v3.19.1

Investment in Loans (Schedule of 90 Days or More Past Due) (Details) - 90 Days or More Past Due [Member] $ in Thousands | Mar. 31, 2019 USD ($)
--- | ---
Commercial mortgage loans |
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items] |
90 days or more past due—accrual status, Unpaid Principal Balance | $ 6,491
90 days or more past due—accrual status, Fair Value | 6,491
90 days or more past due—non-accrual status, Unpaid Principal Balance | 16,050
90 days or more past due—non-accrual status, , Fair Value | 16,050
Residential mortgage loans |
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items] |
90 days or more past due—non-accrual status, Unpaid Principal Balance | 18,582
90 days or more past due—non-accrual status, , Fair Value | 16,110
Consumer loans |
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items] |
90 days or more past due—non-accrual status, Unpaid Principal Balance | 2,046
90 days or more past due—non-accrual status, , Fair Value | $ 2,025

X
- Definition Financing Receivable, Accrual + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | efc_FinancingReceivableAccrual
Namespace Prefix: | efc_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | debit
Period Type: | instant

X
- Definition Impaired Financing Receivable, Unpaid Principal Balance, Accrual Status + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | efc_ImpairedFinancingReceivableUnpaidPrincipalBalanceAccrualStatus
Namespace Prefix: | efc_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | debit
Period Type: | instant

X
- Definition Impaired Financing Receivable, Unpaid Principal Balance, Nonaccrual + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | efc_ImpairedFinancingReceivableUnpaidPrincipalBalanceNonaccrual
Namespace Prefix: | efc_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | debit
Period Type: | instant

X
- 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_AccountsNotesAndLoansReceivableLineItems
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition Recorded investment in financing receivables that are on nonaccrual status as of the balance sheet date. + References Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 310 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 7 -Subparagraph (a) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=84173941&loc=d3e5111-111524 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_FinancingReceivableRecordedInvestmentNonaccrualStatus
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | debit
Period Type: | instant

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_FinancingReceivablePortfolioSegmentAxis=us-gaap_CommercialPortfolioSegmentMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_FinancingReceivablesPeriodPastDueAxis=us-gaap_FinancingReceivablesEqualToGreaterThan90DaysPastDueMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_FinancingReceivablePortfolioSegmentAxis=us-gaap_ResidentialPortfolioSegmentMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_FinancingReceivablePortfolioSegmentAxis=us-gaap_ConsumerPortfolioSegmentMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |