v2.4.1.9

Common Share Capitalization (Narrative) (Details) (USD $)	0 Months Ended			12 Months Ended			41 Months Ended	0 Months Ended
	Sep. 08, 2014	May 14, 2013	Aug. 04, 2011	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2014	Aug. 20, 2012	Sep. 12, 2012
Common Stock Capitalization [Line Items]
Dividends (in usd per share)				$ 3.08efc_DividendPerShare	$ 3.83efc_DividendPerShare	$ 2.50efc_DividendPerShare
Payments of Dividends				$ (86,449,000)us-gaap_PaymentsOfDividends	$ (92,067,000)us-gaap_PaymentsOfDividends	$ (47,412,000)us-gaap_PaymentsOfDividends
Stock Issued During Period, Shares, New Issues	8,000,000us-gaap_StockIssuedDuringPeriodSharesNewIssues	5,000,000.0us-gaap_StockIssuedDuringPeriodSharesNewIssues		8,000,000us-gaap_StockIssuedDuringPeriodSharesNewIssues	5,000,000us-gaap_StockIssuedDuringPeriodSharesNewIssues	4,025,000us-gaap_StockIssuedDuringPeriodSharesNewIssues
Net proceeds from share issuance	188,200,000efc_Netproceedsfromshareissuance	125,300,000efc_Netproceedsfromshareissuance
Overallotment Option Percentage By Underwriters									15.00%efc_OverallotmentOptionPercentageByUnderwriters
Aggregate cost of shares repurchase			10,000,000us-gaap_StockRepurchaseProgramAuthorizedAmount
Shares repurchased				0us-gaap_StockRepurchasedAndRetiredDuringPeriodShares	0us-gaap_StockRepurchasedAndRetiredDuringPeriodShares	(156,639)us-gaap_StockRepurchasedAndRetiredDuringPeriodShares	(217,619)us-gaap_StockRepurchasedAndRetiredDuringPeriodShares
Aggregate cost of shares repurchased				0us-gaap_StockRepurchasedAndRetiredDuringPeriodValue	0us-gaap_StockRepurchasedAndRetiredDuringPeriodValue	3,430,000us-gaap_StockRepurchasedAndRetiredDuringPeriodValue	4,500,000us-gaap_StockRepurchasedAndRetiredDuringPeriodValue
Average price per share repurchased (in usd per share)							$ 20.59efc_StockRepurchasesAveragePricePerShare
Common Shares Issued And Outstanding Upon Conversion of All Convertible Securities				34,090,992efc_CommonSharesIssuedAndOutstandingUponConversionOfAllConvertibleSecurities	26,051,238efc_CommonSharesIssuedAndOutstandingUponConversionOfAllConvertibleSecurities		34,090,992efc_CommonSharesIssuedAndOutstandingUponConversionOfAllConvertibleSecurities
Common Shares Issued And Outstanding Upon Conversion Of All LTIP Units						20,767,565efc_CommonSharesIssuedAndOutstandingUponConversionOfAllLtipUnits
Secondary public offering [Member]
Common Stock Capitalization [Line Items]
Stock Issued During Period, Shares, New Issues								3,500,000.0us-gaap_StockIssuedDuringPeriodSharesNewIssues / efc_SharesIssuedAxis = efc_SecondarypublicofferingMember
Net proceeds from share issuance								76,700,000efc_Netproceedsfromshareissuance / efc_SharesIssuedAxis = efc_SecondarypublicofferingMember
Secondary public offering overallotment option [Member]
Common Stock Capitalization [Line Items]
Stock Issued During Period, Shares, New Issues									525,000us-gaap_StockIssuedDuringPeriodSharesNewIssues / efc_SharesIssuedAxis = efc_SecondarypublicofferingoverallotmentoptionMember
Net proceeds from share issuance									$ 11,100,000efc_Netproceedsfromshareissuance / efc_SharesIssuedAxis = efc_SecondarypublicofferingoverallotmentoptionMember

X

- Definition

The Company's common shares issued and outstanding if all of the long term incentive plan units and operating partnership units (owned by the non-controlling interest) that have previously been issued were to be fully vested and exchanged for common shares as of the reporting date.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	efc_CommonSharesIssuedAndOutstandingUponConversionOfAllConvertibleSecurities
Namespace Prefix:	efc_
Data Type:	xbrli:sharesItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

X

- Definition

The Company's common shares issued and outstanding if all of the long term incentive plan units that have previously been issued were to be fully vested and exchanged for common shares as of the reporting date.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	efc_CommonSharesIssuedAndOutstandingUponConversionOfAllLtipUnits
Namespace Prefix:	efc_
Data Type:	xbrli:sharesItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

X

- Details

Name:	efc_CommonStockCapitalizationLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	efc_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

X

- Definition

Dividend declared and paid for the period.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	efc_DividendPerShare
Namespace Prefix:	efc_
Data Type:	num:perShareItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

X

- Definition

Net proceeds from issuance of common shares. Net proceeds after underwriters' discount and offering costs.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	efc_Netproceedsfromshareissuance
Namespace Prefix:	efc_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

X

- Definition

Overallotment option percentage by underwriters.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	efc_OverallotmentOptionPercentageByUnderwriters
Namespace Prefix:	efc_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

X

- Definition

Average price paid per share repurchased under the Company's share repurchase program.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	efc_StockRepurchasesAveragePricePerShare
Namespace Prefix:	efc_
Data Type:	num:perShareItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

X

- Definition

Cash outflow in the form of capital distributions and dividends to common shareholders, preferred shareholders and noncontrolling interests.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Glossary Financing Activities

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6513228



Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 230

-SubTopic 10

-Section 45

-Paragraph 15

-Subparagraph (a)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=31042434&loc=d3e3291-108585

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_PaymentsOfDividends
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

X

- Definition

Number of new stock issued during the period.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher SEC

-Name Regulation S-X (SX)

-Number 210

-Section 04

-Article 3



Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 505

-SubTopic 10

-Section 50

-Paragraph 2

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6928386&loc=d3e21463-112644



Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 505

-SubTopic 10

-Section S99

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (SX 210.3-04)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=27012166&loc=d3e187085-122770



Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher SEC

-Name Regulation S-X (SX)

-Number 210

-Section 02

-Paragraph 29, 30

-Article 5

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_StockIssuedDuringPeriodSharesNewIssues
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:sharesItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

X

- Definition

Number of shares that have been repurchased and retired during the period.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher SEC

-Name Regulation S-X (SX)

-Number 210

-Section 04

-Article 3



Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 505

-SubTopic 10

-Section 50

-Paragraph 2

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6928386&loc=d3e21463-112644



Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher SEC

-Name Regulation S-X (SX)

-Number 210

-Section 02

-Paragraph 29, 30

-Article 5

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_StockRepurchasedAndRetiredDuringPeriodShares
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:sharesItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

X

- Definition

Equity impact of the value of stock that has been repurchased and retired during the period. The excess of the purchase price over par value can be charged against retained earnings (once the excess is fully allocated to additional paid in capital).

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher SEC

-Name Regulation S-X (SX)

-Number 210

-Section 04

-Article 3



Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 505

-SubTopic 10

-Section 50

-Paragraph 2

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6928386&loc=d3e21463-112644



Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher SEC

-Name Regulation S-X (SX)

-Number 210

-Section 02

-Paragraph 29, 30, 31

-Article 5

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_StockRepurchasedAndRetiredDuringPeriodValue
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

X

- Definition

Amount of a stock repurchase plan authorized by an entity's Board of Directors.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_StockRepurchaseProgramAuthorizedAmount
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

X

- Details

Name:	efc_SharesIssuedAxis=efc_SecondarypublicofferingMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

X

- Details

Name:	efc_SharesIssuedAxis=efc_SecondarypublicofferingoverallotmentoptionMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type: