Consolidated Statements Of Operations - USD ($) $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
Operating revenue
Home sales	$ 1,078,928	$ 857,025	$ 521,310
Lots, land and other sales	2,500	1,926	18,692
Construction services	25,124	37,728	32,533
Operating revenue	1,106,552	896,679	572,535
Operating costs
Cost of sales — homes	(878,995)	(677,531)	(405,496)
Cost of sales — lots, land and other	(1,729)	(1,529)	(14,692)
Construction services	(21,181)	(30,700)	(25,598)
Sales and marketing	(61,539)	(45,903)	(26,102)
General and administrative	(59,161)	(54,626)	(40,770)
Transaction expenses	0	(5,832)	0
Amortization of intangible assets	(957)	(1,814)	(1,854)
Other	(1,972)	(2,874)	(2,166)
Operating costs	(1,025,534)	(820,809)	(516,678)
Operating income	81,018	75,870	55,857
Interest expense, net of amounts capitalized	0	0	(2,602)
Equity in income of unconsolidated joint ventures	3,239	555	0
Other income, net	2,810	1,898	510
Income before reorganization items and (provision) benefit from income taxes	87,067	78,323	53,765
Reorganization items, net	0	0	(464)
Income before (provision) benefit for income taxes	87,067	78,323	53,301
(Provision) benefit for income taxes	(26,806)	(23,797)	82,302
Net income	60,261	54,526	135,603
Less: Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests	(2,925)	(9,901)	(6,471)
Net income attributable to William Lyon Homes	57,336	44,625	129,132
Preferred stock dividends	0	0	(1,528)
Net income available to common stockholders	$ 57,336	$ 44,625	$ 127,604
Income per common share:
Basic (in USD per share)	$ 1.57	$ 1.41	$ 5.16
Diluted (in USD per share)	$ 1.48	$ 1.34	$ 4.95
Weighted average common shares outstanding:
Basic (in shares)	36,546,227	31,753,110	24,736,841
Diluted (in shares)	38,767,556	33,236,343	25,796,197