Supplemental Guarantor Information (Statement of Operations and Comprehensive Income (Loss)) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2020	Sep. 30, 2019	Sep. 30, 2020	Sep. 30, 2019
Homebuilding
Total revenues	$ 2,954,957	$ 2,710,365	$ 7,843,718	$ 7,196,044
Homebuilding Cost of Revenues:
Selling, general, and administrative expenses	(271,257)	(270,625)	(731,785)	(782,791)
Goodwill impairment	0	0	(20,190)	0
Other income (expense), net	(4,483)	(5,108)	(12,292)	(9,581)
Intercompany interest	0	0	0	0
Income (loss) before income taxes and equity in income (loss) of subsidiaries	484,167	366,146	1,204,944	903,625
Income tax (expense) benefit	(67,769)	(93,042)	(236,216)	(222,723)
Income (loss) before equity in income (loss) of subsidiaries	416,398	273,104	968,728	680,902
Equity in income (loss) of subsidiaries	0	0	0	0
Net income	416,398	273,104	968,728	680,902
Other comprehensive income	25	25	75	75
Comprehensive income (loss)	416,423	273,129	968,803	680,977
Total Homebuilding
Homebuilding
Revenues	2,848,086	2,645,550	7,587,495	7,031,410
Homebuilding Cost of Revenues:
Financial services expenses	(2,152,243)	(2,035,972)	(5,762,372)	(5,405,183)
Home sales
Homebuilding
Revenues	2,823,921	2,637,002	7,517,453	6,990,417
Homebuilding Cost of Revenues:
Cost of revenues	(2,131,741)	(2,028,622)	(5,706,814)	(5,369,568)
Land sale and other
Homebuilding
Revenues	24,165	8,548	70,042	40,993
Homebuilding Cost of Revenues:
Cost of revenues	(20,502)	(7,350)	(55,558)	(35,615)
Financial Services
Homebuilding
Revenues	106,871	64,815	256,223	164,634
Homebuilding Cost of Revenues:
Financial services expenses	(42,807)	(32,514)	(112,135)	(94,864)
Eliminating Entries
Homebuilding
Total revenues	0	0	0	0
Homebuilding Cost of Revenues:
Selling, general, and administrative expenses	0	0	0	0
Goodwill impairment	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	(823,938)	(680,576)	(1,934,183)	(1,414,378)
Net income	(823,938)	(680,576)	(1,934,183)	(1,414,378)
Other comprehensive income	0	0	0	0
Comprehensive income (loss)	(823,938)	(680,576)	(1,934,183)	(1,414,378)
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
Goodwill impairment	0		0
Other income (expense), net	(84)	(126)	(3,628)	(5,213)
Intercompany interest	(1,173)	(2,255)	(4,247)	(6,506)
Income (loss) before income taxes and equity in income (loss) of subsidiaries	(1,257)	(2,381)	(7,875)	(11,719)
Income tax (expense) benefit	314	688	1,969	2,930
Income (loss) before equity in income (loss) of subsidiaries	(943)	(1,693)	(5,906)	(8,789)
Equity in income (loss) of subsidiaries	417,341	274,797	974,634	689,691
Net income	416,398	273,104	968,728	680,902
Other comprehensive income	25	25	75	75
Comprehensive income (loss)	416,423	273,129	968,803	680,977
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	2,768,621	2,597,459	7,424,736	6,896,262
Homebuilding Cost of Revenues:
Selling, general, and administrative expenses	(262,348)	(252,414)	(713,360)	(731,801)
Goodwill impairment	0		0
Other income (expense), net	(13,265)	(15,697)	(30,323)	(29,961)
Intercompany interest	0	0	0	0
Income (loss) before income taxes and equity in income (loss) of subsidiaries	402,747	329,822	1,048,678	831,963
Income tax (expense) benefit	(48,113)	(83,937)	(198,316)	(204,186)
Income (loss) before equity in income (loss) of subsidiaries	354,634	245,885	850,362	627,777
Equity in income (loss) of subsidiaries	61,743	34,672	130,079	77,480
Net income	416,377	280,557	980,441	705,257
Other comprehensive income	0	0	0	0
Comprehensive income (loss)	416,377	280,557	980,441	705,257
Guarantor Subsidiaries | Total Homebuilding
Homebuilding
Revenues	2,768,621	2,597,459	7,424,736	6,896,262
Homebuilding Cost of Revenues:
Financial services expenses	(2,090,081)	(1,999,393)	(5,631,840)	(5,302,147)
Guarantor Subsidiaries | Home sales
Homebuilding
Revenues	2,761,898	2,588,933	7,407,014	6,855,951
Homebuilding Cost of Revenues:
Cost of revenues	(2,086,122)	(1,992,043)	(5,622,495)	(5,267,638)
Guarantor Subsidiaries | Land sale and other
Homebuilding
Revenues	6,723	8,526	17,722	40,311
Homebuilding Cost of Revenues:
Cost of revenues	(3,959)	(7,350)	(9,345)	(34,509)
Guarantor Subsidiaries | Financial Services
Homebuilding
Revenues	0	0	0	0
Homebuilding Cost of Revenues:
Financial services expenses	(180)	(133)	(535)	(390)
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries
Homebuilding
Total revenues	186,336	112,906	418,982	299,782
Homebuilding Cost of Revenues:
Selling, general, and administrative expenses	(8,909)	(18,211)	(18,425)	(50,990)
Goodwill impairment	0		(20,190)
Other income (expense), net	8,866	10,715	21,659	25,593
Intercompany interest	1,173	2,255	4,247	6,506
Income (loss) before income taxes and equity in income (loss) of subsidiaries	82,677	38,705	164,141	83,381
Income tax (expense) benefit	(19,970)	(9,793)	(39,869)	(21,467)
Income (loss) before equity in income (loss) of subsidiaries	62,707	28,912	124,272	61,914
Equity in income (loss) of subsidiaries	344,854	371,107	829,470	647,207
Net income	407,561	400,019	953,742	709,121
Other comprehensive income	0	0	0	0
Comprehensive income (loss)	407,561	400,019	953,742	709,121
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries | Total Homebuilding
Homebuilding
Revenues	79,465	48,091	162,759	135,148
Homebuilding Cost of Revenues:
Financial services expenses	(62,162)	(36,579)	(130,532)	(103,036)
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries | Home sales
Homebuilding
Revenues	62,023	48,069	110,439	134,466
Homebuilding Cost of Revenues:
Cost of revenues	(45,619)	(36,579)	(84,319)	(101,930)
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries | Land sale and other
Homebuilding
Revenues	17,442	22	52,320	682
Homebuilding Cost of Revenues:
Cost of revenues	(16,543)	0	(46,213)	(1,106)
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries | Financial Services
Homebuilding
Revenues	106,871	64,815	256,223	164,634
Homebuilding Cost of Revenues:
Financial services expenses	$ (42,627)	$ (32,381)	$ (111,600)	$ (94,474)