Consolidated Statements of Changes in Equity - USD ($) shares in Thousands, $ in Thousands	Common Stock	APIC	AOCI	Retained Earnings	Noncontrolling Interests	Total
Balances at the beginning of the period at Dec. 31, 2016	$ 296	$ 228,782	$ 107	$ 381,031	$ 4,858	$ 615,074
Balance at the beginning of the period (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2016	29,551
Change in Stockholders' Equity
Walker and Dunlop net income				211,127		211,127
Net income (loss) from noncontrolling interests					707	707
Other comprehensive income (loss), net of tax			(14)			(14)
Stock-based compensation - equity classified		19,973				19,973
Issuance of common stock in connection with equity compensation plans	$ 12	3,001				3,013
Issuance of common stock in connection with equity compensation plans (in shares)	1,272
Repurchase and retirement of common stock	$ (8)	(22,676)		(12,215)		(34,899)
Repurchase and retirement of common stock (in shares)	(807)
Balances at the end of the period at Dec. 31, 2017	$ 300	229,080	93	579,943	5,565	814,981
Balance at the end of the period (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2017	30,016
Change in Stockholders' Equity
Walker and Dunlop net income				161,439		161,439
Net income (loss) from noncontrolling interests					(497)	(497)
Other comprehensive income (loss), net of tax			(168)			(168)
Stock-based compensation - equity classified		22,765				22,765
Issuance of common stock in connection with equity compensation plans	$ 10	8,939				8,949
Issuance of common stock in connection with equity compensation plans (in shares)	958
Repurchase and retirement of common stock	$ (15)	(25,632)		(43,185)		(68,832)
Repurchase and retirement of common stock (in shares)	(1,477)
Cash dividends paid				(31,445)		(31,445)
Balances at the end of the period at Dec. 31, 2018	$ 295	235,152	(75)	666,752	5,068	$ 907,192
Balance at the end of the period (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2018	29,497					29,497
Change in Stockholders' Equity
Walker and Dunlop net income				173,373		$ 173,373
Net income (loss) from noncontrolling interests					(143)	(143)
Contributions from noncontrolling interests					1,671	1,671
Other comprehensive income (loss), net of tax			812			812
Stock-based compensation - equity classified		22,819				22,819
Issuance of common stock in connection with equity compensation plans	$ 11	5,500				5,511
Issuance of common stock in connection with equity compensation plans (in shares)	1,118
Repurchase and retirement of common stock	$ (6)	(25,594)		(5,076)		(30,676)
Repurchase and retirement of common stock (in shares)	(580)
Cash dividends paid				(37,272)		(37,272)
Balances at the end of the period at Dec. 31, 2019	$ 300	$ 237,877	$ 737	796,775	$ 6,596	$ 1,042,285
Balance at the end of the period (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2019	30,035					30,035
Change in Stockholders' Equity
Cumulative-effect adjustment for adoption of ASU 2016-02, net of tax				$ (1,002)		$ (1,002)