Segment Disclosures - Profit before Taxes (Detail) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended	9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2017	Sep. 30, 2016	Sep. 30, 2017	Sep. 30, 2016
Segment Reporting, Reconciling Item for Operating Profit (Loss) from Segment to Consolidated [Line Items]
Income before taxes	$ 244,464	$ 185,003	$ 585,593	$ 433,035
Equity-based compensation expense			(32,678)	(32,459)
Corporate interest expense	(6,120)	(5,624)	(17,870)	(15,526)
Homebuilding [Member]
Segment Reporting, Reconciling Item for Operating Profit (Loss) from Segment to Consolidated [Line Items]
Income before taxes	226,043	167,657	534,570	392,839
Corporate interest expense	(5,821)	(5,338)	(17,040)	(14,734)
Mortgage Banking [Member]
Segment Reporting, Reconciling Item for Operating Profit (Loss) from Segment to Consolidated [Line Items]
Income before taxes	18,421	17,346	51,023	40,196
Corporate interest expense	(299)	(286)	(830)	(792)
Operating Segments [Member]
Segment Reporting, Reconciling Item for Operating Profit (Loss) from Segment to Consolidated [Line Items]
Income before taxes	219,354	159,250	537,265	384,980
Operating Segments [Member] \| Homebuilding [Member] \| Mid Atlantic [Member]
Segment Reporting, Reconciling Item for Operating Profit (Loss) from Segment to Consolidated [Line Items]
Income before taxes	109,417	81,137	274,527	191,476
Operating Segments [Member] \| Homebuilding [Member] \| North East [Member]
Segment Reporting, Reconciling Item for Operating Profit (Loss) from Segment to Consolidated [Line Items]
Income before taxes	18,762	8,711	41,980	18,354
Operating Segments [Member] \| Homebuilding [Member] \| Mid East [Member]
Segment Reporting, Reconciling Item for Operating Profit (Loss) from Segment to Consolidated [Line Items]
Income before taxes	44,990	34,699	103,135	87,488
Operating Segments [Member] \| Homebuilding [Member] \| South East [Member]
Segment Reporting, Reconciling Item for Operating Profit (Loss) from Segment to Consolidated [Line Items]
Income before taxes	26,849	16,548	64,330	45,159
Operating Segments [Member] \| Mortgage Banking [Member]
Segment Reporting, Reconciling Item for Operating Profit (Loss) from Segment to Consolidated [Line Items]
Income before taxes	19,336	18,155	53,293	42,503
Corporate and Reconciling Items [Member]
Segment Reporting, Reconciling Item for Operating Profit (Loss) from Segment to Consolidated [Line Items]
Income before taxes	25,110	25,753	48,328	48,055
Contract land deposit reserve adjustment	1,910	785	(882)	3,421
Equity-based compensation expense	(11,211)	(11,081)	(32,678)	(32,459)
Corporate capital allocation	51,904	50,032	147,737	140,606
Unallocated corporate overhead	(18,768)	(18,459)	(69,362)	(74,485)
Consolidation adjustments and other	7,087	9,798	20,513	25,660
Corporate interest expense	(5,812)	(5,322)	(17,000)	(14,688)
Corporate and Reconciling Items [Member] \| Homebuilding [Member] \| Mid Atlantic [Member]
Segment Reporting, Reconciling Item for Operating Profit (Loss) from Segment to Consolidated [Line Items]
Corporate capital allocation	32,025	31,960	92,154	87,911
Corporate and Reconciling Items [Member] \| Homebuilding [Member] \| North East [Member]
Segment Reporting, Reconciling Item for Operating Profit (Loss) from Segment to Consolidated [Line Items]
Corporate capital allocation	4,244	4,572	12,191	13,972
Corporate and Reconciling Items [Member] \| Homebuilding [Member] \| Mid East [Member]
Segment Reporting, Reconciling Item for Operating Profit (Loss) from Segment to Consolidated [Line Items]
Corporate capital allocation	7,747	7,366	22,024	21,523
Corporate and Reconciling Items [Member] \| Homebuilding [Member] \| South East [Member]
Segment Reporting, Reconciling Item for Operating Profit (Loss) from Segment to Consolidated [Line Items]
Corporate capital allocation	$ 7,888	$ 6,134	$ 21,368	$ 17,200

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Contract land deposit reserve adjustment.

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The corporate capital allocation charge is eliminated in consolidation and is based on the segment’s average net assets employed.

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Unallocated corporate overhead.

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- Definition

The portion of earnings or loss from continuing operations before income taxes that is attributable to domestic operations.

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Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 235
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
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Amount of the cost of borrowed funds accounted for as interest expense.

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-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 835
-SubTopic 20
-Section 50
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Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table.

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The aggregate amount of noncash, equity-based employee remuneration. This may include the value of stock or unit options, amortization of restricted stock or units, and adjustment for officers' compensation. As noncash, this element is an add back when calculating net cash generated by operating activities using the indirect method.

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