Supplemental Guarantor Information (Statement of Operations and Comprehensive Income (Loss)) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2017	Jun. 30, 2016	Jun. 30, 2017	Jun. 30, 2016
Homebuilding
Home sale revenues	$ 1,965,641	$ 1,751,882	$ 3,551,063	$ 3,146,125
Land sale revenues	7,930	4,950	9,570	7,437
Total homebuilding revenues	1,973,571	1,756,832	3,560,633	3,153,562
Financial Services	47,275	43,082	89,042	78,930
Consolidated revenues	2,020,846	1,799,914	3,649,675	3,232,492
Homebuilding Cost of Revenues:
Home sale cost of revenues	(1,549,937)	(1,310,569)	(2,767,615)	(2,348,597)
Land sale cost of revenues	(87,599)	(4,403)	(90,827)	(6,430)
Total cost of revenues	(1,637,536)	(1,314,972)	(2,858,442)	(2,355,027)
Financial Services expenses	(28,478)	(26,180)	(56,846)	(52,298)
Selling, general, and administrative expenses	(216,211)	(256,273)	(452,479)	(498,589)
Other expense, net	16,074	12,909	20,095	18,785
Intercompany interest	0	0	0	0
Income (loss) before income taxes and equity in income (loss) of subsidiaries	122,547	189,580	261,813	307,793
Income tax (expense) benefit	(21,798)	(71,820)	(69,545)	(106,733)
Income (loss) before equity in income (loss) of subsidiaries	100,749	117,760	192,268	201,060
Equity in income (loss) of subsidiaries	0	0	0	0
Net income	100,749	117,760	192,268	201,060
Other comprehensive income	20	20	41	41
Comprehensive income (loss)	100,769	117,780	192,309	201,101
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
Consolidated 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, net	129	170	259	340
Intercompany interest	(544)	(490)	(878)	(1,000)
Income (loss) before income taxes and equity in income (loss) of subsidiaries	(673)	(660)	(1,137)	(1,340)
Income tax (expense) benefit	256	246	432	509
Income (loss) before equity in income (loss) of subsidiaries	(417)	(414)	(705)	(831)
Equity in income (loss) of subsidiaries	101,166	118,174	192,973	201,891
Net income	100,749	117,760	192,268	201,060
Other comprehensive income	20	20	41	41
Comprehensive income (loss)	100,769	117,780	192,309	201,101
Guarantor Subsidiaries
Homebuilding
Home sale revenues	1,945,312	1,746,484	3,521,958	3,139,743
Land sale revenues	6,396	3,893	7,263	5,903
Total homebuilding revenues	1,951,708	1,750,377	3,529,221	3,145,646
Financial Services	0	0	0	0
Consolidated revenues	1,951,708	1,750,377	3,529,221	3,145,646
Homebuilding Cost of Revenues:
Home sale cost of revenues	(1,533,402)	(1,305,063)	(2,743,042)	(2,340,927)
Land sale cost of revenues	(86,408)	(3,505)	(89,004)	(5,148)
Total cost of revenues	(1,619,810)	(1,308,568)	(2,832,046)	(2,346,075)
Financial Services expenses	(124)	(137)	(263)	(260)
Selling, general, and administrative expenses	(210,110)	(248,455)	(428,085)	(487,338)
Other expense, net	22,874	20,759	34,715	30,434
Intercompany interest	0	(2,035)	0	(4,219)
Income (loss) before income taxes and equity in income (loss) of subsidiaries	98,790	170,423	234,112	277,320
Income tax (expense) benefit	(12,733)	(64,415)	(58,658)	(94,983)
Income (loss) before equity in income (loss) of subsidiaries	86,057	106,008	175,454	182,337
Equity in income (loss) of subsidiaries	11,013	2,869	18,266	9,879
Net income	97,070	108,877	193,720	192,216
Other comprehensive income	0	0	0	0
Comprehensive income (loss)	97,070	108,877	193,720	192,216
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries
Homebuilding
Home sale revenues	20,329	5,398	29,105	6,382
Land sale revenues	1,534	1,057	2,307	1,534
Total homebuilding revenues	21,863	6,455	31,412	7,916
Financial Services	47,275	43,082	89,042	78,930
Consolidated revenues	69,138	49,537	120,454	86,846
Homebuilding Cost of Revenues:
Home sale cost of revenues	(16,535)	(5,506)	(24,573)	(7,670)
Land sale cost of revenues	(1,191)	(898)	(1,823)	(1,282)
Total cost of revenues	(17,726)	(6,404)	(26,396)	(8,952)
Financial Services expenses	(28,354)	(26,043)	(56,583)	(52,038)
Selling, general, and administrative expenses	(6,101)	(7,818)	(24,394)	(11,251)
Other expense, net	(6,929)	(8,020)	(14,879)	(11,989)
Intercompany interest	544	2,525	878	5,219
Income (loss) before income taxes and equity in income (loss) of subsidiaries	24,430	19,817	28,838	31,813
Income tax (expense) benefit	(9,321)	(7,651)	(11,319)	(12,259)
Income (loss) before equity in income (loss) of subsidiaries	15,109	12,166	17,519	19,554
Equity in income (loss) of subsidiaries	45,621	73,975	82,930	185,893
Net income	60,730	86,141	100,449	205,447
Other comprehensive income	0	0	0	0
Comprehensive income (loss)	60,730	86,141	100,449	205,447
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
Consolidated 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, net	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	(157,800)	(195,018)	(294,169)	(397,663)
Net income	(157,800)	(195,018)	(294,169)	(397,663)
Other comprehensive income	0	0	0	0
Comprehensive income (loss)	$ (157,800)	$ (195,018)	$ (294,169)	$ (397,663)