Supplemental Guarantor Information (Statement of Operations and Comprehensive Income (Loss)) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended	9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2018	Sep. 30, 2017	Sep. 30, 2018	Sep. 30, 2017
Homebuilding
Total revenues	$ 2,649,366	$ 2,131,058	$ 7,189,181	$ 5,782,796
Homebuilding Cost of Revenues:
Selling, general, and administrative expenses	(252,757)	(237,495)	(719,706)	(689,974)
Other income (expense), net	(3,488)	(6,282)	(6,753)	(28,439)
Intercompany interest	0	0	0	0
Income (loss) before income taxes and equity in income (loss) of subsidiaries	384,688	268,249	1,018,049	530,062
Income tax (expense) benefit	(95,153)	(90,710)	(233,674)	(160,255)
Income (loss) before equity in income (loss) of subsidiaries	289,535	177,539	784,375	369,807
Equity in income (loss) of subsidiaries	0	0	0	0
Net income	289,535	177,539	784,375	369,807
Other comprehensive income	25	20	75	61
Comprehensive income (loss)	289,560	177,559	784,450	369,868
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	(506,459)	(310,050)	(1,410,346)	(604,219)
Net income	(506,459)	(310,050)	(1,410,346)	(604,219)
Other comprehensive income	0	0	0	0
Comprehensive income (loss)	(506,459)	(310,050)	(1,410,346)	(604,219)
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	(120)	(96)	(458)	(354)
Intercompany interest	(2,158)	(756)	(5,710)	(1,634)
Income (loss) before income taxes and equity in income (loss) of subsidiaries	(2,278)	(852)	(6,168)	(1,988)
Income tax (expense) benefit	609	945	1,543	1,377
Income (loss) before equity in income (loss) of subsidiaries	(1,669)	93	(4,625)	(611)
Equity in income (loss) of subsidiaries	291,204	177,446	789,000	370,418
Net income	289,535	177,539	784,375	369,807
Other comprehensive income	25	20	75	61
Comprehensive income (loss)	289,560	177,559	784,450	369,868
Guarantor Subsidiaries
Homebuilding
Total revenues	2,561,196	2,060,345	6,955,673	5,591,617
Homebuilding Cost of Revenues:
Selling, general, and administrative expenses	(245,776)	(225,845)	(699,311)	(653,930)
Other income (expense), net	(12,398)	(12,670)	(33,436)	(49,436)
Intercompany interest		0	0	0
Income (loss) before income taxes and equity in income (loss) of subsidiaries	352,467	251,101	937,339	485,214
Income tax (expense) benefit	(88,368)	(84,666)	(213,876)	(143,324)
Income (loss) before equity in income (loss) of subsidiaries	264,099	166,435	723,463	341,890
Equity in income (loss) of subsidiaries	25,094	18,040	62,162	36,307
Net income	289,193	184,475	785,625	378,197
Other comprehensive income	0	0	0	0
Comprehensive income (loss)	289,193	184,475	785,625	378,197
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries
Homebuilding
Total revenues	88,170	70,713	233,508	191,179
Homebuilding Cost of Revenues:
Selling, general, and administrative expenses	(6,981)	(11,650)	(20,395)	(36,044)
Other income (expense), net	9,030	6,484	27,141	21,351
Intercompany interest	2,158	756	5,710	1,634
Income (loss) before income taxes and equity in income (loss) of subsidiaries	34,499	18,000	86,878	46,836
Income tax (expense) benefit	(7,394)	(6,989)	(21,341)	(18,308)
Income (loss) before equity in income (loss) of subsidiaries	27,105	11,011	65,537	28,528
Equity in income (loss) of subsidiaries	190,161	114,564	559,184	197,494
Net income	217,266	125,575	624,721	226,022
Other comprehensive income	0	0	0	0
Comprehensive income (loss)	217,266	125,575	624,721	226,022
Total Homebuilding
Homebuilding
Revenues	2,597,746	2,084,106	7,038,859	5,646,801
Homebuilding Cost of Revenues:
Cost of revenues	(1,976,220)	(1,589,728)	(5,348,023)	(4,448,171)
Total Homebuilding \| Eliminating Entries
Homebuilding
Revenues	0	0	0	0
Homebuilding Cost of Revenues:
Cost of revenues	0	0	0	0
Total Homebuilding \| PulteGroup, Inc.
Homebuilding
Revenues	0	0	0	0
Homebuilding Cost of Revenues:
Cost of revenues	0	0	0	0
Total Homebuilding \| Guarantor Subsidiaries
Homebuilding
Revenues	2,561,196	2,060,345	6,955,673	5,591,617
Homebuilding Cost of Revenues:
Cost of revenues	(1,950,425)	(1,570,608)	(5,285,182)	(4,402,653)
Total Homebuilding \| Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries
Homebuilding
Revenues	36,550	23,761	83,186	55,184
Homebuilding Cost of Revenues:
Cost of revenues	(25,795)	(19,120)	(62,841)	(45,518)
Home sales
Homebuilding
Revenues	2,572,236	2,055,891	6,933,888	5,606,953
Homebuilding Cost of Revenues:
Cost of revenues	(1,954,160)	(1,564,605)	(5,276,232)	(4,332,221)
Home sales \| Eliminating Entries
Homebuilding
Revenues	0	0	0	0
Homebuilding Cost of Revenues:
Cost of revenues	0	0	0	0
Home sales \| PulteGroup, Inc.
Homebuilding
Revenues	0	0	0	0
Homebuilding Cost of Revenues:
Cost of revenues	0	0	0	0
Home sales \| Guarantor Subsidiaries
Homebuilding
Revenues	2,535,930	2,032,391	6,852,430	5,554,349
Homebuilding Cost of Revenues:
Cost of revenues	(1,928,365)	(1,545,712)	(5,214,408)	(4,288,754)
Home sales \| Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries
Homebuilding
Revenues	36,306	23,500	81,458	52,604
Homebuilding Cost of Revenues:
Cost of revenues	(25,795)	(18,893)	(61,824)	(43,467)
Land sale and other
Homebuilding
Revenues	25,510	28,215	104,971	39,848
Homebuilding Cost of Revenues:
Cost of revenues	(22,060)	(25,123)	(71,791)	(115,950)
Land sale and other \| Eliminating Entries
Homebuilding
Revenues	0	0	0	0
Homebuilding Cost of Revenues:
Cost of revenues	0	0	0	0
Land sale and other \| PulteGroup, Inc.
Homebuilding
Revenues	0	0	0	0
Homebuilding Cost of Revenues:
Cost of revenues	0	0	0	0
Land sale and other \| Guarantor Subsidiaries
Homebuilding
Revenues	25,266	27,954	103,243	37,268
Homebuilding Cost of Revenues:
Cost of revenues	(22,060)	(24,896)	(70,774)	(113,899)
Land sale and other \| Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries
Homebuilding
Revenues	244	261	1,728	2,580
Homebuilding Cost of Revenues:
Cost of revenues		(227)	(1,017)	(2,051)
Financial Services
Homebuilding
Revenues	51,620	46,952	150,322	135,995
Homebuilding Cost of Revenues:
Cost of revenues	(32,213)	(29,304)	(96,650)	(86,150)
Financial Services \| Eliminating Entries
Homebuilding
Revenues	0	0	0	0
Homebuilding Cost of Revenues:
Cost of revenues	0	0	0	0
Financial Services \| PulteGroup, Inc.
Homebuilding
Revenues	0	0	0	0
Homebuilding Cost of Revenues:
Cost of revenues	0	0	0	0
Financial Services \| Guarantor Subsidiaries
Homebuilding
Revenues	0	0	0	0
Homebuilding Cost of Revenues:
Cost of revenues	(130)	(121)	405	384
Financial Services \| Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries
Homebuilding
Revenues	51,620	46,952	150,322	135,995
Homebuilding Cost of Revenues:
Cost of revenues	$ (32,083)	$ (29,183)	$ 96,245	$ 85,766

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