Note 7 - Use of Special Purpose Entities and Variable Interest Entities (Tables)
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2013
Use Of Special Purpose Entities And Variable Interest Entities [Abstract]  
Fair Value, by Balance Sheet Grouping [Table Text Block]
   

Financing VIEs

 
   

Multi-family CMBS re-securitization(1)

   

Collateralized Recourse Financings(2)

   

Distressed Residential Mortgage Loan Securitization

   

Residential Mortgage Loan Securitizations

   

Total

 

Investment securities available for sale, at fair value held in securitization trusts

  $ 29,289     $ 63,289     $     $     $ 92,578  

Residential mortgage loans held in securitization trusts (net)

                      163,237       163,237  

Distressed residential mortgage loans held in securitization trusts (net)

                254,721             254,721  

Multi-family loans held in securitization trusts, at fair value

    1,234,084       6,876,938                   8,111,022  

Receivables and other assets

    5,241       27,198       10,072       1,760       44,271  

Total assets

  $ 1,268,614     $ 6,967,425     $ 264,793     $ 164,997     $ 8,665,829  
                                         

Residential collateralized debt obligations

  $     $     $     $ 158,410     $ 158,410  

Multi-family collateralized debt obligations, at fair value

    1,195,637       6,675,383                   7,871,020  

Securitized debt

    27,240       107,853       169,871             304,964  

Accrued expenses and other liabilities

    4,640       25,315       981       15       30,951  

Total liabilities

  $ 1,227,517     $ 6,808,551     $ 170,852     $ 158,425     $ 8,365,345  
   

Financing VIEs

   

Non-financing VIEs

         
   

Multi-family CMBS re-securitization(1)

   

Collateralized Recourse

Financing(2)

   

Distressed

Residential Mortgage

Loan Securitization

   

Residential Mortgage Loan Securitizations

   

Multi-family

CMBS(3)

   

Total

 

Investment securities available for sale, at fair value held in securitization trusts

  $ 22,611     $ 48,548     $     $     $     $ 71,159  

Residential mortgage loans held in securitization trusts (net)

                      187,229             187,229  

Distressed residential mortgage loans held in securitization trust (net)

                60,459                   60,459  

Multi-family loans held in securitization trusts, at fair value

    1,335,862       2,610,276                   1,496,768       5,442,906  

Receivables and other assets

    5,372       11,797       3,187       1,425       3,035       24,816  

Total assets

  $ 1,363,845     $ 2,670,621     $ 63,646     $ 188,654     $ 1,499,803     $ 5,786,569  
                                                 

Residential collateralized debt obligations

  $     $     $     $ 180,979     $     $ 180,979  

Multi-family collateralized debt obligations, at fair value

    1,306,760       2,547,015                   1,465,798       5,319,573  

Securitized debt

    26,891       52,000       38,700                   117,591  

Accrued expenses and other liabilities

    4,706       10,609       259       15       2,918       18,507  

Total liabilities

  $ 1,338,357     $ 2,609,624     $ 38,959     $ 180,994     $ 1,468,716     $ 5,636,650  
Schedule of Variable Interest Entities [Table Text Block]
   

Multi-family CMBS

Re-securitization (1)

   

Collateralized

Recourse Financings (2)

   

Distressed

Residential Mortgage

Loan Securitizations (3)

 
                         

Original Face amount of Notes issued by the VIE and purchased by 3rd party investors

  $ 35,000     $ 107,853     $ 176,970  

Principal Amount at December 31, 2013

  $ 34,508     $ 107,853     169,871  

Principal Amount at December 31, 2012

  $ 35,000     $ 52,000     $ 38,700  

Carrying Value at December 31, 2013 (4)

  $ 27,240     $ 107,853     $ 169,871  

Carrying Value at December 31, 2012 (4)

  $ 26,891     $ 52,000     $ 38,700  

Pass-through rate of Notes issued

    5.35 %  

One-month LIBOR plus 5.25% - 6.50%

      4.25% - 4.85%  
Schedule of Maturities of Long-term Debt [Table Text Block]

Scheduled Maturity (principal amount)

 

December 31, 2013

   

December 31, 2012

 

(Dollar amount in thousands)

               

Within 24 months

  $ 90,700     $  

Over 24 months to 36 months

    187,024       90,700  

Over 36 months

    34,507       35,000  

Total

    312,231       125,700  

Discount

    (7,267 )     (8,109 )

Carrying value

  $ 304,964     $ 117,591  
Schedule of Classification and Carrying Value of Unconsolidated VIEs [Table Text Block]
   

December 31, 2013

   

December 31, 2012

 
   

Investment

securities available for sale, at fair value, held

in securitization

trusts

   

Receivables and other Assets

   

Total

   

Investment

securities available for sale, at fair value, held

in securitization

trusts

   

Receivables and other Assets

   

Total

 

Multi-Family CMBS

  $ 92,578     $ 183     $ 92,761     $ 71,159     $ 188     $ 71,347  

Mezzanine loan and equity investments

          28,058       28,058             3,522       3,522  

Total assets

  $ 92,578     $ 28,241     $ 120,819     $ 71,159     $ 3,710     $ 74,869