Name:	mfa_HaircutOnSecuritiesWeightedAveragePercentage
Namespace Prefix:	mfa_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

Sum of the fair values as of the date of the latest financial statement presented of securities pledged as collateral and the amount of interest receivable on the securities pledged as collateral.

No definition available.

Name:	mfa_PledgedFinancialInstrumentsNotSeparatelyReportedSecuritiesPledgedAggregateFairValueAndAccruedInterest
Namespace Prefix:	mfa_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

Represents the cost of debt and equity securities pledged as collateral, net of adjustments including accretion, amortization, collection of cash, previous other-than-temporary impairments recognized in earnings (less any cumulative-effect adjustments recognized, as defined), and fair value hedge accounting adjustments, if any.

No definition available.

Name:	mfa_PledgedFinancialInstrumentsNotSeparatelyReportedSecuritiesPledgedAmortizedCost
Namespace Prefix:	mfa_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

Represents the effective repricing period of the entity's repurchase agreements, including the impact of swaps that hedge the related borrowings.

No definition available.

Name:	mfa_RepurchaseAgreementsEffectiveRepricingPeriod
Namespace Prefix:	mfa_
Data Type:	xbrli:durationItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

Represents the weighted average period remaining before the rate of interest for repurchase agreements is reset.

No definition available.

Name:	mfa_RepurchaseAgreementsWeightedAverageRemainingTermToInterestRateReset
Namespace Prefix:	mfa_
Data Type:	xbrli:durationItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

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.

No definition available.

Name:	us-gaap_AssetsSoldUnderAgreementsToRepurchaseLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

The fair value, as of the date of each statement of financial position presented, of securities which are owned but transferred to serve as collateral for the payment of repurchase agreements, and that are reclassified and separately reported in the statement of financial position because the transferee has the right by contract or custom to sell or re-pledge them.

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 860
-SubTopic 30
-Section 45
-Paragraph 1
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=66007379&loc=d3e113888-111728

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

Sum of the carrying amounts as of the date of the latest financial statement presented of securities which are owned but transferred to another party to serve as collateral to partially or fully secure a debt obligation, repurchase agreement or other current or potential obligation, and for which the transferee is not permitted to sell or re-pledge them to an unrelated party.

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 860
-SubTopic 30
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1A
-Subparagraph (b)(1)(i)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=109249958&loc=SL6224234-111729

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

Amount, after the effects of master netting arrangements, of funds outstanding borrowed in the form of a security repurchase agreement between the entity and another party for the sale and repurchase of identical or substantially the same securities at a date certain for a specified price. Includes liabilities not subject to a master netting arrangement and not elected to be offset.

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 20
-Section 55
-Paragraph 10
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=99393222&loc=SL20226008-175313

Reference 2: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 20
-Section 50
-Paragraph 3
-Subparagraph (c)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=51824906&loc=SL20225862-175312

Reference 3: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 20
-Section 45
-Paragraph 11
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=49176635&loc=d3e9760-107771

Reference 4: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 942
-SubTopic 210
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.9-03.13(1))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6876686&loc=d3e534808-122878

Reference 5: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 235
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.4-08.(m)(1)(a)(i))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=26873400&loc=d3e23780-122690

Name:	us-gaap_SecuritiesSoldUnderAgreementsToRepurchase
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

The remaining balance of debt issuance expenses that were capitalized and are being amortized against income over the lives of the respective bond issues. This does not include the amounts capitalized as part of the cost of the utility plant or asset.

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.17)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Name:	us-gaap_InvestmentTypeAxis=mfa_ResidentialLoansAtFairValueMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type: