Supplemental Guarantor Information - Supplemental Condensed Combining Statements of Operations and Comprehensive Income (Detail) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2013	Mar. 31, 2012
Guarantor Obligations [Line Items]
Inventory impairments	$ 0	$ 0
Interest expense	(817)	(808)
Financial services pretax income	22,586	2,125
Benefit from (provision for) income taxes	(70)	140
Net income	22,516	2,265
Other comprehensive income:
Unrealized gain (loss) related to available for sale securities	2,535	6,548
Comprehensive income	25,051	8,813
Homebuilding [Member]
Guarantor Obligations [Line Items]
Revenues	331,748	186,268
Cost of Sales	(274,076)	(160,144)
Inventory impairments
Gross margin	57,672	26,124
Selling, general, and administrative expenses	(48,201)	(34,124)
Interest income	6,182	5,913
Interest expense	(817)	(808)
Other income (expense), net	11	158
Financial services pretax income	14,847	(2,737)
Financial Services [Member]
Guarantor Obligations [Line Items]
Financial services pretax income	7,739	4,862
M D C Holdings [Member]
Guarantor Obligations [Line Items]
Financial services pretax income	19,623	547
Benefit from (provision for) income taxes	2,893	1,718
Net income	22,516	2,265
Other comprehensive income:
Unrealized gain (loss) related to available for sale securities	2,631	6,439
Comprehensive income	25,147	8,704
M D C Holdings [Member] | Homebuilding [Member]
Guarantor Obligations [Line Items]
Inventory impairments
Selling, general, and administrative expenses	(15,579)	(12,308)
Equity income of subsidiaries	29,829	7,705
Interest income	(817)	(778)
Interest expense	6,179	5,910
Other income (expense), net	11	18
Financial services pretax income	19,623	547
Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Guarantor Obligations [Line Items]
Financial services pretax income	25,129	2,555
Benefit from (provision for) income taxes	(78)	168
Net income	25,051	2,723
Other comprehensive income:
Comprehensive income	25,051	2,723
Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member] | Homebuilding [Member]
Guarantor Obligations [Line Items]
Revenues	332,996	175,532
Cost of Sales	(275,324)	(151,074)
Inventory impairments
Gross margin	57,672	24,458
Selling, general, and administrative expenses	(32,546)	(21,993)
Interest income		(30)
Interest expense	3	3
Other income (expense), net		117
Financial services pretax income	25,129	2,555
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Guarantor Obligations [Line Items]
Financial services pretax income	7,663	6,728
Benefit from (provision for) income taxes	(2,885)	(1,746)
Net income	4,778	4,982
Other comprehensive income:
Unrealized gain (loss) related to available for sale securities	(96)	109
Comprehensive income	4,682	5,091
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member] | Homebuilding [Member]
Guarantor Obligations [Line Items]
Revenues		12,006
Cost of Sales		(10,340)
Inventory impairments
Gross margin		1,666
Selling, general, and administrative expenses		177
Other income (expense), net		23
Financial services pretax income		1,866
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member] | Financial Services [Member]
Guarantor Obligations [Line Items]
Financial services pretax income	7,663	4,862
Eliminations Entries [Member]
Guarantor Obligations [Line Items]
Financial services pretax income	(29,829)	(7,705)
Net income	(29,829)	(7,705)
Other comprehensive income:
Comprehensive income	(29,829)	(7,705)
Eliminations Entries [Member] | Homebuilding [Member]
Guarantor Obligations [Line Items]
Revenues	(1,248)	(1,270)
Cost of Sales	1,248	1,270
Inventory impairments
Selling, general, and administrative expenses	(76)
Equity income of subsidiaries	(29,829)	(7,705)
Financial services pretax income	(29,905)	(7,705)
Eliminations Entries [Member] | Financial Services [Member]
Guarantor Obligations [Line Items]
Financial services pretax income	$ 76