Quarterly report pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d)

SEGMENT REPORTING AND VARIABLE INTEREST ENTITIES - Variable Interest Entities (Details 2)

v2.4.1.9
SEGMENT REPORTING AND VARIABLE INTEREST ENTITIES - Variable Interest Entities (Details 2) (USD $)
In Thousands, unless otherwise specified
Mar. 31, 2015
Dec. 31, 2014
Assets of consolidated VIEs that can only be used to settle obligations of consolidated VIEs    
Real estate securities, available-for-sale $ 231,727us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesDebtSecurities $ 231,754us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesDebtSecurities
Real estate related and other loans, held-for-sale, net 197,251us-gaap_LoansReceivableHeldForSaleNetNotPartOfDisposalGroupCommercialRealEstate 230,200us-gaap_LoansReceivableHeldForSaleNetNotPartOfDisposalGroupCommercialRealEstate
Subprime mortgage loans subject to call option 406,217nct_SubprimeMortgageLoansSubjectToCallOption 406,217nct_SubprimeMortgageLoansSubjectToCallOption
Other investments 27,102us-gaap_OtherInvestments 26,788us-gaap_OtherInvestments
Restricted cash 21,874us-gaap_RestrictedCashAndCashEquivalents 15,714us-gaap_RestrictedCashAndCashEquivalents
Receivables and other assets 37,448us-gaap_OtherAssets 35,191us-gaap_OtherAssets
Assets of discontinued operations 6,883us-gaap_AssetsOfDisposalGroupIncludingDiscontinuedOperation 6,803us-gaap_AssetsOfDisposalGroupIncludingDiscontinuedOperation
Total Assets 1,713,325us-gaap_Assets 1,761,906us-gaap_Assets
Liabilities of consolidated VIEs for which creditors or beneficial interest holders do not have recourse to the general credit of Newcastle    
CDO bonds payable 216,464us-gaap_SecuredDebt 227,673us-gaap_SecuredDebt
Other bonds and notes payable 25,317us-gaap_OtherLongTermDebt 27,069us-gaap_OtherLongTermDebt
Financing of subprime mortgage loans subject to call option 406,217nct_FinancingOfSubprimeMortgageLoansSubjectToCallOption 406,217nct_FinancingOfSubprimeMortgageLoansSubjectToCallOption
Accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities 173,489us-gaap_AccountsPayableAndOtherAccruedLiabilities 179,390us-gaap_AccountsPayableAndOtherAccruedLiabilities
Liabilities of discontinued operations 502us-gaap_LiabilitiesOfDisposalGroupIncludingDiscontinuedOperation 447us-gaap_LiabilitiesOfDisposalGroupIncludingDiscontinuedOperation
Total Liabilities 1,466,729us-gaap_Liabilities 1,503,578us-gaap_Liabilities
Non Recourse VIE Financing Structures [Member]    
Assets of consolidated VIEs that can only be used to settle obligations of consolidated VIEs    
Real estate securities, available-for-sale 219,475us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesDebtSecurities
/ us-gaap_VariableInterestEntitiesByClassificationOfEntityAxis
= us-gaap_VariableInterestEntityPrimaryBeneficiaryMember
219,490us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesDebtSecurities
/ us-gaap_VariableInterestEntitiesByClassificationOfEntityAxis
= us-gaap_VariableInterestEntityPrimaryBeneficiaryMember
Real estate related and other loans, held-for-sale, net 197,251us-gaap_LoansReceivableHeldForSaleNetNotPartOfDisposalGroupCommercialRealEstate
/ us-gaap_VariableInterestEntitiesByClassificationOfEntityAxis
= us-gaap_VariableInterestEntityPrimaryBeneficiaryMember
230,200us-gaap_LoansReceivableHeldForSaleNetNotPartOfDisposalGroupCommercialRealEstate
/ us-gaap_VariableInterestEntitiesByClassificationOfEntityAxis
= us-gaap_VariableInterestEntityPrimaryBeneficiaryMember
Residential mortgage loans, held-for-investment, net 3,164us-gaap_LoansAndLeasesReceivableNetReportedAmountConsumer
/ us-gaap_VariableInterestEntitiesByClassificationOfEntityAxis
= us-gaap_VariableInterestEntityPrimaryBeneficiaryMember
3,211us-gaap_LoansAndLeasesReceivableNetReportedAmountConsumer
/ us-gaap_VariableInterestEntitiesByClassificationOfEntityAxis
= us-gaap_VariableInterestEntityPrimaryBeneficiaryMember
Subprime mortgage loans subject to call option 406,217nct_SubprimeMortgageLoansSubjectToCallOption
/ us-gaap_VariableInterestEntitiesByClassificationOfEntityAxis
= us-gaap_VariableInterestEntityPrimaryBeneficiaryMember
406,217nct_SubprimeMortgageLoansSubjectToCallOption
/ us-gaap_VariableInterestEntitiesByClassificationOfEntityAxis
= us-gaap_VariableInterestEntityPrimaryBeneficiaryMember
Other investments 20,546us-gaap_OtherInvestments
/ us-gaap_VariableInterestEntitiesByClassificationOfEntityAxis
= us-gaap_VariableInterestEntityPrimaryBeneficiaryMember
20,308us-gaap_OtherInvestments
/ us-gaap_VariableInterestEntitiesByClassificationOfEntityAxis
= us-gaap_VariableInterestEntityPrimaryBeneficiaryMember
Restricted cash 14,149us-gaap_RestrictedCashAndCashEquivalents
/ us-gaap_VariableInterestEntitiesByClassificationOfEntityAxis
= us-gaap_VariableInterestEntityPrimaryBeneficiaryMember
11,790us-gaap_RestrictedCashAndCashEquivalents
/ us-gaap_VariableInterestEntitiesByClassificationOfEntityAxis
= us-gaap_VariableInterestEntityPrimaryBeneficiaryMember
Receivables and other assets 1,575us-gaap_OtherAssets
/ us-gaap_VariableInterestEntitiesByClassificationOfEntityAxis
= us-gaap_VariableInterestEntityPrimaryBeneficiaryMember
1,927us-gaap_OtherAssets
/ us-gaap_VariableInterestEntitiesByClassificationOfEntityAxis
= us-gaap_VariableInterestEntityPrimaryBeneficiaryMember
Assets of discontinued operations 6,883us-gaap_AssetsOfDisposalGroupIncludingDiscontinuedOperation
/ us-gaap_VariableInterestEntitiesByClassificationOfEntityAxis
= us-gaap_VariableInterestEntityPrimaryBeneficiaryMember
6,803us-gaap_AssetsOfDisposalGroupIncludingDiscontinuedOperation
/ us-gaap_VariableInterestEntitiesByClassificationOfEntityAxis
= us-gaap_VariableInterestEntityPrimaryBeneficiaryMember
Total Assets 869,260us-gaap_Assets
/ us-gaap_VariableInterestEntitiesByClassificationOfEntityAxis
= us-gaap_VariableInterestEntityPrimaryBeneficiaryMember
899,946us-gaap_Assets
/ us-gaap_VariableInterestEntitiesByClassificationOfEntityAxis
= us-gaap_VariableInterestEntityPrimaryBeneficiaryMember
Liabilities of consolidated VIEs for which creditors or beneficial interest holders do not have recourse to the general credit of Newcastle    
CDO bonds payable 216,464us-gaap_SecuredDebt
/ us-gaap_VariableInterestEntitiesByClassificationOfEntityAxis
= us-gaap_VariableInterestEntityPrimaryBeneficiaryMember
227,673us-gaap_SecuredDebt
/ us-gaap_VariableInterestEntitiesByClassificationOfEntityAxis
= us-gaap_VariableInterestEntityPrimaryBeneficiaryMember
Other bonds and notes payable 25,317us-gaap_OtherLongTermDebt
/ us-gaap_VariableInterestEntitiesByClassificationOfEntityAxis
= us-gaap_VariableInterestEntityPrimaryBeneficiaryMember
27,069us-gaap_OtherLongTermDebt
/ us-gaap_VariableInterestEntitiesByClassificationOfEntityAxis
= us-gaap_VariableInterestEntityPrimaryBeneficiaryMember
Financing of subprime mortgage loans subject to call option 406,217nct_FinancingOfSubprimeMortgageLoansSubjectToCallOption
/ us-gaap_VariableInterestEntitiesByClassificationOfEntityAxis
= us-gaap_VariableInterestEntityPrimaryBeneficiaryMember
406,217nct_FinancingOfSubprimeMortgageLoansSubjectToCallOption
/ us-gaap_VariableInterestEntitiesByClassificationOfEntityAxis
= us-gaap_VariableInterestEntityPrimaryBeneficiaryMember
Accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities 1,386us-gaap_AccountsPayableAndOtherAccruedLiabilities
/ us-gaap_VariableInterestEntitiesByClassificationOfEntityAxis
= us-gaap_VariableInterestEntityPrimaryBeneficiaryMember
2,391us-gaap_AccountsPayableAndOtherAccruedLiabilities
/ us-gaap_VariableInterestEntitiesByClassificationOfEntityAxis
= us-gaap_VariableInterestEntityPrimaryBeneficiaryMember
Liabilities of discontinued operations 502us-gaap_LiabilitiesOfDisposalGroupIncludingDiscontinuedOperation
/ us-gaap_VariableInterestEntitiesByClassificationOfEntityAxis
= us-gaap_VariableInterestEntityPrimaryBeneficiaryMember
447us-gaap_LiabilitiesOfDisposalGroupIncludingDiscontinuedOperation
/ us-gaap_VariableInterestEntitiesByClassificationOfEntityAxis
= us-gaap_VariableInterestEntityPrimaryBeneficiaryMember
Total Liabilities $ 649,886us-gaap_Liabilities
/ us-gaap_VariableInterestEntitiesByClassificationOfEntityAxis
= us-gaap_VariableInterestEntityPrimaryBeneficiaryMember
$ 663,797us-gaap_Liabilities
/ us-gaap_VariableInterestEntitiesByClassificationOfEntityAxis
= us-gaap_VariableInterestEntityPrimaryBeneficiaryMember