Annual report pursuant to Section 13 and 15(d)

REAL ESTATE RELATED LOANS, RESIDENTIAL MORTGAGE LOANS AND SUBPRIME MORTGAGE LOANS - Geographic Distribution (Details 6)

v2.4.1.9
REAL ESTATE RELATED LOANS, RESIDENTIAL MORTGAGE LOANS AND SUBPRIME MORTGAGE LOANS - Geographic Distribution (Details 6) (USD $)
In Thousands, unless otherwise specified
Dec. 31, 2014
Outstanding face amount $ 328,101us-gaap_MortgageLoansOnRealEstateFaceAmountOfMortgages
Total Real Estate Related and Other Loans Held-for-Sale, Net [Member]  
Outstanding face amount 328,101us-gaap_MortgageLoansOnRealEstateFaceAmountOfMortgages
/ us-gaap_FinancingReceivableRecordedInvestmentByClassOfFinancingReceivableAxis
= nct_RealEstateRelatedAndOtherLoansHeldForSaleMember
Subtotal prior to bank loans not secured by assets 158,776nct_SubtotalPriorToBankLoansNotSecuredByAssets
/ us-gaap_FinancingReceivableRecordedInvestmentByClassOfFinancingReceivableAxis
= nct_RealEstateRelatedAndOtherLoansHeldForSaleMember
Percentage of loans 100.00%nct_PercentageOfLoans
/ us-gaap_FinancingReceivableRecordedInvestmentByClassOfFinancingReceivableAxis
= nct_RealEstateRelatedAndOtherLoansHeldForSaleMember
Total Real Estate Related and Other Loans Held-for-Sale, Net [Member] | Western US [Member]  
Outstanding face amount 28,112us-gaap_MortgageLoansOnRealEstateFaceAmountOfMortgages
/ us-gaap_ConcentrationRiskByTypeAxis
= nct_WesternUSMember
/ us-gaap_FinancingReceivableRecordedInvestmentByClassOfFinancingReceivableAxis
= nct_RealEstateRelatedAndOtherLoansHeldForSaleMember
Percentage of loans 17.70%nct_PercentageOfLoans
/ us-gaap_ConcentrationRiskByTypeAxis
= nct_WesternUSMember
/ us-gaap_FinancingReceivableRecordedInvestmentByClassOfFinancingReceivableAxis
= nct_RealEstateRelatedAndOtherLoansHeldForSaleMember
Total Real Estate Related and Other Loans Held-for-Sale, Net [Member] | Northeastern US [Member]  
Outstanding face amount 26,302us-gaap_MortgageLoansOnRealEstateFaceAmountOfMortgages
/ us-gaap_ConcentrationRiskByTypeAxis
= nct_NortheasternUSMember
/ us-gaap_FinancingReceivableRecordedInvestmentByClassOfFinancingReceivableAxis
= nct_RealEstateRelatedAndOtherLoansHeldForSaleMember
Percentage of loans 16.60%nct_PercentageOfLoans
/ us-gaap_ConcentrationRiskByTypeAxis
= nct_NortheasternUSMember
/ us-gaap_FinancingReceivableRecordedInvestmentByClassOfFinancingReceivableAxis
= nct_RealEstateRelatedAndOtherLoansHeldForSaleMember
Total Real Estate Related and Other Loans Held-for-Sale, Net [Member] | Southeastern US [Member]  
Outstanding face amount 51,247us-gaap_MortgageLoansOnRealEstateFaceAmountOfMortgages
/ us-gaap_ConcentrationRiskByTypeAxis
= nct_SoutheasternUSMember
/ us-gaap_FinancingReceivableRecordedInvestmentByClassOfFinancingReceivableAxis
= nct_RealEstateRelatedAndOtherLoansHeldForSaleMember
Percentage of loans 32.30%nct_PercentageOfLoans
/ us-gaap_ConcentrationRiskByTypeAxis
= nct_SoutheasternUSMember
/ us-gaap_FinancingReceivableRecordedInvestmentByClassOfFinancingReceivableAxis
= nct_RealEstateRelatedAndOtherLoansHeldForSaleMember
Total Real Estate Related and Other Loans Held-for-Sale, Net [Member] | Midwestern US [Member]  
Outstanding face amount 3,817us-gaap_MortgageLoansOnRealEstateFaceAmountOfMortgages
/ us-gaap_ConcentrationRiskByTypeAxis
= nct_MidwesternUSMember
/ us-gaap_FinancingReceivableRecordedInvestmentByClassOfFinancingReceivableAxis
= nct_RealEstateRelatedAndOtherLoansHeldForSaleMember
Percentage of loans 2.40%nct_PercentageOfLoans
/ us-gaap_ConcentrationRiskByTypeAxis
= nct_MidwesternUSMember
/ us-gaap_FinancingReceivableRecordedInvestmentByClassOfFinancingReceivableAxis
= nct_RealEstateRelatedAndOtherLoansHeldForSaleMember
Total Real Estate Related and Other Loans Held-for-Sale, Net [Member] | Southwestern US [Member]  
Outstanding face amount 10,426us-gaap_MortgageLoansOnRealEstateFaceAmountOfMortgages
/ us-gaap_ConcentrationRiskByTypeAxis
= nct_SouthwesternUSMember
/ us-gaap_FinancingReceivableRecordedInvestmentByClassOfFinancingReceivableAxis
= nct_RealEstateRelatedAndOtherLoansHeldForSaleMember
Percentage of loans 6.50%nct_PercentageOfLoans
/ us-gaap_ConcentrationRiskByTypeAxis
= nct_SouthwesternUSMember
/ us-gaap_FinancingReceivableRecordedInvestmentByClassOfFinancingReceivableAxis
= nct_RealEstateRelatedAndOtherLoansHeldForSaleMember
Total Real Estate Related and Other Loans Held-for-Sale, Net [Member] | Foreign [Member]  
Outstanding face amount 38,872us-gaap_MortgageLoansOnRealEstateFaceAmountOfMortgages
/ us-gaap_ConcentrationRiskByTypeAxis
= nct_ForeignMember
/ us-gaap_FinancingReceivableRecordedInvestmentByClassOfFinancingReceivableAxis
= nct_RealEstateRelatedAndOtherLoansHeldForSaleMember
Percentage of loans 24.50%nct_PercentageOfLoans
/ us-gaap_ConcentrationRiskByTypeAxis
= nct_ForeignMember
/ us-gaap_FinancingReceivableRecordedInvestmentByClassOfFinancingReceivableAxis
= nct_RealEstateRelatedAndOtherLoansHeldForSaleMember
Total Real Estate Related and Other Loans Held-for-Sale, Net [Member] | Other Locations [Member]  
Outstanding face amount 169,325us-gaap_MortgageLoansOnRealEstateFaceAmountOfMortgages
/ us-gaap_ConcentrationRiskByTypeAxis
= nct_OtherLocationsMember
/ us-gaap_FinancingReceivableRecordedInvestmentByClassOfFinancingReceivableAxis
= nct_RealEstateRelatedAndOtherLoansHeldForSaleMember 		[1]
Total Residential Mortgage Loans [Member]  
Outstanding face amount 4,309us-gaap_MortgageLoansOnRealEstateFaceAmountOfMortgages
/ us-gaap_FinancingReceivableRecordedInvestmentByClassOfFinancingReceivableAxis
= nct_ResidentialMortgageLoansMember
Percentage of loans 100.00%nct_PercentageOfLoans
/ us-gaap_FinancingReceivableRecordedInvestmentByClassOfFinancingReceivableAxis
= nct_ResidentialMortgageLoansMember
Total Residential Mortgage Loans [Member] | Western US [Member]  
Outstanding face amount 980us-gaap_MortgageLoansOnRealEstateFaceAmountOfMortgages
/ us-gaap_ConcentrationRiskByTypeAxis
= nct_WesternUSMember
/ us-gaap_FinancingReceivableRecordedInvestmentByClassOfFinancingReceivableAxis
= nct_ResidentialMortgageLoansMember
Percentage of loans 22.80%nct_PercentageOfLoans
/ us-gaap_ConcentrationRiskByTypeAxis
= nct_WesternUSMember
/ us-gaap_FinancingReceivableRecordedInvestmentByClassOfFinancingReceivableAxis
= nct_ResidentialMortgageLoansMember
Total Residential Mortgage Loans [Member] | Northeastern US [Member]  
Outstanding face amount 523us-gaap_MortgageLoansOnRealEstateFaceAmountOfMortgages
/ us-gaap_ConcentrationRiskByTypeAxis
= nct_NortheasternUSMember
/ us-gaap_FinancingReceivableRecordedInvestmentByClassOfFinancingReceivableAxis
= nct_ResidentialMortgageLoansMember
Percentage of loans 12.10%nct_PercentageOfLoans
/ us-gaap_ConcentrationRiskByTypeAxis
= nct_NortheasternUSMember
/ us-gaap_FinancingReceivableRecordedInvestmentByClassOfFinancingReceivableAxis
= nct_ResidentialMortgageLoansMember
Total Residential Mortgage Loans [Member] | Southeastern US [Member]  
Outstanding face amount 2,667us-gaap_MortgageLoansOnRealEstateFaceAmountOfMortgages
/ us-gaap_ConcentrationRiskByTypeAxis
= nct_SoutheasternUSMember
/ us-gaap_FinancingReceivableRecordedInvestmentByClassOfFinancingReceivableAxis
= nct_ResidentialMortgageLoansMember
Percentage of loans 61.90%nct_PercentageOfLoans
/ us-gaap_ConcentrationRiskByTypeAxis
= nct_SoutheasternUSMember
/ us-gaap_FinancingReceivableRecordedInvestmentByClassOfFinancingReceivableAxis
= nct_ResidentialMortgageLoansMember
Total Residential Mortgage Loans [Member] | Midwestern US [Member]  
Outstanding face amount $ 139us-gaap_MortgageLoansOnRealEstateFaceAmountOfMortgages
/ us-gaap_ConcentrationRiskByTypeAxis
= nct_MidwesternUSMember
/ us-gaap_FinancingReceivableRecordedInvestmentByClassOfFinancingReceivableAxis
= nct_ResidentialMortgageLoansMember
Percentage of loans 3.20%nct_PercentageOfLoans
/ us-gaap_ConcentrationRiskByTypeAxis
= nct_MidwesternUSMember
/ us-gaap_FinancingReceivableRecordedInvestmentByClassOfFinancingReceivableAxis
= nct_ResidentialMortgageLoansMember
[1] Includes corporate bank loans which are not directly secured by real estate assets.