Supplemental Guarantor Information (Statement of Operations and Comprehensive Income (Loss)) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended				6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2019	Mar. 31, 2019	Jun. 30, 2018	Mar. 31, 2018	Jun. 30, 2019	Jun. 30, 2018
Homebuilding
Total revenues	$ 2,488,985		$ 2,569,722		$ 4,485,679	$ 4,539,815
Homebuilding Cost of Revenues:
Selling, general, and administrative expenses	(259,440)		(226,056)		(512,166)	(466,950)
Other income (expense), net	(3,499)		(1,956)		(4,473)	(3,263)
Intercompany interest	0		0		0	0
Income (loss) before income taxes and equity in income (loss) of subsidiaries	320,776		409,170		537,479	633,362
Income tax (expense) benefit	(79,735)		(85,081)		(129,681)	(138,521)
Income (loss) before equity in income (loss) of subsidiaries	241,041		324,089		407,798	494,841
Equity in income (loss) of subsidiaries	0		0		0	0
Net income	241,041	$ 166,757	324,089	$ 170,751	407,798	494,841
Other comprehensive income	25	$ 25	30	$ 21	50	50
Comprehensive income (loss)	241,066		324,119		407,848	494,891
Total Homebuilding
Homebuilding
Revenues	2,433,028		2,516,958		4,385,860	4,441,113
Homebuilding Cost of Revenues:
Financial services expenses	(1,874,369)		(1,900,316)		(3,369,211)	(3,371,804)
Home sales
Homebuilding
Revenues	2,403,559		2,450,054		4,353,415	4,361,652
Homebuilding Cost of Revenues:
Cost of revenues	(1,848,155)		(1,862,133)		(3,340,946)	(3,322,073)
Land sale and other
Homebuilding
Revenues	29,469		66,904		32,445	79,461
Homebuilding Cost of Revenues:
Cost of revenues	(26,214)		(38,183)		(28,265)	(49,731)
Financial Services
Homebuilding
Revenues	55,957		52,764		99,819	98,702
Homebuilding Cost of Revenues:
Financial services expenses	(30,901)		(32,224)		(62,350)	(64,436)
Eliminating Entries
Homebuilding
Total revenues	0		0		0	0
Homebuilding Cost of Revenues:
Selling, general, and administrative expenses	0		0		0	0
Other income (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	(433,436)		(608,679)		(733,803)	(903,887)
Net income	(433,436)		(608,679)		(733,803)	(903,887)
Other comprehensive income	0		0		0	0
Comprehensive income (loss)	(433,436)		(608,679)		(733,803)	(903,887)
Eliminating Entries | Total Homebuilding
Homebuilding
Revenues	0		0		0	0
Homebuilding Cost of Revenues:
Financial services expenses	0		0		0	0
Eliminating Entries | Home sales
Homebuilding
Revenues	0		0		0	0
Homebuilding Cost of Revenues:
Cost of revenues	0		0		0	0
Eliminating Entries | Land sale and other
Homebuilding
Revenues	0		0		0	0
Homebuilding Cost of Revenues:
Cost of revenues	0		0		0	0
Eliminating Entries | Financial Services
Homebuilding
Revenues	0		0		0	0
Homebuilding Cost of Revenues:
Financial services expenses	0		0		0	0
PulteGroup, Inc.
Homebuilding
Total revenues	0		0		0	0
Homebuilding Cost of Revenues:
Selling, general, and administrative expenses	0		0		0	0
Other income (expense), net	(4,966)		(196)		(5,087)	(336)
Intercompany interest	(2,254)		(2,085)		(4,251)	(3,553)
Income (loss) before income taxes and equity in income (loss) of subsidiaries	(7,220)		(2,281)		(9,338)	(3,889)
Income tax (expense) benefit	1,733		547		2,241	934
Income (loss) before equity in income (loss) of subsidiaries	(5,487)		(1,734)		(7,097)	(2,955)
Equity in income (loss) of subsidiaries	246,528		325,823		414,895	497,796
Net income	241,041		324,089		407,798	494,841
Other comprehensive income	25		30		50	50
Comprehensive income (loss)	241,066		324,119		407,848	494,891
PulteGroup, Inc. | Total Homebuilding
Homebuilding
Revenues	0		0		0	0
Homebuilding Cost of Revenues:
Financial services expenses	0		0		0	0
PulteGroup, Inc. | Home sales
Homebuilding
Revenues	0		0		0	0
Homebuilding Cost of Revenues:
Cost of revenues	0		0		0	0
PulteGroup, Inc. | Land sale and other
Homebuilding
Revenues	0		0		0	0
Homebuilding Cost of Revenues:
Cost of revenues	0		0		0	0
PulteGroup, Inc. | Financial Services
Homebuilding
Revenues	0		0		0	0
Homebuilding Cost of Revenues:
Financial services expenses	0		0		0	0
Guarantor Subsidiaries
Homebuilding
Total revenues	2,388,669		2,488,061		4,298,803	4,394,477
Homebuilding Cost of Revenues:
Selling, general, and administrative expenses	(245,272)		(221,590)		(479,388)	(453,535)
Other income (expense), net	(9,276)		(13,436)		(14,264)	(21,037)
Intercompany interest	0		0		0	0
Income (loss) before income taxes and equity in income (loss) of subsidiaries	293,081		374,531		502,139	584,873
Income tax (expense) benefit	(72,598)		(75,977)		(120,248)	(125,508)
Income (loss) before equity in income (loss) of subsidiaries	220,483		298,554		381,891	459,365
Equity in income (loss) of subsidiaries	24,504		24,504		42,808	37,068
Net income	244,987		323,058		424,699	496,433
Other comprehensive income	0		0		0	0
Comprehensive income (loss)	244,987		323,058		424,699	496,433
Guarantor Subsidiaries | Total Homebuilding
Homebuilding
Revenues	2,388,669		2,488,061		4,298,803	4,394,477
Homebuilding Cost of Revenues:
Financial services expenses	(1,840,915)		(1,878,371)		(3,302,755)	(3,334,757)
Guarantor Subsidiaries | Home sales
Homebuilding
Revenues	2,359,210		2,421,643		4,267,018	4,316,500
Homebuilding Cost of Revenues:
Cost of revenues	(1,814,701)		(1,840,487)		(3,275,596)	(3,286,043)
Guarantor Subsidiaries | Land sale and other
Homebuilding
Revenues	29,459		66,418		31,785	77,977
Homebuilding Cost of Revenues:
Cost of revenues	(26,214)		(37,884)		(27,159)	(48,714)
Guarantor Subsidiaries | Financial Services
Homebuilding
Revenues	0		0		0	0
Homebuilding Cost of Revenues:
Financial services expenses	(125)		(133)		(257)	(275)
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries
Homebuilding
Total revenues	100,316		81,661		186,876	145,338
Homebuilding Cost of Revenues:
Selling, general, and administrative expenses	(14,168)		(4,466)		(32,778)	(13,415)
Other income (expense), net	10,743		11,676		14,878	18,110
Intercompany interest	2,254		2,085		4,251	3,553
Income (loss) before income taxes and equity in income (loss) of subsidiaries	34,915		36,920		44,678	52,378
Income tax (expense) benefit	(8,870)		(9,651)		(11,674)	(13,947)
Income (loss) before equity in income (loss) of subsidiaries	26,045		27,269		33,004	38,431
Equity in income (loss) of subsidiaries	162,404		258,352		276,100	369,023
Net income	188,449		285,621		309,104	407,454
Other comprehensive income	0		0		0	0
Comprehensive income (loss)	188,449		285,621		309,104	407,454
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries | Total Homebuilding
Homebuilding
Revenues	44,359		28,897		87,057	46,636
Homebuilding Cost of Revenues:
Financial services expenses	(33,454)		(21,945)		(66,456)	(37,047)
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries | Home sales
Homebuilding
Revenues	44,349		28,411		86,397	45,152
Homebuilding Cost of Revenues:
Cost of revenues	(33,454)		(21,646)		(65,350)	(36,030)
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries | Land sale and other
Homebuilding
Revenues	10		486		660	1,484
Homebuilding Cost of Revenues:
Cost of revenues	0		(299)		(1,106)	(1,017)
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries | Financial Services
Homebuilding
Revenues	55,957		52,764		99,819	98,702
Homebuilding Cost of Revenues:
Financial services expenses	$ (30,776)		$ (32,091)		$ (62,093)	$ (64,161)