Notes Payable, Long-Term Debt and Other Obligations (Notes Payable Narrative) (Details)					1 Months Ended			12 Months Ended
	Nov. 18, 2019 USD ($)	Nov. 02, 2018 USD ($)	Jan. 27, 2017 USD ($) shares	Mar. 24, 2014 USD ($)	Nov. 30, 2019 USD ($)	Jan. 31, 2019 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2018 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2019 USD ($) series	Dec. 31, 2018 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2017 USD ($)	Jan. 15, 2019	Nov. 30, 2018	Nov. 30, 2017
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Notes payable, long-term debt and other obligations, less current portion							$ 1,386,697,000	$ 1,397,216,000	$ 1,386,697,000
Loss on extinguishment of debt								$ 4,301,000	4,066,000	$ 34,110,000
Shares issued (in shares) | shares			2,315,250
Senior Notes | 7.75% Senior Secured Notes Due 2021
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Interest rate								7.75%
Repurchased face amount			$ 835,000,000
Senior Notes | 6.125% Senior Secured Notes due 2025
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Interest rate								6.125%					6.125%
Principal amount			850,000,000
Net proceeds from issuance of debt			$ 831,100,000
Redemption price								101.00%
Indenture threshold for earnings for payment of dividends (less than)								$ 75,000,000
Leverage ratio requirement								3.0
Secured leverage ratio requirement								1.5
Senior Notes | 10.5% Senior Notes due 2026
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Interest rate								10.50%				10.50%
Notes payable, long-term debt and other obligations, less current portion								$ 555,000,000
Minimum percentage of principal amount to remain outstanding		60.00%
Percent of net proceeds of certain equity offerings		110.50%
Redemption price max of principal amount		40.00%
Redemption interest rate		1.00%
Principal amount	$ 230,000,000	$ 325,000,000
Net proceeds from issuance of debt	$ 220,400,000	$ 315,000,000
Redemption price		101.00%
Variable Interest Senior Convertible Debt
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Number of series outstanding | series								1
Variable Interest Senior Convertible Debt | 7.5% Variable Interest Senior Convertible Notes due 2019
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Interest rate								7.50%			7.50%
Principal amount						$ 230,000,000
Interest expense						$ 8,102,000
Variable Interest Senior Convertible Debt | 5.5% Variable Interest Senior Convertible Notes due 2020
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Interest rate								5.50%
Notes payable, long-term debt and other obligations, less current portion								$ 169,610,000
Principal amount				$ 258,750,000
Net proceeds from issuance of debt				$ 250,300,000
Payments for convertible debt					$ 63,859,000		27,141,000
Loss on extinguishment of debt					$ 4,301,000		$ 4,066,000
Cancelled repurchased notes principal								$ 89,140,000
Redemption price					102.18%		101.15%
Repurchased face amount					$ 62,390,000		$ 26,750,000		$ 26,750,000
Redemption prince in event of change as defined in indenture				100.00%
Partial interest rate of convertible debt				1.75%
Douglas Elliman Realty, LLC | Senior Notes | 10.5% Senior Notes due 2026
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Equity method ownership percentage		100.00%