v3.19.3

Financial Derivatives (Schedule of Credit Derivatives) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Sep. 30, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018
Credit Default Swap, Selling Protection [Member]
Credit Derivatives [Line Items]
Credit Risk Derivatives, at Fair Value, Net		$ 4,339
Fair Value	$ 4,718
Notional value	134,377
Derivative notional		(98,586)
Credit Default Swap, Buying Protection [Member]
Credit Derivatives [Line Items]
Credit Risk Derivatives, at Fair Value, Net		284
Fair Value of Purchased Credit Derivatives Offsetting Written Credit Derivatives	(2,581)
Notional value of purchased credit derivatives offsetting written credit derivatives	$ (84,029)
Derivative notional		$ (41,134)

X

- Definition

Derivative notional amount

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	efc_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

X

- Definition

Fair value of purchased credit derivatives (short or purchased protection) offsetting written credit derivatives (long or sold protection).

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	efc_FairValueofPurchasedCreditDerivativesOffsettingWrittenCreditDerivatives
Namespace Prefix:	efc_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

X

- Definition

Notional value of purchased credit derivatives (short or purchased protection) offsetting written credit derivatives (long or sold protection).

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	efc_Notionalvalueofpurchasedcreditderivativesoffsettingwrittencreditderivatives
Namespace Prefix:	efc_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

X

- Definition

Aggregate notional amount specified by the derivative(s). Expressed as an absolute value.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher SEC
-Name Regulation S-X (SX)
-Number 210
-Article 12
-Section 13
-Sentence Column B

+ Details

Name:	invest_DerivativeNotionalAmount
Namespace Prefix:	invest_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	na
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_CreditDerivativesLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

X

- Definition

Fair value of credit risk derivative asset after deduction of credit risk derivative liability.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 815
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 4K
-Subparagraph (c)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=109980867&loc=SL5708775-113959

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

X

- Definition

Fair value of the assets less the liabilities of a derivative or group of derivatives.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 825
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 10
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=109250915&loc=d3e13433-108611

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

X

- Details

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

X

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_CreditDerivativesByContractTypeAxis=us-gaap_CreditDefaultSwapBuyingProtectionMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type: