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Business and Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Details Textual) (USD $) | 12 Months Ended | 3 Months Ended
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Dec. 31, 2014 State Region Community | Dec. 31, 2013 | Dec. 31, 2012 | Dec. 31, 2014
Organization and Presentation [Line Items] |  |  |  |
Liquid Investment Maturity Period To Be Classified As Cash Equivalent Maximum | 3 months |  |  |
Entity operations in number of regions | 3 mth_EntityOperationsInNumberOfRegions |  |  | 3 mth_EntityOperationsInNumberOfRegions
Number of states in regions | 9 us-gaap_NumberOfStatesInWhichEntityOperates |  |  | 9 us-gaap_NumberOfStatesInWhichEntityOperates
Number of communities in which homes are sold | 229 mth_NumberofCommunitiesinWhichHomesareSold |  |  | 229 mth_NumberofCommunitiesinWhichHomesareSold
Amounts in transit from title companies for home closings | $ 59,200,000 mth_AmountsInTransitFromTitleCompaniesForHomeClosings | $ 26,400,000 mth_AmountsInTransitFromTitleCompaniesForHomeClosings |  | $ 59,200,000 mth_AmountsInTransitFromTitleCompaniesForHomeClosings
Money Market Funds, at Carrying Value | 200,000 us-gaap_MoneyMarketFundsAtCarryingValue | 68,300,000 us-gaap_MoneyMarketFundsAtCarryingValue |  | 200,000 us-gaap_MoneyMarketFundsAtCarryingValue
Other than Temporary Impairment Losses, Investments, Portion Recognized in Earnings, Net, Held-to-maturity Securities | 0 us-gaap_OtherThanTemporaryImpairmentLossesInvestmentsPortionRecognizedInEarningsNetHeldtomaturitySecurities |  |  |
Held-to-maturity Securities | 0 us-gaap_HeldToMaturitySecurities | 89,529,000 us-gaap_HeldToMaturitySecurities |  | 0 us-gaap_HeldToMaturitySecurities
Deposits on real estate under option or contract | 94,989,000 us-gaap_DepositAssets | 51,595,000 us-gaap_DepositAssets |  | 94,989,000 us-gaap_DepositAssets
Deferred costs representing debt issuance costs, net | 10,100,000 us-gaap_DeferredFinanceCostsNet | 12,200,000 us-gaap_DeferredFinanceCostsNet |  | 10,100,000 us-gaap_DeferredFinanceCostsNet
Accumulated amortization of debt issuance costs | 13,400,000 us-gaap_AccumulatedAmortizationDeferredFinanceCosts | 11,200,000 us-gaap_AccumulatedAmortizationDeferredFinanceCosts |  | 13,400,000 us-gaap_AccumulatedAmortizationDeferredFinanceCosts
Advertising expense | 11,800,000 us-gaap_AdvertisingExpense | 7,800,000 us-gaap_AdvertisingExpense | 5,500,000 us-gaap_AdvertisingExpense |
Contribution to the 401(K) Retirement Plan | 1,900,000 us-gaap_DefinedContributionPlanCostRecognized | 1,300,000 us-gaap_DefinedContributionPlanCostRecognized | 1,000,000 us-gaap_DefinedContributionPlanCostRecognized |
Adjustment to warranty reserve balance | 500,000 us-gaap_StandardProductWarrantyAccrualPreexistingIncreaseDecrease | 1,311,000 us-gaap_StandardProductWarrantyAccrualPreexistingIncreaseDecrease |  |
Minimum [Member] |  |  |  |
Organization and Presentation [Line Items] |  |  |  |
Base price per house for sale range |  |  |  | 130,000 mth_BasePricePerHouseForSaleRange / us-gaap_RangeAxis = us-gaap_MinimumMember
Investment Maturity Period | 3 months |  |  |
Community life cycle range | 3 years |  |  |
Property and equipment useful life | 3 years |  |  |
Warranty period following home closings | 1 year |  |  |
Maximum [Member] |  |  |  |
Organization and Presentation [Line Items] |  |  |  |
Base price per house for sale range |  |  |  | $ 1,230,000 mth_BasePricePerHouseForSaleRange / us-gaap_RangeAxis = us-gaap_MaximumMember
Investment Maturity Period | 18 months |  |  |
Community life cycle range | 5 years |  |  |
Property and equipment useful life | 7 years |  |  |
Warranty period following home closings | 10 years |  |  |

X
- Definition Amounts in transit from title companies for home closings. + References No definition available. + Details
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- Definition The price range as of the balance sheet date relating to the houses the Company has for sale. + References No definition available. + Details
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