SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES - Schedule of Net Warehouse Interest Income (Detail) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017
Loans Held for Sale
Net Warehouse Interest Income
Warehouse interest income	$ 48,211	$ 55,609	$ 61,298
Warehouse interest expense	(46,294)	(49,616)	(46,221)
Net warehouse interest income	1,917	5,993	15,077
Loans Held for Investment
Net Warehouse Interest Income
Warehouse interest income	32,059	11,197	15,218
Warehouse interest expense	(8,277)	(3,159)	(5,828)
Net warehouse interest income	23,782	8,038	$ 9,390
Secured Borrowings
Net Warehouse Interest Income
Warehouse interest income	3,549	1,852
Warehouse interest expense	$ (3,549)	$ (1,852)

Interest and fee income generated by loans the Entity intends and has the ability to hold for the foreseeable future, or until maturity or payoff, including commercial and consumer loans, whether domestic or foreign, which may consist of: (1) industrial and agricultural; (2) real estate; and (3) real estate construction loans; (4) trade financing; (5) lease financing; (6) home equity lines-of-credit; (7) automobile and other vehicle loans; and (8) credit card and other revolving-type loans. Also includes interest income for leases held by the Entity.

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 942
-SubTopic 220
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.9-04.1)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=116637391&loc=SL114874048-224260

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_InterestAndFeeIncomeLoansAndLeasesHeldInPortfolio
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Interest and fee income from mortgage loans considered to be held-for-sale.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_InterestAndFeeIncomeLoansHeldForSaleMortgages
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of the cost of borrowed funds accounted for as interest expense.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 835
-SubTopic 20
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (a)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6450988&loc=d3e26243-108391

Reference 2: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 835
-SubTopic 30
-Section 45
-Paragraph 3
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=114775744&loc=d3e28555-108399

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 280
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 22
-Subparagraph (d)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=115929826&loc=d3e8736-108599

Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 220
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (210.5-03(11))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=116634182&loc=SL114868664-224227

Reference 5: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 942
-SubTopic 220
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.9-04.9)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=116637391&loc=SL114874048-224260

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_InterestExpense
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The net amount of operating interest income (expense).

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 942
-SubTopic 220
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.9-04.10)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=116637391&loc=SL114874048-224260

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_InterestIncomeExpenseNet
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Interest income expense net.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	wd_InterestIncomeExpenseNetLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	wd_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_InvestmentTypeAxis=wd_LoansHeldForSaleMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_InvestmentTypeAxis=wd_LoansHeldForInvestmentMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_InvestmentTypeAxis=wd_SecuredBorrowingsMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type: