Consolidated Statements of Income - USD ($) shares in Thousands, $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015
Income Statement [Abstract]
Sale of residential units	$ 435,644	$ 365,164	$ 254,267
Sale of land and lots	18,730	15,164	36,878
Total revenues	454,374	380,328	291,145
Cost of residential units	342,065	283,454	201,768
Cost of land and lots	13,856	10,499	27,125
Total cost of sales	355,921	293,953	228,893
Total gross profit	98,453	86,375	62,252
Salary expense	21,823	21,871	16,272
Selling, general and administrative expense	17,193	16,758	13,704
Operating profit	59,437	47,746	32,276
Interest expense	0	0	281
Income (Loss) from Equity Method Investments	2,746	0	0
Other income, net	2,054	2,808	2,721
Income before taxes	64,237	50,554	34,716
Income tax provision	39,031	15,381	9,171
Net income	25,206	35,173	25,545
Less: net income attributable to noncontrolling interests	10,236	11,417	10,220
Net income attributable to Green Brick Partners, Inc.	$ 14,970	$ 23,756	$ 15,325
Net income attributable to Green Brick Partners, Inc. per common share:
Basic (in dollars per share)	$ 0.30	$ 0.49	$ 0.38
Diluted (in dollars per share)	$ 0.30	$ 0.49	$ 0.38
Weighted average common shares used in the calculation of net income attributable to Green Brick Partners, Inc. per common share:
Basic (in shares)	49,597	48,879	40,068
Diluted (in shares)	49,683	48,886	40,099