Effective interest rate for the funds borrowed under the debt agreement considering interest compounding and original issue discount or premium.

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentInterestRateEffectivePercentage
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Contractual interest rate for funds borrowed, under the debt agreement.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentInterestRateStatedPercentage
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

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

- Definition

The total amount of the contingent obligation under letters of credit outstanding as of the reporting date.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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

- Definition

Maximum borrowing capacity under the credit facility without consideration of any current restrictions on the amount that could be borrowed or the amounts currently outstanding under the facility.

+ References

+ Details

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

- Definition

The fee, expressed as a percentage of the line of credit facility, for available but unused credit capacity under the credit facility.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_LineOfCreditFacilityUnusedCapacityCommitmentFeePercentage
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Including the current and noncurrent portions, aggregate carrying amount of all types of notes payable, as of the balance sheet date, with initial maturities beyond one year or beyond the normal operating cycle, if longer.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02(22))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 944
-SubTopic 210
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.7-03(a)(16))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6879938&loc=d3e572229-122910

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 942
-SubTopic 210
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.9-03(16))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6876686&loc=d3e534808-122878

+ Details

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

- Definition

Debt Instrument, Covenant, Interest Coverage Ratio, Maximum Liquidity Used in Calculation

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	wlh_DebtInstrumentCovenantInterestCoverageRatioMaximumLiquidityUsedinCalculation
Namespace Prefix:	wlh_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Debt Instrument, Covenant, Interest Coverage Ratio, Minimum

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	wlh_DebtInstrumentCovenantInterestCoverageRatioMinimum
Namespace Prefix:	wlh_
Data Type:	xbrli:pureItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Debt Instrument, Covenant, Leverage Ratio, Maximum

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	wlh_DebtInstrumentCovenantLeverageRatioMaximum
Namespace Prefix:	wlh_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Debt Instrument, Covenant, Tangible Net Worth, Minimum

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	wlh_DebtInstrumentCovenantTangibleNetWorthMinimum
Namespace Prefix:	wlh_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Debt Instrument, Subjective Acceleration Clause, Percentage of EBITDA, Minimum

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	wlh_DebtInstrumentSubjectiveAccelerationClausePercentageofEBITDAMinimum
Namespace Prefix:	wlh_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Line Of Credit Facility, Additional Capacity Under Accordion Feature

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	wlh_LineOfCreditFacilityAdditionalCapacityUnderAccordionFeature
Namespace Prefix:	wlh_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Line of Credit Facility, Minimum Borrowing Capacity

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	wlh_LineofCreditFacilityMinimumBorrowingCapacity
Namespace Prefix:	wlh_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis=wlh_FivePointSevenFivePercentSeniorNotesDueTwoThousandNineteenMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_CreditFacilityAxis=us-gaap_RevolvingCreditFacilityMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis=wlh_AmendedFacilityMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis=wlh_SecondAmendedFacilityMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis=wlh_OriginalCreditFacilityMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_CreditFacilityAxis=us-gaap_LetterOfCreditMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis=us-gaap_SeniorNotesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis=us-gaap_LineOfCreditMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_StatementScenarioAxis=us-gaap_ScenarioForecastMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Senior Notes, Secured, and Unsecured Indebtedness - Revolving Line of Credit - Narrative (Details) - USD ($)		6 Months Ended
	Jul. 01, 2016	Jun. 30, 2016	Dec. 31, 2017	Jun. 30, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016	Mar. 27, 2015	Mar. 31, 2014
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Notes payable				$ 183,466,000	$ 155,768,000
5 3/4% Senior Notes due April 15, 2019
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Stated interest rate				5.75%	5.75%
Revolving Credit Facility
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Effective rate				4.38%	4.75%
Revolving Credit Facility \| Amended Facility
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Maximum borrowing capacity		$ 130,000,000.0				$ 130,000,000.0
Additional capacity under accordion feature						200,000,000.0
Commitment fee percentage		50.00%
Revolving Credit Facility \| Second Amended Facility
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Maximum borrowing capacity	$ 145,000,000.0
Additional capacity under accordion feature	$ 200,000,000.0
Debt Instrument, Covenant, Tangible Net Worth, Minimum				$ 451,000,000.0
Debt instrument, subjective acceleration clause, percentage of EBITDA, minimum	50.00%
Debt Instrument, Covenant, Leverage Ratio, Maximum				65.00%	62.50%
Debt Instrument, Covenant, Interest Coverage Ratio, Minimum				1.50
Debt Instrument, Covenant, Interest Coverage Ratio, Maximum Liquidity Used in Calculation				$ 50,000,000.0
Revolving Credit Facility \| Original Credit Facility
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Maximum borrowing capacity						100,000,000
Additional capacity under accordion feature						125,000,000.0
Letter of Credit
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Outstanding letter of credit				$ 8,000,000
Letter of Credit \| Amended Facility
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Minimum borrowing capacity						$ 50,000,000.0
Outstanding letter of credit					$ 8,000,000
Letter of Credit \| Second Amended Facility
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Minimum borrowing capacity	$ 50,000,000.0
Senior Notes \| 5 3/4% Senior Notes due April 15, 2019
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Stated interest rate				5.75%	5.75%		5.75%
Line of Credit \| Revolving Credit Facility
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Notes payable				$ 65,000,000	$ 29,000,000
Scenario, Forecast \| Revolving Credit Facility \| Second Amended Facility
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, Covenant, Leverage Ratio, Maximum			60.00%