<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0306</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2018-11-20</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0001095996</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>WILLIAM LYON HOMES</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>WLH</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001106191</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>GMT CAPITAL CORP</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>GMT CAPITAL CORP</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>2300 WINDY RIDGE PARKWAY SUITE 550 SOUTH</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>ATLANTA</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>GA</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>30339</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>1</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0000899037</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>BAY RESOURCE PARTNERS LP</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>2300 WINDY RIDGE PARKWAY</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>SUITE 550 SOUTH</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>ATLANTA</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>GA</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>30339</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>1</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001161416</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>BAY II RESOURCE PARTNERS LP</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>2300 WINDY RIDGE PARKWAY</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>SUITE 550 SOUTH</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>ATLANTA</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>GA</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>30339</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>1</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001733113</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>BAY RESOURCE PARTNERS OFFSHORE MASTER FUND, L.P.</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>2300 WINDY RIDGE PARKWAY</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>SUITE 550 SOUTH</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>ATLANTA</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>GA</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>30339</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>1</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001075617</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>CLAUGUS THOMAS E</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>GMT CAPITAL CORP</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>2300 WINDY RIDGE PARKWAY SUITE 550 SOUTH</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>ATLANTA</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>GA</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>30339</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>1</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common - Class A</value>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                <footnoteId id="F3"/>
                <footnoteId id="F4"/>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2018-11-20</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>S</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>83300</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>11.76</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>3234727</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">This Form 4 is being jointly filed by Bay Resource Partners, L.P., a Delaware limited partnership (Bay), Bay II Resource Partners, L.P., a Delaware limited partnership (Bay II), Bay Resource Partners Offshore Master Fund, L.P., an exempted limited partnership organized under the laws of the Cayman Islands (Offshore Fund), GMT Capital Corp., a Georgia corporation (GMT Capital), and Thomas E. Claugus, a United States citizen (Claugus). The foregoing persons are hereinafter sometimes collectively referred to as the Reporting Persons.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">GMT Capital, the general partner of Bay and Bay II has the power to direct the affairs of Bay and Bay II, including the voting and disposition of shares. As the discretionary investment manager of the Offshore Fund and certain other accounts, GMT Capital has power to direct the voting and disposition of shares held by the Offshore Fund and such accounts. Mr. Claugus is the President of GMT Capital and in that capacity, directs the operations of each of Bay and Bay II and the voting and disposition of shares held by the Offshore Fund and separate client accounts managed by GMT Capital. GMT Capital and Mr. Claugus may be deemed to beneficially own indirect pecuniary interest as the result of performance-based fees and profit allocations. Each of GMT Capital and Mr. Claugus disclaims such beneficial ownership except to the extent ultimately realized.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F3">The aggregate number of shares of common stock sold on November 20, 2018, was 83,300 shares and such shares were sold by the Reporting Persons in the following amounts: Bay = 22,800 shares; Bay II = 17,600 shares; Offshore Fund = 38,500 shares; GMT Capital = 1,100 shares; Claugus = 3,300 shares.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F4">3,234,727 shares of common stock is the aggregate number of shares of common stock owned by the Reporting Persons as of November 20, 2018, and is owned as follows: Bay = 886,610 shares directly owned by it; Bay II = 681,880 shares directly owned by it; Offshore Fund = 1,496,727 shares directly owned by it; GMT Capital = 42,010 shares of common stock beneficially owned by it with respect to separate client accounts managed by it; Claugus = 127,500 shares directly owned by him.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>/s/ Philip J. Meyers</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2018-11-21</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
