Supplemental Guarantor Information (Statement of Operations and Comprehensive Income (Loss)) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2015	Sep. 30, 2014	Sep. 30, 2015	Sep. 30, 2014
Homebuilding
Home sale revenues	$ 1,464,131	$ 1,551,226	$ 3,795,366	$ 3,885,703
Land sale revenues	3,649	10,047	27,651	24,558
Total homebuilding revenues	1,467,780	1,561,273	3,823,017	3,910,261
Financial Services	38,967	33,452	97,319	89,544
Total revenues	1,506,747	1,594,725	3,920,336	3,999,805
Homebuilding Cost of Revenues:
Home sale cost of revenues	1,118,874	1,195,369	2,913,299	2,976,665
Land sale cost of revenues	3,301	3,539	21,992	15,382
Total cost of revenues	1,122,175	1,198,908	2,935,291	2,992,047
Financial Services expenses	24,602	22,623	67,909	48,058
Selling, general and administrative expenses	159,361	147,136	450,793	521,791
Other expense (income), net	23,826	2,406	29,962	25,561
Interest income	(504)	(1,205)	(2,458)	(3,431)
Interest expense	203	210	598	625
Equity in earnings of unconsolidated entities	(2,192)	(281)	(4,464)	(7,483)
Intercompany interest	0	0	0	0
Income (loss) before income taxes and equity in income (loss) of subsidiaries	179,276	224,928	442,705	422,637
Income tax expense (benefit)	71,507	84,383	176,643	165,393
Income (loss) before equity in income (loss) of subsidiaries	107,769	140,545	266,062	257,244
Equity in income (loss) of subsidiaries	0	0	0	0
Net income	107,769	140,545	266,062	257,244
Other comprehensive income	21	21	63	82
Comprehensive income (loss)	107,790	140,566	266,125	257,326
PulteGroup, Inc.
Homebuilding
Home sale revenues	0	0	0	0
Land sale revenues	0	0	0	0
Total homebuilding revenues	0	0	0	0
Financial Services	0	0	0	0
Total revenues	0	0	0	0
Homebuilding Cost of Revenues:
Home sale cost of revenues	0	0	0	0
Land sale cost of revenues	0	0	0	0
Total cost of revenues	0	0	0	0
Financial Services expenses	13	195	300	591
Selling, general and administrative expenses	0	0	0	0
Other expense (income), net	0	(16)	(9)	8,538
Interest income	0	(93)	(3)	(332)
Interest expense	203	210	598	625
Equity in earnings of unconsolidated entities	(1)	(2)	(14)	(7)
Intercompany interest	594	4,190	1,537	5,010
Income (loss) before income taxes and equity in income (loss) of subsidiaries	(809)	(4,484)	(2,409)	(14,425)
Income tax expense (benefit)	(307)	(1,764)	(917)	(5,640)
Income (loss) before equity in income (loss) of subsidiaries	(502)	(2,720)	(1,492)	(8,785)
Equity in income (loss) of subsidiaries	108,271	143,265	267,554	266,029
Net income	107,769	140,545	266,062	257,244
Other comprehensive income	21	21	63	82
Comprehensive income (loss)	107,790	140,566	266,125	257,326
Guarantor Subsidiaries
Homebuilding
Home sale revenues	1,464,131	1,551,226	3,795,366	3,885,703
Land sale revenues	3,649	10,047	27,651	24,558
Total homebuilding revenues	1,467,780	1,561,273	3,823,017	3,910,261
Financial Services	0	154	0	888
Total revenues	1,467,780	1,561,427	3,823,017	3,911,149
Homebuilding Cost of Revenues:
Home sale cost of revenues	1,118,874	1,195,369	2,913,299	2,976,665
Land sale cost of revenues	3,301	3,539	21,992	15,382
Total cost of revenues	1,122,175	1,198,908	2,935,291	2,992,047
Financial Services expenses	(13)	(102)	(274)	56
Selling, general and administrative expenses	158,975	146,642	449,261	520,513
Other expense (income), net	23,796	2,194	30,040	16,290
Interest income	(504)	(1,080)	(2,461)	(3,046)
Interest expense	0	0	0	0
Equity in earnings of unconsolidated entities	(2,025)	(205)	(3,877)	(7,295)
Intercompany interest	2,039	(1,666)	5,886	2,281
Income (loss) before income taxes and equity in income (loss) of subsidiaries	163,337	216,736	409,151	390,303
Income tax expense (benefit)	65,347	81,157	163,713	152,750
Income (loss) before equity in income (loss) of subsidiaries	97,990	135,579	245,438	237,553
Equity in income (loss) of subsidiaries	9,913	7,518	21,586	28,670
Net income	107,903	143,097	267,024	266,223
Other comprehensive income	0	0	0	0
Comprehensive income (loss)	107,903	143,097	267,024	266,223
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries
Homebuilding
Home sale revenues	0	0	0	0
Land sale revenues	0	0	0	0
Total homebuilding revenues	0	0	0	0
Financial Services	38,967	33,298	97,319	88,656
Total revenues	38,967	33,298	97,319	88,656
Homebuilding Cost of Revenues:
Home sale cost of revenues	0	0	0	0
Land sale cost of revenues	0	0	0	0
Total cost of revenues	0	0	0	0
Financial Services expenses	24,602	22,530	67,883	47,411
Selling, general and administrative expenses	386	494	1,532	1,278
Other expense (income), net	30	228	(69)	733
Interest income	0	(32)	6	(53)
Interest expense	0	0	0	0
Equity in earnings of unconsolidated entities	(166)	(74)	(573)	(181)
Intercompany interest	(2,633)	(2,524)	(7,423)	(7,291)
Income (loss) before income taxes and equity in income (loss) of subsidiaries	16,748	12,676	35,963	46,759
Income tax expense (benefit)	6,467	4,990	13,847	18,283
Income (loss) before equity in income (loss) of subsidiaries	10,281	7,686	22,116	28,476
Equity in income (loss) of subsidiaries	82,484	100,513	227,143	209,648
Net income	92,765	108,199	249,259	238,124
Other comprehensive income	0	0	0	0
Comprehensive income (loss)	92,765	108,199	249,259	238,124
Eliminating Entries
Homebuilding
Home sale revenues	0	0	0	0
Land sale revenues	0	0	0	0
Total homebuilding revenues	0	0	0	0
Financial Services	0	0	0	0
Total revenues	0	0	0	0
Homebuilding Cost of Revenues:
Home sale cost of revenues	0	0	0	0
Land sale cost of revenues	0	0	0	0
Total cost of revenues	0	0	0	0
Financial Services expenses	0	0	0	0
Selling, general and administrative expenses	0	0	0	0
Other expense (income), net	0	0	0	0
Interest income	0	0	0	0
Interest expense	0	0	0	0
Equity in earnings of unconsolidated entities	0	0	0	0
Intercompany interest	0	0	0	0
Income (loss) before income taxes and equity in income (loss) of subsidiaries	0	0	0	0
Income tax expense (benefit)	0	0	0	0
Income (loss) before equity in income (loss) of subsidiaries	0	0	0	0
Equity in income (loss) of subsidiaries	(200,668)	(251,296)	(516,283)	(504,347)
Net income	(200,668)	(251,296)	(516,283)	(504,347)
Other comprehensive income	0	0	0	0
Comprehensive income (loss)	$ (200,668)	$ (251,296)	$ (516,283)	$ (504,347)