Quarterly Results (Unaudited) (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, shares in Thousands, $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2016	Sep. 30, 2016	Jun. 30, 2016	Mar. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015	Sep. 30, 2015	Jun. 30, 2015	Mar. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
Homebuilding:
Revenues	$ 2,438,903	$ 1,894,885	$ 1,756,832	$ 1,396,730	$ 2,018,194	$ 1,467,780	$ 1,249,537	$ 1,105,700	$ 7,487,350	$ 5,841,211	$ 5,696,725
Cost of revenues	(1,835,928)	(1,429,133)	(1,314,972)	(1,040,056)	(1,470,053)	(1,070,231)	(915,151)	(816,368)	(5,620,089)	(4,271,803)	(4,173,422)
Income before income taxes	388,724	191,063	172,546	108,433	344,019	164,911	157,640	90,748	860,766	757,317	635,177
Financial Services:
Revenues	54,175	48,020	43,082	35,848	43,434	38,967	30,754	27,598	181,126	140,753	125,638
Income before income taxes	24,997	21,272	17,034	9,780	29,296	14,365	9,987	5,057	73,084	58,706
Consolidated results:
Total revenues	2,493,078	1,942,905	1,799,914	1,432,578	2,061,628	1,506,747	1,280,291	1,133,298	7,668,476	5,981,964	5,822,363
Income before income taxes	413,721	212,335	189,580	118,213	373,315	179,276	167,627	95,805	933,850	816,023	689,758
Income tax expense	(140,549)	(83,865)	(71,820)	(34,913)	(145,288)	(71,507)	(64,303)	(40,834)	(331,147)	(321,933)	(215,420)
Net income	$ 273,172	$ 128,470	$ 117,760	$ 83,300	$ 228,027	$ 107,769	$ 103,324	$ 54,971	$ 602,703	$ 494,090	$ 474,338
Net income per share:
Basic (usd per share)	$ 0.83	$ 0.37	$ 0.34	$ 0.24	$ 0.65	$ 0.31	$ 0.28	$ 0.15	$ 1.76	$ 1.38	$ 1.27
Diluted (usd per share)	$ 0.83	$ 0.37	$ 0.34	$ 0.24	$ 0.64	$ 0.30	$ 0.28	$ 0.15	$ 1.75	$ 1.36	$ 1.26
Number of shares used in calculation:
Basic shares outstanding (shares)	325,975	340,171	345,240	347,815	348,699	350,147	361,009	366,748	339,747	356,576	370,377
Effect of dilutive securities (shares)	1,834	2,250	2,759	2,662	3,047	3,225	3,232	3,362	2,376	3,217	3,725
Diluted shares outstanding (shares)	327,809	342,421	347,999	350,477	351,746	353,372	364,241	370,110	342,123	359,793	374,102