v3.20.4

Investment in Loans (Schedule of 90 Days or More Past Due) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands | 12 Months Ended
--- | ---
Dec. 31, 2020 | Dec. 31, 2019
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items] |  |  |
Unpaid Principal Balance |  | $ 1,417,054 | $ 1,387,733
Loans, at fair value | [1],[2] | 1,453,480 | 1,412,426
Proceeds from the disposition of loans (non-cash) |  | 113,791 | 0
Commercial mortgage loans |  |  |
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items] |  |  |
Unpaid Principal Balance |  | 212,716 | 277,870
Loans, at fair value |  | 213,031 | 274,759
Residential mortgage loans |  |  |
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items] |  |  |
Unpaid Principal Balance |  | 1,150,303 | 911,705
Loans, at fair value |  | 1,187,069 | 932,203
Consumer loans |  |  |
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items] |  |  |
Unpaid Principal Balance |  | 48,180 | 179,743
Loans, at fair value |  | 47,525 | 186,954
Non-accrual status [Member] | Commercial mortgage loans |  |  |
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items] |  |  |
Loans, at fair value |  |  | 10,700
Non-accrual status [Member] | Commercial mortgage loans | 90 Days or More Past Due [Member] |  |  |
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items] |  |  |
Unpaid Principal Balance |  | 44,233 | 28,936
Loans, at fair value |  | 44,052 | 26,545
Non-accrual status [Member] | Residential mortgage loans | 90 Days or More Past Due [Member] |  |  |
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items] |  |  |
Unpaid Principal Balance |  | 64,509 | 22,092
Loans, at fair value |  | 60,381 | 19,401
Non-accrual status [Member] | Consumer loans | 90 Days or More Past Due [Member] |  |  |
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items] |  |  |
Unpaid Principal Balance |  | 1,015 | 5,633
Loans, at fair value |  | $ 930 | $ 5,225
[1] | Ellington Financial Inc.'s Consolidated Balance Sheet includes assets and liabilities of variable interest entities it has consolidated. See Note 9 for additional details on Ellington Financial Inc.'s consolidated variable interest entities.
[2] | Includes assets pledged as collateral to counterparties. See Note 11 for additional details on the Company's borrowings and related collateral.

X
- Definition Fair value of loans which can include loans held-for-investment or held-for-sale. + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | efc_Investmentinloans
Namespace Prefix: | efc_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | debit
Period Type: | instant

X
- Definition Proceeds from the disposition of loans (non-cash) + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | efc_ProceedsFromTheDispositionOfLoansNonCash
Namespace Prefix: | efc_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | debit
Period Type: | duration

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 For investments which are quantified by principal amount, the principle balance held at close of period. + References Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 946 -SubTopic 210 -Section 50 -Paragraph 6 -Subparagraph (c) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=99383244&loc=d3e12121-115841 Reference 2: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 946 -SubTopic 320 -Section S99 -Paragraph 4 -Subparagraph (SX 210.12-12C.Column B) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=50485924&loc=d3e611225-123010 Reference 3: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 946 -SubTopic 320 -Section S99 -Paragraph 6 -Subparagraph (SX 210.12-14.Column B) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=50485924&loc=d3e611322-123010 Reference 4: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 946 -SubTopic 320 -Section S99 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (SX 210.12-12.Column B) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=50485924&loc=d3e611133-123010 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_InvestmentOwnedBalancePrincipalAmount
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | debit
Period Type: | instant

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_FinancialInstrumentAxis=efc_CommercialMortgageLoansMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_FinancialInstrumentAxis=us-gaap_ResidentialMortgageMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_FinancialInstrumentAxis=us-gaap_ConsumerLoanMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | efc_LoanaccrualstatusAxis=efc_NonaccrualstatusMember
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: |