Description of Business	9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2017
Description of Business
Description of Business	Note 1 — Description of Business Arbor Realty Trust, Inc. (the “Company,” “we,” “us,” or “our”) is a Maryland corporation formed in 2003. Through our Structured Loan Origination and Investment Business, or “Structured Business,” we invest in a diversified portfolio of structured finance assets in the multifamily and commercial real estate markets, primarily consisting of bridge and mezzanine loans, including junior participating interests in first mortgages, preferred and direct equity. We may also directly acquire real property and invest in real estate-related notes and certain mortgage-related securities. Through our Agency Loan Origination and Servicing Business, or “Agency Business,” which was formed as a result of the acquisition of the agency platform of Arbor Commercial Mortgage, LLC (“ACM” or our “Former Manager”) in the third quarter of 2016 (the “Acquisition”), we originate, sell and service a range of multifamily finance products through the Federal National Mortgage Association (“Fannie Mae”) and the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation (“Freddie Mac,” and together with Fannie Mae, the government-sponsored enterprises, or the “GSEs”), the Government National Mortgage Association (“Ginnie Mae”), Federal Housing Authority (“FHA”) and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (together with Ginnie Mae and FHA, “HUD”) and the conduit/commercial mortgage-backed securities (“CMBS”) programs. We retain the servicing rights and asset management responsibilities on substantially all loans we originate and sell under the GSE and HUD programs. Prior to May 31, 2017, we were externally managed and advised by ACM. Effective May 31, 2017, we exercised our option to fully internalize our management team and terminate the existing management agreement. See Note 3 — Acquisition of Our Former Manager’s Agency Platform for details. Substantially all of our operations are conducted through our operating partnership, Arbor Realty Limited Partnership (“ARLP”), for which we serve as the general partner, and ARLP’s subsidiaries. We are organized to qualify as a real estate investment trust (“REIT”) for U.S. federal income tax purposes. Certain of our assets that produce non-qualifying income, primarily within the Agency Business, are operated through taxable REIT subsidiaries (“TRS”), which is part of our TRS consolidated group (the “TRS Consolidated Group”) and is subject to U.S. federal, state and local income taxes. See Note 18 — Income Taxes for details.

Note 1 — Description of Business

Arbor Realty Trust, Inc. (the “Company,” “we,” “us,” or “our”) is a Maryland corporation formed in 2003. Through our Structured Loan Origination and Investment Business, or “Structured Business,” we invest in a diversified portfolio of structured finance assets in the multifamily and commercial real estate markets, primarily consisting of bridge and mezzanine loans, including junior participating interests in first mortgages, preferred and direct equity. We may also directly acquire real property and invest in real estate-related notes and certain mortgage-related securities. Through our Agency Loan Origination and Servicing Business, or “Agency Business,” which was formed as a result of the acquisition of the agency platform of Arbor Commercial Mortgage, LLC (“ACM” or our “Former Manager”) in the third quarter of 2016 (the “Acquisition”), we originate, sell and service a range of multifamily finance products through the Federal National Mortgage Association (“Fannie Mae”) and the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation (“Freddie Mac,” and together with Fannie Mae, the government-sponsored enterprises, or the “GSEs”), the Government National Mortgage Association (“Ginnie Mae”), Federal Housing Authority (“FHA”) and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (together with Ginnie Mae and FHA, “HUD”) and the conduit/commercial mortgage-backed securities (“CMBS”) programs. We retain the servicing rights and asset management responsibilities on substantially all loans we originate and sell under the GSE and HUD programs.

Prior to May 31, 2017, we were externally managed and advised by ACM. Effective May 31, 2017, we exercised our option to fully internalize our management team and terminate the existing management agreement. See Note 3 — Acquisition of Our Former Manager’s Agency Platform for details.

Substantially all of our operations are conducted through our operating partnership, Arbor Realty Limited Partnership (“ARLP”), for which we serve as the general partner, and ARLP’s subsidiaries. We are organized to qualify as a real estate investment trust (“REIT”) for U.S. federal income tax purposes. Certain of our assets that produce non-qualifying income, primarily within the Agency Business, are operated through taxable REIT subsidiaries (“TRS”), which is part of our TRS consolidated group (the “TRS Consolidated Group”) and is subject to U.S. federal, state and local income taxes. See Note 18 — Income Taxes for details.