Supplemental Guarantor Information (Balance Sheet) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Mar. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016	Mar. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015
ASSETS
Cash and equivalents	$ 397,758	$ 698,882	$ 1,018,115
Restricted cash	26,105	24,366
House and land inventory	7,028,335	6,770,655
Land held for sale	48,563	31,728
Residential mortgage loans available-for-sale	345,379	539,496
Investments in unconsolidated entities	65,293	51,447
Other assets	829,625	857,426
Intangible assets	151,342	154,792
Deferred tax assets, net	1,028,414	1,049,408
Investments in subsidiaries and intercompany accounts, net	0	0
Total assets	9,920,814	10,178,200
Liabilities:
Accounts payable, customer deposits, accrued and other liabilities	1,968,343	2,042,340
Income tax liabilities	41,941	34,860
Financial Services debt	140,381	331,621
Senior notes	3,110,004	3,110,016
Total liabilities	5,260,669	5,518,837
Total shareholders' equity	4,660,145	4,659,363	4,773,527	$ 4,759,325
Total liabilities and shareholders' equity	9,920,814	10,178,200
PulteGroup, Inc.
ASSETS
Cash and equivalents	0	0	0
Restricted cash	0	0
House and land inventory	0	0
Land held for sale	0	0
Residential mortgage loans available-for-sale	0	0
Investments in unconsolidated entities	112	105
Other assets	11,509	12,364
Intangible assets	0	0
Deferred tax assets, net	1,030,351	1,051,351
Investments in subsidiaries and intercompany accounts, net	6,849,655	6,835,075
Total assets	7,891,627	7,898,895
Liabilities:
Accounts payable, customer deposits, accrued and other liabilities	79,537	94,656
Income tax liabilities	41,941	34,860
Financial Services debt	0	0
Senior notes	3,110,004	3,110,016
Total liabilities	3,231,482	3,239,532
Total shareholders' equity	4,660,145	4,659,363
Total liabilities and shareholders' equity	7,891,627	7,898,895
Guarantor Subsidiaries
ASSETS
Cash and equivalents	327,047	588,353	958,667
Restricted cash	25,055	22,832
House and land inventory	6,955,235	6,707,392
Land held for sale	48,053	31,218
Residential mortgage loans available-for-sale	0	0
Investments in unconsolidated entities	59,803	46,248
Other assets	697,869	716,923
Intangible assets	151,342	154,792
Deferred tax assets, net	0	0
Investments in subsidiaries and intercompany accounts, net	(331,013)	(376,748)
Total assets	7,933,391	7,891,010
Liabilities:
Accounts payable, customer deposits, accrued and other liabilities	1,703,179	1,755,756
Income tax liabilities	0	0
Financial Services debt	0	0
Senior notes	0	0
Total liabilities	1,703,179	1,755,756
Total shareholders' equity	6,230,212	6,135,254
Total liabilities and shareholders' equity	7,933,391	7,891,010
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries
ASSETS
Cash and equivalents	70,711	110,529	59,448
Restricted cash	1,050	1,534
House and land inventory	73,100	63,263
Land held for sale	510	510
Residential mortgage loans available-for-sale	345,379	539,496
Investments in unconsolidated entities	5,378	5,094
Other assets	120,247	128,139
Intangible assets	0	0
Deferred tax assets, net	(1,937)	(1,943)
Investments in subsidiaries and intercompany accounts, net	6,991,618	6,845,781
Total assets	7,606,056	7,692,403
Liabilities:
Accounts payable, customer deposits, accrued and other liabilities	185,627	191,928
Income tax liabilities	0	0
Financial Services debt	140,381	331,621
Senior notes	0	0
Total liabilities	326,008	523,549
Total shareholders' equity	7,280,048	7,168,854
Total liabilities and shareholders' equity	7,606,056	7,692,403
Eliminating Entries
ASSETS
Cash and equivalents	0	0	$ 0
Restricted cash	0	0
House and land inventory	0	0
Land held for sale	0	0
Residential mortgage loans available-for-sale	0	0
Investments in unconsolidated entities	0	0
Other assets	0	0
Intangible assets	0	0
Deferred tax assets, net	0	0
Investments in subsidiaries and intercompany accounts, net	(13,510,260)	(13,304,108)
Total assets	(13,510,260)	(13,304,108)
Liabilities:
Accounts payable, customer deposits, accrued and other liabilities	0	0
Income tax liabilities	0	0
Financial Services debt	0	0
Senior notes	0	0
Total liabilities	0	0
Total shareholders' equity	(13,510,260)	(13,304,108)
Total liabilities and shareholders' equity	$ (13,510,260)	$ (13,304,108)