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Commitments And Contingencies (Narrative) (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2010	Sep. 30, 2011	Sep. 30, 2010	Jun. 30, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010
Commitments And Contingencies [Abstract]
Loans originated in previous period		$ 39,500,000,000
Cured or refuted requests received from investors, percentage		60.00%
Actual loss severities, percentage of outstanding balance		50.00%
Accrued liabilities for outstanding community development district obligations		39,600,000			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		1,500,000,000			1,700,000,000
Surety bonds related to certain construction obligations of Centex's previous commercial construction business					817,400,000
Maximum value of work remaining to be performed on Centex's former commercial construction projects				66,000,000
Additional expense to insurance reserve	272,200,000		291,800,000
Additional expense to insurance reserve per basic and diluted share	$ 0.72		$ 0.77
Claims currently being managed (greater than 1,000)		1,000
Loss contingency claims reserves		$ 793,600,000
Percentage of self-insurance liability due to incurred but not reported claims		76.00%

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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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- Definition

Letters Of Credit And Surety Bonds

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Liability For Future Policy Benefits And Unpaid Claims And Claims Adjustment Expense Per Basic And Diluted Shares

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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 Previous Period.

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The increase (decrease) during the period in the carrying amount of accrued known and estimated losses incurred for which no insurance coverage exists, and for which a claim has been made or is probable of being asserted, typically arising from workmen's' compensation-type of incidents and personal injury to nonemployees from accidents on the entity's property.

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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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