Consolidated Statements of Changes in Stockholders' Equity - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Total	Common Stock	Additional Paid-in Capital	Retained Earnings	Total Green Brick Partners, Inc. Stockholders’ Equity	Noncontrolling Interests
Balance (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2012		11,108,500
Balance at Dec. 31, 2012	$ 121,688	$ 111	$ 98,699	$ 20,485	$ 119,295	$ 2,393
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Contributions	59,042		57,286		57,286	1,756
Distributions	(26,227)			(19,478)	(19,478)	(6,749)
distributionsoutofperiodadjustmentnonmaterial	0
Net income	44,316			32,007	32,007	12,309
Balance (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2013		11,108,500
Balance at Dec. 31, 2013	198,819	$ 111	155,985	33,014	189,110	9,709
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Share-based compensation	40		40		40
Common stock issued in private and public offering (in shares)		14,000,000
Common stock issued in private and public offering	70,000	$ 140	69,860		70,000
Issuance of common stock for reverse recapitalization (in shares)		6,237,584
Issuance of common stock for reverse recapitalization	(124,197)	$ (62)	(124,259)		(124,197)
Contributions	787					787
Distributions	(24,914)			(13,121)	(13,121)	(11,793)
distributionsoutofperiodadjustmentnonmaterial	0
Net income	$ 61,062			50,026	50,026	11,036
Balance (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2014	31,346,084	31,346,084
Balance at Dec. 31, 2014	$ 181,597	$ 313	101,626	69,919	171,858	9,739
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Share-based compensation	383		383		383
Issuance of common stock under 2014 Equity Plan (in shares)		42,342
Issuance of common stock under 2014 Equity Plan	91		91		91
Issuance of common stock in connection with secondary offering, net of issuance costs (in shares)		17,444,897
Issuance of common stock in connection with secondary offering, net of issuance costs	169,942	$ 175	169,767		169,942
Contributions	87					87
Distributions	(7,723)					(7,723)
distributionsoutofperiodadjustmentnonmaterial	1,933			1,933	1,933
Net income	$ 25,545			15,325	15,325	10,220
Balance (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2015	48,833,323	48,833,323
Balance at Dec. 31, 2015	$ 371,855	$ 488	$ 271,867	$ 87,177	$ 359,532	$ 12,323