Document And Entity Information - USD ($)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2020	Feb. 09, 2021	Jun. 30, 2020
Document Information [Line Items]
Entity Central Index Key	0001574596
Entity Registrant Name	New Home Co Inc.
Amendment Flag	false
Current Fiscal Year End Date	--12-31
Document Fiscal Period Focus	FY
Document Fiscal Year Focus	2020
Document Type	10-K
Document Annual Report	true
Document Period End Date	Dec. 31, 2020
Document Transition Report	false
Entity File Number	001-36283
Entity Incorporation, State or Country Code	DE
Entity Tax Identification Number	27-0560089
Entity Address, Address Line One	15231 Laguna Canyon Road, Suite 250
Entity Address, City or Town	Irvine
Entity Address, State or Province	CA
Entity Address, Postal Zip Code	92618
City Area Code	949
Local Phone Number	382-7800
Entity Well-known Seasoned Issuer	No
Entity Voluntary Filers	No
Entity Current Reporting Status	Yes
Entity Interactive Data Current	Yes
Entity Filer Category	Non-accelerated Filer
Entity Small Business	true
Entity Emerging Growth Company	false
Entity Shell Company	false
Entity Public Float			$ 46,031,980
Entity Common Stock, Shares Outstanding		18,071,979
ICFR Auditor Attestation Flag	true
Series A Junior Participating Preferred Share Repurchase Rights [Member]
Document Information [Line Items]
Title of 12(b) Security	Series A Junior Participating Preferred Share Repurchase Rights
Security Exchange Name	NYSE
No Trading Symbol Flag	true
Common Stock [Member]
Document Information [Line Items]
Title of 12(b) Security	Common Stock, par value $0.01 per share
Trading Symbol	NWHM
Security Exchange Name	NYSE