v2.4.1.9
Borrowings under Repurchase Agreements (Details) (USD $)
 12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2014
Dec. 31, 2013
Reverse Repurchase Agreements [Line Items]    
Non Mark-to-Market Reverse Repurchase Agreement Facility 150,000,000efc_NonMarktoMarketReverseRepurchaseAgreementFacility  
Initial Period of Non-Mark-to-Market Financing Facility 18 months  
Cancellation Notice Period Under Non-Mark-to-Market Financing Facility 6 months  
Reverse repurchase agreements 1,669,433,000us-gaap_SecuritiesSoldUnderAgreementsToRepurchase [1] 1,236,166,000us-gaap_SecuritiesSoldUnderAgreementsToRepurchase [1]
Number of Counterparties with Outstanding Reverse Repurchase Agreements 16efc_NumberofCounterpartieswithOutstandingReverseRepurchaseAgreements 14efc_NumberofCounterpartieswithOutstandingReverseRepurchaseAgreements
Concentration Risk, Reverse Repurchase Agreements 23.00%efc_ConcentrationRiskReverseRepurchaseAgreements 39.00%efc_ConcentrationRiskReverseRepurchaseAgreements
Number Counterparties With Concentration Risk, Reverse Repurchase Agreements 1efc_NumberCounterpartiesWithConcentrationRiskReverseRepurchaseAgreements 2efc_NumberCounterpartiesWithConcentrationRiskReverseRepurchaseAgreements
Forward Starting Reverse Repurchase Agreements 50,100,000efc_ForwardStartingReverseRepurchaseAgreements 48,700,000efc_ForwardStartingReverseRepurchaseAgreements
Investments held with dealers as collateral 1,930,000,000us-gaap_PledgedFinancialInstrumentsNotSeparatelyReportedSecuritiesForRepurchaseAgreements 1,460,000,000us-gaap_PledgedFinancialInstrumentsNotSeparatelyReportedSecuritiesForRepurchaseAgreements
Pledged Financial Instruments, Not Separately Reported, Securities For Repurchase Agreements Unsettled 145,500,000efc_PledgedFinancialInstrumentsNotSeparatelyReportedSecuritiesForRepurchaseAgreementsUnsettled 13,300,000efc_PledgedFinancialInstrumentsNotSeparatelyReportedSecuritiesForRepurchaseAgreementsUnsettled
Minimum [Member]    
Reverse Repurchase Agreements [Line Items]    
Reverse Repurchase Agreements Maturity 30 days  
Financing term under non-mark-to-market facility 2 years  
Reverse Repurchase Agreements Remaining Terms 2 days 2 days
Reverse Repurchase Agreements Interest Rate (1.50%)efc_ReverseRepurchaseAgreementsInterestRate
/ us-gaap_RangeAxis
= us-gaap_MinimumMember		 0.32%efc_ReverseRepurchaseAgreementsInterestRate
/ us-gaap_RangeAxis
= us-gaap_MinimumMember
Maximum [Member]    
Reverse Repurchase Agreements [Line Items]    
Reverse Repurchase Agreements Maturity 180 days  
Reverse Repurchase Agreements Remaining Terms 631 days 180 days
Reverse Repurchase Agreements Interest Rate 2.42%efc_ReverseRepurchaseAgreementsInterestRate
/ us-gaap_RangeAxis
= us-gaap_MaximumMember		 2.27%efc_ReverseRepurchaseAgreementsInterestRate
/ us-gaap_RangeAxis
= us-gaap_MaximumMember
Reverse Repurchase Agreements [Member]    
Reverse Repurchase Agreements [Line Items]    
Cash Collateral (Received) Pledged 14,245,000us-gaap_RestrictedCashAndCashEquivalents
/ us-gaap_InvestmentTypeAxis
= us-gaap_SecuritiesSoldUnderAgreementsToRepurchaseMember		 [2],[3] 2,926,000us-gaap_RestrictedCashAndCashEquivalents
/ us-gaap_InvestmentTypeAxis
= us-gaap_SecuritiesSoldUnderAgreementsToRepurchaseMember		 [2],[3]
Security Owned and Pledged as Collateral, Fair Value 12,500,000us-gaap_SecurityOwnedAndPledgedAsCollateralFairValue
/ us-gaap_InvestmentTypeAxis
= us-gaap_SecuritiesSoldUnderAgreementsToRepurchaseMember		 20,600,000us-gaap_SecurityOwnedAndPledgedAsCollateralFairValue
/ us-gaap_InvestmentTypeAxis
= us-gaap_SecuritiesSoldUnderAgreementsToRepurchaseMember
[1] In the Company's Consolidated Statement of Assets, Liabilities, and Equity, all balances associated with repurchase agreements, reverse repurchase agreements, and financial derivatives are presented on a gross basis.
[2] For the purpose of this presentation, for each row the total amount of financial instruments transferred or pledged and cash collateral (received) or pledged may not exceed the applicable gross amount of assets or (liabilities) as presented here. Therefore, the Company has reduced the amount of financial instruments transferred or pledged as collateral related to the Company's reverse repurchase agreements and cash collateral pledged on the Company's financial derivative liabilities. Total financial instruments transferred or pledged as collateral on the Company's reverse repurchase agreements as of December 31, 2014 and December 31, 2013 were $1.94 billion and $1.48 billion, respectively. As of December 31, 2014 and December 31, 2013, total cash collateral on financial derivative assets excludes excess net cash collateral pledged of $22.7 million and $3.2 million, respectively. As of December 31, 2014 and December 31, 2013, total cash collateral on financial derivative liabilities excludes excess cash collateral pledged of $23.2 million and $36.4 million, respectively.
[3] When collateral is pledged to or pledged by a counterparty, it is often pledged or posted with respect to all positions with such counterparty, and in such cases such collateral cannot be specifically identified as relating to a specific asset or liability. As a result, in preparing the above tables, the Company has made assumptions in allocating pledged or posted collateral among the various rows.