Annual report pursuant to Section 13 and 15(d)

REAL ESTATE RELATED LOANS, RESIDENTIAL MORTGAGE LOANS, SUBPRIME MORTGAGE LOANS - Subprime Details (Details 7)

v2.4.1.9
REAL ESTATE RELATED LOANS, RESIDENTIAL MORTGAGE LOANS, SUBPRIME MORTGAGE LOANS - Subprime Details (Details 7) (USD $)
In Thousands, unless otherwise specified
 12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2014
Loans
Subprime Portfolio I [Member]  
Date of acquisition March 2006
Original number of loans (approximate) 11,300nct_SubprimeOriginalNumberOfLoansApproximate
/ us-gaap_FinancingReceivableRecordedInvestmentByClassOfFinancingReceivableAxis
= nct_SubprimePortfolioIMember
Predominant origination date of loans 2005
Original face amount of purchase $ 1,500,000nct_SubprimeOriginalFaceAmountOfPurchase
/ us-gaap_FinancingReceivableRecordedInvestmentByClassOfFinancingReceivableAxis
= nct_SubprimePortfolioIMember
Pre-securitization loan write-down (4,100)nct_SubprimePresecuritizationLoanWritedown
/ us-gaap_FinancingReceivableRecordedInvestmentByClassOfFinancingReceivableAxis
= nct_SubprimePortfolioIMember
Gain on pre-securitization hedge 5,500nct_SubprimeGainOnPresecuritizationHedge
/ us-gaap_FinancingReceivableRecordedInvestmentByClassOfFinancingReceivableAxis
= nct_SubprimePortfolioIMember
Gain on sale Less than $0.1 million
Securitization Date April 2006
Face amount of loans at securitization 1,500,000nct_SubprimeFaceAmountOfLoansAtSecuritization
/ us-gaap_FinancingReceivableRecordedInvestmentByClassOfFinancingReceivableAxis
= nct_SubprimePortfolioIMember
Face amount of notes sold by trust 1,400,000nct_SubprimeFaceAmountOfNotesSoldByTrust
/ us-gaap_FinancingReceivableRecordedInvestmentByClassOfFinancingReceivableAxis
= nct_SubprimePortfolioIMember
Stated maturity of notes March 2036
Face amount of notes retained by Newcastle 37,600nct_SubprimeFaceAmountOfNotesRetainedByNewcastle
/ us-gaap_FinancingReceivableRecordedInvestmentByClassOfFinancingReceivableAxis
= nct_SubprimePortfolioIMember
Fair value of equity retained by Newcastle 62,400nct_SubprimeFairValueOfEquityRetainedByNewcastle
/ us-gaap_FinancingReceivableRecordedInvestmentByClassOfFinancingReceivableAxis
= nct_SubprimePortfolioIMember
Key assumptions in measuring such fair value (A)  
Weighted average life (years) 3 years 1 month 6 days [1]
Expected credit losses 5.30%us-gaap_AssumptionForFairValueOnSecuritizationDateOfInterestsContinuedToBeHeldByTransferorServicingAssetsOrLiabilitiesExpectedCreditLosses
/ us-gaap_FinancingReceivableRecordedInvestmentByClassOfFinancingReceivableAxis
= nct_SubprimePortfolioIMember 		[1]
Weighted average constant prepayment rate 28.00%us-gaap_AssumptionForFairValueOnSecuritizationDateOfInterestsContinuedToBeHeldByTransferorServicingAssetsOrLiabilitiesPrepaymentSpeed
/ us-gaap_FinancingReceivableRecordedInvestmentByClassOfFinancingReceivableAxis
= nct_SubprimePortfolioIMember 		[1]
Discount rate 18.80%us-gaap_AssumptionForFairValueOnSecuritizationDateOfInterestsContinuedToBeHeldByTransferorServicingAssetsOrLiabilitiesDiscountRate
/ us-gaap_FinancingReceivableRecordedInvestmentByClassOfFinancingReceivableAxis
= nct_SubprimePortfolioIMember 		[1]
Subprime Portfolio II [Member]  
Date of acquisition March 2007
Original number of loans (approximate) 7,300nct_SubprimeOriginalNumberOfLoansApproximate
/ us-gaap_FinancingReceivableRecordedInvestmentByClassOfFinancingReceivableAxis
= nct_SubprimePortfolioIIMember
Predominant origination date of loans 2006
Original face amount of purchase 1,300,000nct_SubprimeOriginalFaceAmountOfPurchase
/ us-gaap_FinancingReceivableRecordedInvestmentByClassOfFinancingReceivableAxis
= nct_SubprimePortfolioIIMember
Pre-securitization loan write-down (5,800)nct_SubprimePresecuritizationLoanWritedown
/ us-gaap_FinancingReceivableRecordedInvestmentByClassOfFinancingReceivableAxis
= nct_SubprimePortfolioIIMember
Gain on pre-securitization hedge 5,800nct_SubprimeGainOnPresecuritizationHedge
/ us-gaap_FinancingReceivableRecordedInvestmentByClassOfFinancingReceivableAxis
= nct_SubprimePortfolioIIMember
Gain on sale $0.1 million
Securitization Date July 2007
Face amount of loans at securitization 1,100,000nct_SubprimeFaceAmountOfLoansAtSecuritization
/ us-gaap_FinancingReceivableRecordedInvestmentByClassOfFinancingReceivableAxis
= nct_SubprimePortfolioIIMember
Face amount of notes sold by trust 1,000,000nct_SubprimeFaceAmountOfNotesSoldByTrust
/ us-gaap_FinancingReceivableRecordedInvestmentByClassOfFinancingReceivableAxis
= nct_SubprimePortfolioIIMember
Stated maturity of notes April 2037
Face amount of notes retained by Newcastle 38,800nct_SubprimeFaceAmountOfNotesRetainedByNewcastle
/ us-gaap_FinancingReceivableRecordedInvestmentByClassOfFinancingReceivableAxis
= nct_SubprimePortfolioIIMember
Fair value of equity retained by Newcastle $ 46,700nct_SubprimeFairValueOfEquityRetainedByNewcastle
/ us-gaap_FinancingReceivableRecordedInvestmentByClassOfFinancingReceivableAxis
= nct_SubprimePortfolioIIMember
Key assumptions in measuring such fair value (A)  
Weighted average life (years) 3 years 9 months 18 days [1]
Expected credit losses 8.00%us-gaap_AssumptionForFairValueOnSecuritizationDateOfInterestsContinuedToBeHeldByTransferorServicingAssetsOrLiabilitiesExpectedCreditLosses
/ us-gaap_FinancingReceivableRecordedInvestmentByClassOfFinancingReceivableAxis
= nct_SubprimePortfolioIIMember 		[1]
Weighted average constant prepayment rate 30.10%us-gaap_AssumptionForFairValueOnSecuritizationDateOfInterestsContinuedToBeHeldByTransferorServicingAssetsOrLiabilitiesPrepaymentSpeed
/ us-gaap_FinancingReceivableRecordedInvestmentByClassOfFinancingReceivableAxis
= nct_SubprimePortfolioIIMember 		[1]
Discount rate 22.50%us-gaap_AssumptionForFairValueOnSecuritizationDateOfInterestsContinuedToBeHeldByTransferorServicingAssetsOrLiabilitiesDiscountRate
/ us-gaap_FinancingReceivableRecordedInvestmentByClassOfFinancingReceivableAxis
= nct_SubprimePortfolioIIMember 		[1]
[1] As of the date of transfer.