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, 2014		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		$ 0
Issuance of common stock under 2014 Equity Plan (in shares)		42,342
Issuance of common stock under 2014 Equity Plan	0
Amortization of deferred share-based compensation	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)			0	0	(7,723)
Out-of-period equity adjustment	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
Balance at Dec. 31, 2015	371,855	$ 488	271,867	87,177	359,532	12,323
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Share-based compensation	361		361		361
Issuance of common stock under 2014 Equity Plan		$ 2
Issuance of common stock under 2014 Equity Plan (in shares)		122,586
Issuance of common stock under 2014 Equity Plan	649		647		649
Amortization of deferred share-based compensation	274		274		274
Contributions	2,928					2,928
Distributions	(9,755)					(9,755)
Out-of-period equity adjustment	0
Net income	$ 35,173			23,756	23,756	11,417
Balance (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2016	48,955,909	48,955,909
Balance at Dec. 31, 2016	$ 401,485	$ 490	273,149	110,933	384,572	16,913
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Share-based compensation	289		289		289
Stock Issued During Period, Shares, Acquisitions		1,477,000
Common stock issued in connection with the investment in unconsolidated entity	(14,622)	$ (15)	(14,607)		(14,622)
EquityInterestIssuableinAcquisitionValueAssigned	198		198		198
Issuance of common stock under 2014 Equity Plan (in shares)		229,049
Issuance of common stock under 2014 Equity Plan	1,926	$ 2	1,924		1,926
Amortization of deferred share-based compensation	356		356		356
Shares Paid for Tax Withholding for Share Based Compensation		(63,057)
Adjustments Related to Tax Withholding for Share-based Compensation	(586)	$ 1	585		586
Contributions	438					438
Distributions	(10,896)					(10,896)
Out-of-period equity adjustment	0
Net income	$ 25,206			14,970	14,970	10,236
Balance (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2017	50,598,901	50,598,901
Balance at Dec. 31, 2017	$ 433,038	$ 506	$ 289,938	$ 125,903	$ 416,347	$ 16,691