v3.21.2

Investment in Loans Investment in Loans (Schedule of Residential Mortgage Loans: Performance) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands | Sep. 30, 2021 | Dec. 31, 2020
--- | --- | ---
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items] |  |  |
Unpaid Principal Balance |  | $ 1,940,279 | $ 1,417,054
Loans, at fair value | [1],[2] | 1,996,529 | 1,453,480
Residential mortgage loans |  |  |
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items] |  |  |
Unpaid Principal Balance |  | 1,602,548 | 1,150,303
Loans, at fair value |  | 1,656,701 | 1,187,069
Residential mortgage loans | Performing Financial Instruments [Member] |  |  |
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items] |  |  |
Unpaid Principal Balance |  | 18,164 | 18,120
Loans, at fair value |  | 17,424 | 16,741
Residential mortgage loans | Non-performing |  |  |
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items] |  |  |
Unpaid Principal Balance |  | 34,904 | 62,009
Loans, at fair value |  | $ 32,107 | $ 58,169
[1] | Ellington Financial Inc.'s Condensed 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 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://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 946 -SubTopic 320 -Section S99 -Paragraph 3 -Subparagraph (SX 210.12-12B(Column B)) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=122147990&loc=d3e611197-123010 + 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=us-gaap_ResidentialMortgageMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_FinancialInstrumentPerformanceStatusAxis=us-gaap_PerformingFinancingReceivableMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_FinancialInstrumentPerformanceStatusAxis=us-gaap_NonperformingFinancingReceivableMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |