Consolidated Statements of Changes in Equity - USD ($) shares in Thousands, $ in Thousands	Common Stock	APIC	AOCI	Retained Earnings Cumulative Effect Adjustment	Retained Earnings	Noncontrolling Interests	Cumulative Effect Adjustment	Total
Balances at the beginning of the period (ASU 2016-02) at Dec. 31, 2018				$ (1,002)			$ (1,002)
Balances at the beginning of the period at Dec. 31, 2018	$ 295	$ 235,152	$ (75)		$ 666,752	$ 5,068		$ 907,192
Balance at the beginning of the period (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2018	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 (ASU 2016-13) at Dec. 31, 2019				$ (23,678)			$ (23,678)
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
Change in Stockholders' Equity
Walker and Dunlop net income					246,177			246,177
Net income (loss) from noncontrolling interests						(224)		(224)
Purchase of noncontrolling interests		(24,090)				(7,047)		(31,137)
Contributions from noncontrolling interests						675		675
Other comprehensive income (loss), net of tax			1,231					1,231
Stock-based compensation - equity classified		27,090						27,090
Issuance of common stock in connection with equity compensation plans	$ 14	24,913						24,927
Issuance of common stock in connection with equity compensation plans (in shares)	1,414
Repurchase and retirement of common stock	$ (7)	(24,786)			(20,981)			(45,774)
Repurchase and retirement of common stock (in shares)	(771)
Cash dividends paid					(45,350)			(45,350)
Balances at the end of the period at Dec. 31, 2020								1,196,222
Balances at the end of the period at Dec. 31, 2020	$ 307	241,004	1,968		952,943			$ 1,196,222
Balance at the end of the period (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2020	30,678							30,678
Change in Stockholders' Equity
Walker and Dunlop net income					265,762			$ 265,762
Net income (loss) from noncontrolling interests						(132)		(132)
Other comprehensive income (loss), net of tax			590					590
Stock-based compensation - equity classified		35,491						35,491
Issuance of common stock in connection with acquisitions	$ 9	120,562						120,571
Issuance of common stock in connection with acquisitions (in shares)	859
Issuance of common stock in connection with equity compensation plans	$ 7	14,834						14,841
Issuance of common stock in connection with equity compensation plans (in shares)	686
Repurchase and retirement of common stock	$ (3)	(18,869)						(18,872)
Repurchase and retirement of common stock (in shares)	(174)
Noncontrolling interests from acquisitions						28,187		28,187
Cash dividends paid					(64,453)			(64,453)
Balances at the end of the period at Dec. 31, 2021								1,550,152
Balances at the end of the period at Dec. 31, 2021	$ 320	$ 393,022	$ 2,558		$ 1,154,252	$ 28,055		$ 1,578,207
Balance at the end of the period (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2021	32,049							32,049