Supplemental Guarantor Information (Statement Of Cash Flows) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2016	Mar. 31, 2015
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities	$ (64,062)	$ (25,397)
Cash flows from investing activities:
Capital expenditures	(9,460)	(14,517)
Cash used for business acquisition	(430,011)	0
Other investing activities, net	(12,281)	4,632
Net cash used in investing activities	(451,752)	(9,885)
Cash flows from financing activities:
Financial Services borrowings (repayments)	(149,263)	(72,678)
Proceeds from debt issuance	991,575	0
Repayments of debt	(702)	0
Borrowings under revolving credit facility	220,000	0
Repayments under revolving credit facility	(220,000)	0
Stock option exercises	52	6,596
Share repurchases	(52,745)	(107,955)
Dividends paid	(31,568)	(29,616)
Intercompany activities, net	0	0
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities	757,349	(203,653)
Net increase (decrease) in cash and equivalents	241,535	(238,935)
Cash and equivalents at beginning of period	754,161	1,292,862
Cash and equivalents at end of period	995,696	1,053,927
PulteGroup, Inc.
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities	41,058	87,624
Cash flows from investing activities:
Capital expenditures	0	0
Cash used for business acquisition	0
Other investing activities, net	(3)	3,710
Net cash used in investing activities	(3)	3,710
Cash flows from financing activities:
Financial Services borrowings (repayments)	0	0
Proceeds from debt issuance	991,575
Repayments of debt	0
Borrowings under revolving credit facility	220,000
Repayments under revolving credit facility	(220,000)
Stock option exercises	52	6,596
Share repurchases	(52,745)	(107,955)
Dividends paid	(31,568)	(29,616)
Intercompany activities, net	(948,369)	32,187
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities	(41,055)	(98,788)
Net increase (decrease) in cash and equivalents	0	(7,454)
Cash and equivalents at beginning of period	0	7,454
Cash and equivalents at end of period	0	0
Guarantor Subsidiaries
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities	(255,994)	(203,566)
Cash flows from investing activities:
Capital expenditures	(8,918)	(13,489)
Cash used for business acquisition	(430,011)
Other investing activities, net	(12,731)	5
Net cash used in investing activities	(451,660)	(13,484)
Cash flows from financing activities:
Financial Services borrowings (repayments)	0	0
Proceeds from debt issuance	0
Repayments of debt	(702)
Borrowings under revolving credit facility	0
Repayments under revolving credit facility	0
Stock option exercises	0	0
Share repurchases	0	0
Dividends paid	0	0
Intercompany activities, net	1,007,002	56,487
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities	1,006,300	56,487
Net increase (decrease) in cash and equivalents	298,646	(160,563)
Cash and equivalents at beginning of period	638,602	1,157,307
Cash and equivalents at end of period	937,248	996,744
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities	150,874	90,545
Cash flows from investing activities:
Capital expenditures	(542)	(1,028)
Cash used for business acquisition	0
Other investing activities, net	453	917
Net cash used in investing activities	(89)	(111)
Cash flows from financing activities:
Financial Services borrowings (repayments)	(149,263)	(72,678)
Proceeds from debt issuance	0
Repayments of debt	0
Borrowings under revolving credit facility	0
Repayments under revolving credit facility	0
Stock option exercises	0	0
Share repurchases	0	0
Dividends paid	0	0
Intercompany activities, net	(58,633)	(88,674)
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities	(207,896)	(161,352)
Net increase (decrease) in cash and equivalents	(57,111)	(70,918)
Cash and equivalents at beginning of period	115,559	128,101
Cash and equivalents at end of period	58,448	57,183
Eliminating Entries
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities	0	0
Cash flows from investing activities:
Capital expenditures	0	0
Cash used for business acquisition	0
Other investing activities, net	0	0
Net cash used in investing activities	0	0
Cash flows from financing activities:
Financial Services borrowings (repayments)	0	0
Proceeds from debt issuance	0
Repayments of debt	0
Borrowings under revolving credit facility	0
Repayments under revolving credit facility	0
Stock option exercises	0	0
Share repurchases	0	0
Dividends paid	0	0
Intercompany activities, net	0	0
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities	0	0
Net increase (decrease) in cash and equivalents	0	0
Cash and equivalents at beginning of period	0	0
Cash and equivalents at end of period	$ 0	$ 0