Supplemental Guarantor Information (Statement of Operations and Comprehensive Income (Loss)) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2017	Sep. 30, 2016	Sep. 30, 2017	Sep. 30, 2016
Homebuilding
Home sale revenues	$ 2,055,891	$ 1,881,718	$ 5,606,953	$ 5,027,843
Land sale revenues	27,176	13,167	36,746	20,604
Total homebuilding revenues	2,083,067	1,894,885	5,643,699	5,048,447
Financial Services	46,952	48,020	135,995	126,950
Consolidated revenues	2,130,019	1,942,905	5,779,694	5,175,397
Homebuilding Cost of Revenues:
Home sale cost of revenues	(1,564,605)	(1,417,705)	(4,332,221)	(3,766,302)
Land sale cost of revenues	(25,123)	(11,428)	(115,950)	(17,859)
Total cost of revenues	(1,589,728)	(1,429,133)	(4,448,171)	(3,784,161)
Financial Services expenses	(29,304)	(26,906)	(86,150)	(79,204)
Selling, general, and administrative expenses	(237,495)	(250,914)	(689,974)	(749,502)
Other expense, net	(5,243)	(23,617)	(25,337)	(42,402)
Intercompany interest	0	0	0	0
Income (loss) before income taxes and equity in income (loss) of subsidiaries	268,249	212,335	530,062	520,128
Income tax (expense) benefit	(90,710)	(83,865)	(160,255)	(190,598)
Income (loss) before equity in income (loss) of subsidiaries	177,539	128,470	369,807	329,530
Equity in income (loss) of subsidiaries	0	0	0	0
Net income	177,539	128,470	369,807	329,530
Other comprehensive income	20	20	61	61
Comprehensive income (loss)	177,559	128,490	369,868	329,591
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	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	(310,050)	(227,114)	(604,219)	(624,777)
Net income	(310,050)	(227,114)	(604,219)	(624,777)
Other comprehensive income	0	0	0	0
Comprehensive income (loss)	(310,050)	(227,114)	(604,219)	(624,777)
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	(96)	(823)	(354)	(1,164)
Intercompany interest	(756)	(487)	(1,634)	(1,487)
Income (loss) before income taxes and equity in income (loss) of subsidiaries	(852)	(1,310)	(1,988)	(2,651)
Income tax (expense) benefit	945	498	1,377	1,008
Income (loss) before equity in income (loss) of subsidiaries	93	(812)	(611)	(1,643)
Equity in income (loss) of subsidiaries	177,446	129,282	370,418	331,173
Net income	177,539	128,470	369,807	329,530
Other comprehensive income	20	20	61	61
Comprehensive income (loss)	177,559	128,490	369,868	329,591
Guarantor Subsidiaries
Homebuilding
Home sale revenues	2,032,391	1,871,284	5,554,349	5,011,027
Land sale revenues	26,907	13,167	34,171	19,069
Total homebuilding revenues	2,059,298	1,884,451	5,588,520	5,030,096
Financial Services	0	0	0	0
Consolidated revenues	2,059,298	1,884,451	5,588,520	5,030,096
Homebuilding Cost of Revenues:
Home sale cost of revenues	(1,545,712)	(1,406,471)	(4,288,754)	(3,750,011)
Land sale cost of revenues	(24,896)	(11,428)	(113,899)	(16,577)
Total cost of revenues	(1,570,608)	(1,417,899)	(4,402,653)	(3,766,588)
Financial Services expenses	(121)	(145)	(384)	(405)
Selling, general, and administrative expenses	(225,845)	(244,904)	(653,930)	(729,629)
Other expense, net	(11,623)	(26,166)	(46,339)	(56,599)
Intercompany interest	0	(2,072)	0	(6,290)
Income (loss) before income taxes and equity in income (loss) of subsidiaries	251,101	193,265	485,214	470,585
Income tax (expense) benefit	(84,666)	(76,552)	(143,324)	(171,535)
Income (loss) before equity in income (loss) of subsidiaries	166,435	116,713	341,890	299,050
Equity in income (loss) of subsidiaries	18,040	21,948	36,307	31,827
Net income	184,475	138,661	378,197	330,877
Other comprehensive income	0	0	0	0
Comprehensive income (loss)	184,475	138,661	378,197	330,877
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries
Homebuilding
Home sale revenues	23,500	10,434	52,604	16,816
Land sale revenues	269	0	2,575	1,535
Total homebuilding revenues	23,769	10,434	55,179	18,351
Financial Services	46,952	48,020	135,995	126,950
Consolidated revenues	70,721	58,454	191,174	145,301
Homebuilding Cost of Revenues:
Home sale cost of revenues	(18,893)	(11,234)	(43,467)	(16,291)
Land sale cost of revenues	(227)	0	(2,051)	(1,282)
Total cost of revenues	(19,120)	(11,234)	(45,518)	(17,573)
Financial Services expenses	(29,183)	(26,761)	(85,766)	(78,799)
Selling, general, and administrative expenses	(11,650)	(6,010)	(36,044)	(19,873)
Other expense, net	6,476	3,372	21,356	15,361
Intercompany interest	756	2,559	1,634	7,777
Income (loss) before income taxes and equity in income (loss) of subsidiaries	18,000	20,380	46,836	52,194
Income tax (expense) benefit	(6,989)	(7,811)	(18,308)	(20,071)
Income (loss) before equity in income (loss) of subsidiaries	11,011	12,569	28,528	32,123
Equity in income (loss) of subsidiaries	114,564	75,884	197,494	261,777
Net income	125,575	88,453	226,022	293,900
Other comprehensive income	0	0	0	0
Comprehensive income (loss)	$ 125,575	$ 88,453	$ 226,022	$ 293,900