Consolidated Statements of Income - USD ($) shares in Thousands, $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2016	Mar. 31, 2015
Income Statement [Abstract]
Sale of residential units	$ 66,628	$ 49,661
Sale of land and lots	3,330	8,791
Total revenues	69,958	58,452
Cost of residential units	51,929	35,964
Cost of land and lots	2,340	6,278
Total cost of sales	54,269	42,242
Total gross profit	15,689	16,210
Salary expense	(6,174)	(4,862)
Selling, general and administrative expense	(4,032)	(2,939)
Operating profit	5,483	8,409
Interest expense	0	(281)
Depreciation and amortization expense	(56)	(77)
Interest on direct financing leases income	0	13
Other income, net	516	331
Income before provision for income taxes	5,943	8,395
Income tax provision	1,453	2,207
Net income	4,490	6,188
Less: net income attributable to noncontrolling interests	1,396	2,170
Net income attributable to Green Brick Partners, Inc.	$ 3,094	$ 4,018
Net income attributable to Green Brick Partners, Inc. per common share:
Basic (in dollars per share)	$ 0.06	$ 0.13
Diluted (in dollars per share)	$ 0.06	$ 0.13
Weighted average common shares used in the calculation of net income attributable to Green Brick Partners, Inc. per common share:
Weighted-average number of shares outstanding —basic (shares)	48,814	31,346
Weighted-average number of shares outstanding —diluted (shares)	48,814	31,346