v3.19.1

Financial Derivatives (Narrative) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions | 3 Months Ended | 12 Months Ended
--- | --- | ---
Mar. 31, 2019 | Dec. 31, 2018
Derivative [Line Items] |  |
Written credit derivative spread threshold | 20.00% | 20.00%
Credit Default Swap, Selling Protection [Member] |  |
Derivative [Line Items] |  |
Credit risk derivative in excess of threshold, at fair value, net | $ (0.2) | $ (1.0)
Total net up-front payments received | $ (2.0) | $ (2.0)
Minimum |  |
Derivative [Line Items] |  |
Spread on written credit derivatives | 0.426% | 0.218%
Upfront points on written credit derivative in excess of threshold | 36.9 | 56.3
Maximum |  |
Derivative [Line Items] |  |
Spread on written credit derivatives | 8.151% | 19.56%
Upfront points on written credit derivative in excess of threshold | 75.2 | 74.7

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- Definition Net fair value of credit risk derivatives in excess of implied credit spread threshold. + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | efc_CreditRiskDerivativeinExcessofThresholdatFairValueNet
Namespace Prefix: | efc_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | debit
Period Type: | instant

X
- Definition Implied spread on written credit derivative + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | efc_Impliedspreadonwrittencreditderivative
Namespace Prefix: | efc_
Data Type: | num:percentItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | instant

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- Definition Total net upfront fees (paid) received on credit derivatives. + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | efc_UpFrontFeesPaidReceivedOnCreditDerivatives
Namespace Prefix: | efc_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | credit
Period Type: | duration

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- Definition Estimated upfront points on written credit derivative contract at period end for those contracts where the current spread is in excess of a predetermined threshold. + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | efc_Upfrontpointsonwrittencreditderivative
Namespace Prefix: | efc_
Data Type: | xbrli:pureItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | instant

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- Definition Implied credit spread threshold whereby the contracts trade based on points paid up front. + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | efc_Writtencreditderivativespreadthreshold
Namespace Prefix: | efc_
Data Type: | num:percentItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | instant

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- Definition Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table. + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | us-gaap_DerivativeLineItems
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration

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- Details
Name: | us-gaap_CreditDerivativesByContractTypeAxis=us-gaap_CreditDefaultSwapSellingProtectionMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | srt_RangeAxis=srt_MinimumMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | srt_RangeAxis=srt_MaximumMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |