Supplemental Guarantor Information (Balance Sheet) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Sep. 30, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017	Sep. 30, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016
ASSETS
Cash and equivalents	$ 728,631	$ 272,683
Restricted cash	30,381	33,485
House and land inventory	7,489,454	7,147,130
Land held for sale	65,905	68,384
Residential mortgage loans available-for-sale	349,784	570,600
Investments in unconsolidated entities	54,278	62,957
Other assets	797,976	745,123
Intangible assets	130,642	140,992
Deferred tax assets, net	408,029	645,295
Investments in subsidiaries and intercompany accounts, net	0	0
Total assets	10,055,080	9,686,649
Liabilities:
Accounts payable, customer deposits, accrued and other liabilities	2,059,727	2,000,927
Income tax liabilities	10,324	86,925
Financial Services debt	250,733	437,804
Notes payable	3,005,418	3,006,967
Total liabilities	5,326,202	5,532,623
Total shareholders’ equity	4,728,878	4,154,026	$ 4,345,085	$ 4,659,363
Total liabilities and shareholders' equity	10,055,080	9,686,649
Eliminating Entries
ASSETS
Cash and equivalents	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	(15,853,627)	(14,246,748)
Total assets	(15,853,627)	(14,246,748)
Liabilities:
Accounts payable, customer deposits, accrued and other liabilities	0	0
Income tax liabilities	0	0
Financial Services debt	0	0
Notes payable	0	0
Total liabilities	0	0
Total shareholders’ equity	(15,853,627)	(14,246,748)
Total liabilities and shareholders' equity	(15,853,627)	(14,246,748)
PulteGroup, Inc.
ASSETS
Cash and equivalents	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	24,202	9,417
Intangible assets		0
Deferred tax assets, net	415,836	646,227
Investments in subsidiaries and intercompany accounts, net	7,354,045	6,661,638
Total assets	7,794,083	7,317,282
Liabilities:
Accounts payable, customer deposits, accrued and other liabilities	68,081	89,388
Income tax liabilities	10,324	86,925
Financial Services debt	0	0
Notes payable	2,986,800	2,986,943
Total liabilities	3,065,205	3,163,256
Total shareholders’ equity	4,728,878	4,154,026
Total liabilities and shareholders' equity	7,794,083	7,317,282
Guarantor Subsidiaries
ASSETS
Cash and equivalents	674,271	125,462
Restricted cash	28,996	32,339
House and land inventory	7,392,748	7,053,087
Land held for sale	65,905	68,384
Residential mortgage loans available-for-sale	0	0
Investments in unconsolidated entities	53,732	62,415
Other assets	601,877	592,045
Intangible assets	130,642	140,992
Deferred tax assets, net	0	0
Investments in subsidiaries and intercompany accounts, net	314,402	284,983
Total assets	9,262,573	8,359,707
Liabilities:
Accounts payable, customer deposits, accrued and other liabilities	1,746,660	1,636,913
Income tax liabilities	0	0
Financial Services debt	0	0
Notes payable	17,962	16,911
Total liabilities	1,764,622	1,653,824
Total shareholders’ equity	7,497,951	6,705,883
Total liabilities and shareholders' equity	9,262,573	8,359,707
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries
ASSETS
Cash and equivalents	54,360	147,221
Restricted cash	1,385	1,146
House and land inventory	96,706	94,043
Land held for sale	0	0
Residential mortgage loans available-for-sale	349,784	570,600
Investments in unconsolidated entities	546	542
Other assets	171,897	143,661
Intangible assets	0	0
Deferred tax assets, net	(7,807)	(932)
Investments in subsidiaries and intercompany accounts, net	8,185,180	7,300,127
Total assets	8,852,051	8,256,408
Liabilities:
Accounts payable, customer deposits, accrued and other liabilities	244,986	274,626
Income tax liabilities	0	0
Financial Services debt	250,733	437,804
Notes payable	656	3,113
Total liabilities	496,375	715,543
Total shareholders’ equity	8,355,676	7,540,865
Total liabilities and shareholders' equity	$ 8,852,051	$ 8,256,408