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, 2020	$ 307	$ 241,004	$ 1,968	$ 952,943		$ 1,196,222
Balance at the beginning of the period (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2020	30,678
Change in Stockholders' Equity
Walker and Dunlop net income				58,052		58,052
Other comprehensive income (loss), net of tax			(158)			(158)
Stock-based compensation - equity classified		7,836				7,836
Issuance of common stock in connection with equity compensation plans	$ 4	12,602				12,606
Issuance of common stock in connection with equity compensation plans (in shares)	430
Repurchase and retirement of common stock	$ (1)	(13,373)				(13,374)
Repurchase and retirement of common stock (in shares)	(131)
Cash dividends paid				(16,052)		(16,052)
Balances at the end of the period at Mar. 31, 2021	$ 310	248,069	1,810	994,943		1,245,132
Balance at the end of the period (in shares) at Mar. 31, 2021	30,977
Balances at the beginning of the period at Dec. 31, 2020	$ 307	241,004	1,968	952,943		1,196,222
Balance at the beginning of the period (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2020	30,678
Change in Stockholders' Equity
Walker and Dunlop net income						185,831
Net income (loss) from noncontrolling interests						69
Balances at the end of the period at Sep. 30, 2021	$ 312	271,562	2,737	1,090,506	$ 18,819	1,383,936
Balance at the end of the period (in shares) at Sep. 30, 2021	31,194
Balances at the beginning of the period at Mar. 31, 2021	$ 310	248,069	1,810	994,943		1,245,132
Balance at the beginning of the period (in shares) at Mar. 31, 2021	30,977
Change in Stockholders' Equity
Walker and Dunlop net income				56,058		56,058
Other comprehensive income (loss), net of tax			768			768
Stock-based compensation - equity classified		7,892				7,892
Issuance of common stock in connection with equity compensation plans	$ 1	530				531
Issuance of common stock in connection with equity compensation plans (in shares)	64
Repurchase and retirement of common stock	$ (1)	(815)				(816)
Repurchase and retirement of common stock (in shares)	(7)
Cash dividends paid				(16,070)		(16,070)
Balances at the end of the period at Jun. 30, 2021	$ 310	255,676	2,578	1,034,931		1,293,495
Balance at the end of the period (in shares) at Jun. 30, 2021	31,034
Change in Stockholders' Equity
Walker and Dunlop net income				71,721		71,721
Net income (loss) from noncontrolling interests					69	69
Other comprehensive income (loss), net of tax			159			159
Stock-based compensation - equity classified		10,426				10,426
Issuance of common stock in connection with acquisitions	$ 1	5,249				5,250
Issuance of common stock in connection with acquisitions (in shares)	50
Issuance of common stock in connection with equity compensation plans	$ 2	1,706				1,708
Issuance of common stock in connection with equity compensation plans (in shares)	124
Repurchase and retirement of common stock	$ (1)	(1,495)				(1,496)
Repurchase and retirement of common stock (in shares)	(14)
Noncontrolling interests from acquisitions					18,750	18,750
Cash dividends paid				(16,146)		(16,146)
Balances at the end of the period at Sep. 30, 2021	$ 312	271,562	2,737	1,090,506	18,819	1,383,936
Balance at the end of the period (in shares) at Sep. 30, 2021	31,194
Balances at the beginning of the period at Dec. 31, 2021	$ 320	393,022	2,558	1,154,252	28,055	1,578,207
Balances at the beginning of the period at Dec. 31, 2021						$ 1,550,152
Balance at the beginning of the period (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2021	32,049					32,049
Change in Stockholders' Equity
Walker and Dunlop net income				71,209		$ 71,209
Net income (loss) from noncontrolling interests					(679)	(679)
Other comprehensive income (loss), net of tax			(970)			(970)
Stock-based compensation - equity classified		10,812				10,812
Issuance of common stock in connection with equity compensation plans	$ 5	15,526				15,531
Issuance of common stock in connection with equity compensation plans (in shares)	544
Repurchase and retirement of common stock	$ (1)	(27,048)				(27,049)
Repurchase and retirement of common stock (in shares)	(195)
Cash dividends paid				(20,077)		(20,077)
Other activity (NOTE 10)		(5,303)			15,490	10,187
Balances at the end of the period at Mar. 31, 2022	$ 324	387,009	1,588	1,205,384	42,866	1,637,171
Balance at the end of the period (in shares) at Mar. 31, 2022	32,398
Balances at the beginning of the period at Dec. 31, 2021	$ 320	393,022	2,558	1,154,252	28,055	1,578,207
Balances at the beginning of the period at Dec. 31, 2021						$ 1,550,152
Balance at the beginning of the period (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2021	32,049					32,049
Change in Stockholders' Equity
Walker and Dunlop net income						$ 172,328
Net income (loss) from noncontrolling interests						(1,032)
Balances at the end of the period at Sep. 30, 2022	$ 323	407,417	(1,460)	1,256,663	31,760	1,694,703
Balances at the end of the period at Sep. 30, 2022						$ 1,662,943
Balance at the end of the period (in shares) at Sep. 30, 2022	32,344					32,344
Balances at the beginning of the period at Mar. 31, 2022	$ 324	387,009	1,588	1,205,384	42,866	$ 1,637,171
Balance at the beginning of the period (in shares) at Mar. 31, 2022	32,398
Change in Stockholders' Equity
Walker and Dunlop net income				54,286		54,286
Net income (loss) from noncontrolling interests					(179)	(179)
Other comprehensive income (loss), net of tax			(1,810)			(1,810)
Stock-based compensation - equity classified		9,980				9,980
Issuance of common stock in connection with equity compensation plans		110				110
Issuance of common stock in connection with equity compensation plans (in shares)	43
Repurchase and retirement of common stock	$ (1)	(2,409)		(9,892)		(12,302)
Repurchase and retirement of common stock (in shares)	(119)
Distributions to noncontrolling interest holders					(1,675)	(1,675)
Cash dividends paid				(20,066)		(20,066)
Other activity (NOTE 10)		8,978			(8,718)	260
Balances at the end of the period at Jun. 30, 2022	$ 323	403,668	(222)	1,229,712	32,294	1,665,775
Balance at the end of the period (in shares) at Jun. 30, 2022	32,322
Change in Stockholders' Equity
Walker and Dunlop net income				46,833		46,833
Net income (loss) from noncontrolling interests					(174)	(174)
Other comprehensive income (loss), net of tax			(1,238)			(1,238)
Stock-based compensation - equity classified		5,185				5,185
Issuance of common stock in connection with equity compensation plans (in shares)	36
Repurchase and retirement of common stock		(1,436)				(1,436)
Repurchase and retirement of common stock (in shares)	(14)
Distributions to noncontrolling interest holders					(360)	(360)
Cash dividends paid				(19,882)		(19,882)
Balances at the end of the period at Sep. 30, 2022	$ 323	$ 407,417	$ (1,460)	$ 1,256,663	$ 31,760	1,694,703
Balances at the end of the period at Sep. 30, 2022						$ 1,662,943
Balance at the end of the period (in shares) at Sep. 30, 2022	32,344					32,344