Consolidated Statements of Operations - USD ($) $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2020		Dec. 31, 2019		Dec. 31, 2018
Revenues:
Revenues	$ 507,411		$ 669,349		$ 667,566
Cost of Sales:
Impairments	19,000		10,200		10,000
Cost of Revenue, Total	465,766		616,207		605,666
Gross Margin:
Gross margin	41,645		53,142		61,900
Selling and marketing expenses	(30,777)		(36,357)		(36,065)
General and administrative expenses	(26,699)		(25,723)		(25,966)
Equity in net loss of unconsolidated joint ventures	(18,791)		(3,503)		(19,653)
Interest expense	(3,655)		0		0
Project abandonment costs	(14,098)		(94)		(206)
Gain (loss) on early extinguishment of debt	(7,254)		1,164		(0)
Other income (expense), net	173		(445)		(315)
Pretax loss	(59,456)		(11,816)		(20,305)
Benefit for income taxes	26,587		3,815		6,075
Net loss	(32,869)		(8,001)		(14,230)
Net (income) loss attributable to non-controlling interest	50		(36)		14
Net loss attributable to The New Home Company Inc.	$ (32,819)		$ (8,037)		$ (14,216)
Loss per share attributable to The New Home Company Inc.:
Basic (in dollars per share)	$ (1.76)	[1]	$ (0.40)	[1]	$ (0.69)
Diluted (in dollars per share)	$ (1.76)	[1]	$ (0.40)	[1]	$ (0.69)
Weighted average shares outstanding:
Basic (in shares)	18,680,993		20,063,148		20,703,967
Diluted (in shares)	18,680,993		20,063,148		20,703,967
Home Building [Member]
Revenues:
Revenues	$ 426,251		$ 532,352		$ 504,029
Cost of Sales:
Cost of Sales	367,026		469,557		436,530
Impairments	19,000		8,300		10,000
Gross Margin:
Gross margin	40,225		54,495		57,499
Pretax loss	(60,876)		(13,868)		(24,706)
Land [Member]
Revenues:
Revenues	157		41,664
Cost of Sales:
Cost of Sales	157		43,169
Impairments	0		1,900		0
Gross Margin:
Gross margin			(3,405)
Construction [Member]
Revenues:
Revenues	81,003		95,333		163,537
Cost of Sales:
Cost of Sales	79,583		93,281		159,136
Gross Margin:
Gross margin	1,420		2,052		4,401
Pretax loss	$ 1,420		$ 2,052		$ 4,401

[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.