancingReceivableRecordedInvestmentByClassOfFinancingReceivableAxis
= nct_RealEstateLoansHFSMember 		[1] 68,546us-gaap_AllowanceForLoanAndLeaseLossesWriteOffs
/ us-gaap_FinancingReceivableRecordedInvestmentByClassOfFinancingReceivableAxis
= nct_RealEstateLoansHFSMember 		[1] 17,742us-gaap_AllowanceForLoanAndLeaseLossesWriteOffs
/ us-gaap_FinancingReceivableRecordedInvestmentByClassOfFinancingReceivableAxis
= nct_RealEstateLoansHFSMember 		[1]
Valuation (allowance) reversal on loans 3,303us-gaap_ProvisionForLoanLeaseAndOtherLosses
/ us-gaap_FinancingReceivableRecordedInvestmentByClassOfFinancingReceivableAxis
= nct_RealEstateLoansHFSMember 		19,479us-gaap_ProvisionForLoanLeaseAndOtherLosses
/ us-gaap_FinancingReceivableRecordedInvestmentByClassOfFinancingReceivableAxis
= nct_RealEstateLoansHFSMember 		28,213us-gaap_ProvisionForLoanLeaseAndOtherLosses
/ us-gaap_FinancingReceivableRecordedInvestmentByClassOfFinancingReceivableAxis
= nct_RealEstateLoansHFSMember
Ending balance (75,926)us-gaap_LoansAndLeasesReceivableAllowance
/ us-gaap_FinancingReceivableRecordedInvestmentByClassOfFinancingReceivableAxis
= nct_RealEstateLoansHFSMember 		(94,037)us-gaap_LoansAndLeasesReceivableAllowance
/ us-gaap_FinancingReceivableRecordedInvestmentByClassOfFinancingReceivableAxis
= nct_RealEstateLoansHFSMember 		(182,062)us-gaap_LoansAndLeasesReceivableAllowance
/ us-gaap_FinancingReceivableRecordedInvestmentByClassOfFinancingReceivableAxis
= nct_RealEstateLoansHFSMember
Residential Mortgage Loans Held For Sale [Member]      
Beginning balance (824)us-gaap_LoansAndLeasesReceivableAllowance
/ us-gaap_FinancingReceivableRecordedInvestmentByClassOfFinancingReceivableAxis
= nct_ResidentialMortgageLoansHFSMember 		(1,072)us-gaap_LoansAndLeasesReceivableAllowance
/ us-gaap_FinancingReceivableRecordedInvestmentByClassOfFinancingReceivableAxis
= nct_ResidentialMortgageLoansHFSMember 		(2,461)us-gaap_LoansAndLeasesReceivableAllowance
/ us-gaap_FinancingReceivableRecordedInvestmentByClassOfFinancingReceivableAxis
= nct_ResidentialMortgageLoansHFSMember
Charge-offs 84us-gaap_AllowanceForLoanAndLeaseLossesWriteOffs
/ us-gaap_FinancingReceivableRecordedInvestmentByClassOfFinancingReceivableAxis
= nct_ResidentialMortgageLoansHFSMember 		[1] 143us-gaap_AllowanceForLoanAndLeaseLossesWriteOffs
/ us-gaap_FinancingReceivableRecordedInvestmentByClassOfFinancingReceivableAxis
= nct_ResidentialMortgageLoansHFSMember 		[1] 896us-gaap_AllowanceForLoanAndLeaseLossesWriteOffs
/ us-gaap_FinancingReceivableRecordedInvestmentByClassOfFinancingReceivableAxis
= nct_ResidentialMortgageLoansHFSMember 		[1]
Transfer to held-for-sale (12,369)us-gaap_AllowanceForLoanAndLeaseLossesAdjustmentsNet
/ us-gaap_FinancingReceivableRecordedInvestmentByClassOfFinancingReceivableAxis
= nct_ResidentialMortgageLoansHFSMember 		   
Sales 13,006us-gaap_AllowanceForLoanAndLeaseLossesLoansSold
/ us-gaap_FinancingReceivableRecordedInvestmentByClassOfFinancingReceivableAxis
= nct_ResidentialMortgageLoansHFSMember 		   
Valuation (allowance) reversal on loans (51)us-gaap_ProvisionForLoanLeaseAndOtherLosses
/ us-gaap_FinancingReceivableRecordedInvestmentByClassOfFinancingReceivableAxis
= nct_ResidentialMortgageLoansHFSMember 		105us-gaap_ProvisionForLoanLeaseAndOtherLosses
/ us-gaap_FinancingReceivableRecordedInvestmentByClassOfFinancingReceivableAxis
= nct_ResidentialMortgageLoansHFSMember 		493us-gaap_ProvisionForLoanLeaseAndOtherLosses
/ us-gaap_FinancingReceivableRecordedInvestmentByClassOfFinancingReceivableAxis
= nct_ResidentialMortgageLoansHFSMember
Ending balance (154)us-gaap_LoansAndLeasesReceivableAllowance
/ us-gaap_FinancingReceivableRecordedInvestmentByClassOfFinancingReceivableAxis
= nct_ResidentialMortgageLoansHFSMember 		(824)us-gaap_LoansAndLeasesReceivableAllowance
/ us-gaap_FinancingReceivableRecordedInvestmentByClassOfFinancingReceivableAxis
= nct_ResidentialMortgageLoansHFSMember 		(1,072)us-gaap_LoansAndLeasesReceivableAllowance
/ us-gaap_FinancingReceivableRecordedInvestmentByClassOfFinancingReceivableAxis
= nct_ResidentialMortgageLoansHFSMember
Residential Mortgage Loans Held For Investment [Member]      
Beginning balance (12,247)us-gaap_LoansAndLeasesReceivableAllowance
/ us-gaap_FinancingReceivableRecordedInvestmentByClassOfFinancingReceivableAxis
= nct_ResidentialMortgageLoansHFIMember 		[2] (22,478)us-gaap_LoansAndLeasesReceivableAllowance
/ us-gaap_FinancingReceivableRecordedInvestmentByClassOfFinancingReceivableAxis
= nct_ResidentialMortgageLoansHFIMember 		[2] (26,075)us-gaap_LoansAndLeasesReceivableAllowance
/ us-gaap_FinancingReceivableRecordedInvestmentByClassOfFinancingReceivableAxis
= nct_ResidentialMortgageLoansHFIMember 		[2]
Charge-offs 711us-gaap_AllowanceForLoanAndLeaseLossesWriteOffs
/ us-gaap_FinancingReceivableRecordedInvestmentByClassOfFinancingReceivableAxis
= nct_ResidentialMortgageLoansHFIMember 		[1],[2] 4,780us-gaap_AllowanceForLoanAndLeaseLossesWriteOffs
/ us-gaap_FinancingReceivableRecordedInvestmentByClassOfFinancingReceivableAxis
= nct_ResidentialMortgageLoansHFIMember 		[1],[2] 7,716us-gaap_AllowanceForLoanAndLeaseLossesWriteOffs
/ us-gaap_FinancingReceivableRecordedInvestmentByClassOfFinancingReceivableAxis
= nct_ResidentialMortgageLoansHFIMember 		[1],[2]
Transfer to held-for-sale 12,369us-gaap_AllowanceForLoanAndLeaseLossesAdjustmentsNet
/ us-gaap_FinancingReceivableRecordedInvestmentByClassOfFinancingReceivableAxis
= nct_ResidentialMortgageLoansHFIMember 		[2]    
Valuation (allowance) reversal on loans (833)us-gaap_ProvisionForLoanLeaseAndOtherLosses
/ us-gaap_FinancingReceivableRecordedInvestmentByClassOfFinancingReceivableAxis
= nct_ResidentialMortgageLoansHFIMember 		[2] 5,451us-gaap_ProvisionForLoanLeaseAndOtherLosses
/ us-gaap_FinancingReceivableRecordedInvestmentByClassOfFinancingReceivableAxis
= nct_ResidentialMortgageLoansHFIMember 		[2] (4,119)us-gaap_ProvisionForLoanLeaseAndOtherLosses
/ us-gaap_FinancingReceivableRecordedInvestmentByClassOfFinancingReceivableAxis
= nct_ResidentialMortgageLoansHFIMember 		[2]
Ending balance   $ (12,247)us-gaap_LoansAndLeasesReceivableAllowance
/ us-gaap_FinancingReceivableRecordedInvestmentByClassOfFinancingReceivableAxis
= nct_ResidentialMortgageLoansHFIMember 		[2] $ (22,478)us-gaap_LoansAndLeasesReceivableAllowance
/ us-gaap_FinancingReceivableRecordedInvestmentByClassOfFinancingReceivableAxis
= nct_ResidentialMortgageLoansHFIMember 		[2]
[1] The charge-offs for real estate related loans represent three, three and six loans which were written off, sold, restructured, or paid off at a discounted price during 2014, 2013 and 2012, respectively.
[2] The allowance for credit losses was determined based on the guidance for loans acquired with deteriorated credit quality.