Consolidated Statements of Operations - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended																12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2019		Sep. 30, 2019		Jun. 30, 2019		Mar. 31, 2019		Dec. 31, 2018		Sep. 30, 2018		Jun. 30, 2018		Mar. 31, 2018		Dec. 31, 2019		Dec. 31, 2018		Dec. 31, 2017
Revenues:
Revenue																	$ 669,349		$ 667,566		$ 751,166
Cost of Sales:
Cost of Sales																	616,207		605,666		660,240
Cost of sales, impairments																	10,200		10,000		2,200
Gross Margin:
Gross Margin																	53,142		61,900		90,926
Selling and marketing expenses																	(36,357)		(36,065)		(32,702)
General and administrative expenses																	(25,723)		(25,966)		(26,330)
Equity in net income (loss) of unconsolidated joint ventures																	(3,503)		(19,653)		866
Gain on early extinguishment of debt																	1,164		0		0
Other income (expense), net																	(539)		(521)		(229)
Pretax income (loss)	$ (6,952)		$ (4,778)		$ 2,565		$ (2,651)		$ (22,376)		$ 3,400		$ 182		$ (1,511)		(11,816)		(20,305)		32,531
(Provision) benefit for income taxes																	3,815		6,075		(15,390)
Net income (loss)																	(8,001)		(14,230)		17,141
Net (income) loss attributable to non-controlling interest																	(36)		14		11
Net income (loss) attributable to The New Home Company Inc.	$ (2,998)		$ (4,624)		$ 1,572		$ (1,987)		$ (16,150)		$ 2,459		$ 115		$ (640)		$ (8,037)		$ (14,216)		$ 17,152
Earnings (loss) per share attributable to The New Home Company Inc.:
Basic (in dollars per share)	$ (0.15)	[1]	$ (0.23)	[1]	$ 0.08	[1]	$ (0.10)	[1]	$ (0.80)	[1]	$ 0.12	[1]	$ 0.01	[1]	$ (0.03)	[1]	$ (0.40)	[1]	$ (0.69)	[1]	$ 0.82
Diluted (in dollars per share)	$ (0.15)	[1]	$ (0.23)	[1]	$ 0.08	[1]	$ (0.10)	[1]	$ (0.80)	[1]	$ 0.12	[1]	$ 0.01	[1]	$ (0.03)	[1]	$ (0.40)	[1]	$ (0.69)	[1]	$ 0.82
Weighted average shares outstanding:
Basic (in shares)																	20,063,148		20,703,967		20,849,736
Diluted (in shares)																	20,063,148		20,703,967		20,995,498
Home Building [Member]
Revenues:
Revenue	$ 173,921		$ 118,781		$ 140,464		$ 99,186		$ 187,258		$ 119,874		$ 117,460		$ 79,437		$ 532,352		$ 504,029		$ 560,842
Cost of Sales:
Cost of Sales	153,700		105,763		123,525		86,569		162,034		102,124		102,678		69,694		469,557		436,530		473,213
Cost of sales, impairments	6,600		1,700		0		0		10,000		0		0		0		8,300		10,000		2,200
Gross Margin:
Gross Margin	13,621		11,318		16,939		12,617		15,224		17,750		14,782		9,743		54,495		57,499		85,429
Pretax income (loss)																	(13,868)		(24,706)		27,034
Land [Member]
Revenues:
Revenue	17,091		24,573		0		0										41,664		0		0
Cost of Sales:
Cost of Sales	17,091		26,078		0		0										43,169		0		0
Cost of sales, impairments	0		1,900		0		0										1,900		0		0
Gross Margin:
Gross Margin	0		(3,405)		0		0										(3,405)		0		0
Construction [Member]
Revenues:
Revenue	31,124		22,262		22,285		19,662		42,408		39,240		38,095		43,794		95,333		163,537		190,324
Cost of Sales:
Cost of Sales	30,628		21,615		21,770		19,268		41,275		38,124		37,038		42,699		93,281		159,136		184,827
Gross Margin:
Gross Margin	$ 496		$ 647		$ 515		$ 394		$ 1,133		$ 1,116		$ 1,057		$ 1,095		2,052		4,401		5,497
Pretax income (loss)																	$ 2,052		$ 4,401		$ 5,497

[1] Some amounts do not add to our full year results presented on our consolidated statement of operations due to rounding differences in quarterly and annual weighted average share calculations.