v3.21.2

Investment in Securities (Summary of Investment Income) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2021	Sep. 30, 2020	Sep. 30, 2021	Sep. 30, 2020
Securities, Available-for-sale [Line Items]
Interest Income	$ 40,146	$ 43,075	$ 126,115	$ 134,463
Agency RMBS
Securities, Available-for-sale [Line Items]
Coupon Interest	14,797	14,117	43,449	47,632
Net Amortization	(9,551)	(7,454)	(20,123)	(25,516)
Interest Income	5,246	6,663	23,326	22,116
Non-Agency RMBS and CMBS
Securities, Available-for-sale [Line Items]
Coupon Interest	3,307	3,311	10,321	10,995
Net Amortization	748	1,911	3,179	4,001
Interest Income	4,055	5,222	13,500	14,996
CLOs
Securities, Available-for-sale [Line Items]
Coupon Interest	3,532	2,256	7,978	11,662
Net Amortization	(1,456)	2,179	59	1,543
Interest Income	2,076	4,435	8,037	13,205
Other Securities
Securities, Available-for-sale [Line Items]
Coupon Interest	4,590	2,970	12,296	8,992
Net Amortization	(1,813)	(1,435)	(3,796)	(3,584)
Interest Income	2,777	1,535	8,500	5,408
Securities Investment [Member]
Securities, Available-for-sale [Line Items]
Coupon Interest	26,226	22,654	74,044	79,281
Net Amortization	(12,072)	(4,799)	(20,681)	(23,556)
Interest Income	$ 14,154	$ 17,855	$ 53,363	$ 55,725

X

- Definition

The sum of the periodic adjustments of the differences between securities' face values and purchase prices that are charged against earnings. This is called accretion if the security was purchased at a discount and amortization if it was purchased at premium. As a noncash item, this element is an adjustment to net income when calculating cash provided by or used in operations using the indirect method.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 230
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 28
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=123570139&loc=d3e3602-108585

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_AccretionAmortizationOfDiscountsAndPremiumsInvestments
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

X

- Definition

Amount of operating interest income, including, but not limited to, amortization and accretion of premiums and discounts on securities.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 220
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-03.1(e))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=123367319&loc=SL114868664-224227

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_InterestIncomeOperating
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

X

- Definition

Amount before accretion (amortization) of purchase discount (premium) of interest income on nonoperating securities.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 220
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-03.7(b))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=123367319&loc=SL114868664-224227

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 280
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 22
-Subparagraph (c)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=123359005&loc=d3e8736-108599

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_InvestmentIncomeInterest
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
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_ScheduleOfAvailableForSaleSecuritiesLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

X

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_FinancialInstrumentAxis=us-gaap_USGovernmentAgenciesDebtSecuritiesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

X

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_FinancialInstrumentAxis=efc_ResidentialMortgageandCommercialMortgageBackedSecuritiesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

X

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_FinancialInstrumentAxis=us-gaap_CollateralizedLoanObligationsMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

X

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_FinancialInstrumentAxis=efc_OtherInvestmentSecuritiesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

X

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_FinancialInstrumentAxis=us-gaap_SecuritiesInvestmentMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type: