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Commitments and Contingencies (Narrative) (Details) (USD $)	6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010
Cure or refute requests received from investors, percentage	60.00%
Actual loss severities percentage	50.00%
Accrued liabilities for outstanding community development district obligations	$ 42,300,000	$ 73,300,000
Repurchase of special assessment bond	26,600,000
Discount on repurchase of special assessment bond	5,200,000
Letters of credit and surety bonds	1,600,000,000	1,700,000,000
Surety bonds related to certain construction obligations of Centex's previous commercial construction business	817,400,000
Value of work remaining to be performed on Centex's former commercial construction projects		85,000,000
Claims currently being managed (greater than 1,000)	1,000
Loss contingency claims reserves	790,600,000
Percentage of self-insurance liability due to incurred but not reported claims	77.00%
Total Mortgage Loans Originated Between 2006 and 2007 [Member]
Loans payable	$ 37,800,000,000

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Actual Loss Severities Percentage

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Approximate Number Of Self Insurance Claims Managed Current Period

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Cure Or Refute Requests Received From Investors Percentage

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Discount On Repurchase Of Special Assessment Bond

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Letters Of Credit And Surety Bonds

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Loss Contingency Claim Expenses Percentage

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Loss Contingency Claims Reserves

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Remaining Obligation Commercial Construction Projects

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Repurchase of special assessment bond, principal balance

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Surety bond liability acquired in business acquisition.

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Total Mortgage Loans Originated Pervious Period.

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Including the current and noncurrent portions, carrying value as of the balance sheet date of a type of municipal bond typically used to fund a development project. Also called special assessment limited liability bond, special district bond, special purpose bond, special tax bond and community development obligation. Interest owed to lenders is paid by taxes levied on the community benefiting from the particular bond-funded project. For example, if a bond of this sort was issued to pay for sidewalks to be repaved in a certain community, an additional tax would be levied on homeowners in the area benefiting from this project.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher SEC
-Name Regulation S-X (SX)
-Number 210
-Section 03
-Paragraph 13, 16
-Article 9

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 944
-SubTopic 210
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.7-03.16)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6879938&loc=d3e572229-122910

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher SEC
-Name Regulation S-X (SX)
-Number 210
-Article 5
-Section 02
-Subsection 20, 22

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