Note 23 - Supplemental Guarantor Information (Details) - Supplemental Condensed Combining Balance Sheet (USD $)	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011
Condensed Balance Sheet Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 153,825,000	$ 199,338,000	$ 160,095,000	$ 343,361,000
Housing completed or under construction	732,692,000	636,700,000
Land and land under development	935,268,000	774,961,000
Total inventories	1,667,960,000	1,411,661,000
Mortgage loans held-for-sale, net	13,600,000	25,900,000
Deferred tax asset	140,486,000	176,262,000
Total Assets	2,358,438,000	2,595,449,000
Total Liabilities	1,130,102,000	1,382,200,000
Total Stockholder’s Equity	1,228,336,000	1,213,249,000
Total Liabilities and Stockholders’ Equity	2,358,438,000	2,595,449,000
Accounts payable and other liabilities	57,268,000	55,639,000
Homebuilding [Member] | Consolidation, Eliminations [Member]
Condensed Balance Sheet Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Trade Receivables	(2,467,000)	(5,459,000)
Intercompany receivables	(1,426,854,000)	(1,148,767,000)
Investment in subsidiaries	(260,874,000)	(335,870,000)
Deferred tax asset	2,957,000	3,287,000
Total Assets	(1,687,238,000)	(1,486,809,000)
Accrued liabilities	2,514,000	(1,207,000)
Advances and notes payable to parent and subsidiaries	(1,463,583,000)	(1,156,941,000)
Total Liabilities	(1,461,069,000)	(1,158,148,000)
Homebuilding [Member] | MDC Holdings [Member]
Condensed Balance Sheet Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Cash and cash equivalents	119,951,000	145,180,000
Marketable securities	140,878,000	569,021,000
Trade Receivables	6,573,000	915,000
Intercompany receivables	1,418,705,000	1,144,292,000
Investment in subsidiaries	260,874,000	335,870,000
Deferred tax asset	137,529,000	172,975,000
Metropolitan district bond securities (related party)	18,203,000	12,729,000
Other assets, net	41,743,000	41,204,000
Total Assets	2,144,456,000	2,422,186,000
Accounts payable		13,000
Accrued liabilities	7,007,000	97,612,000
Advances and notes payable to parent and subsidiaries	47,663,000	15,692,000
Revolving credit facility	15,000,000
Senior notes, net	846,450,000	1,095,620,000
Total Liabilities	916,120,000	1,208,937,000
Homebuilding [Member] | Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Condensed Balance Sheet Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Cash and cash equivalents	2,691,000	3,454,000
Restricted cash	2,816,000	2,195,000
Trade Receivables	24,449,000	27,951,000
Housing completed or under construction	732,692,000	636,700,000
Land and land under development	935,268,000	774,961,000
Total inventories	1,667,960,000	1,411,661,000
Intercompany receivables	2,854,000	2,576,000
Other assets, net	56,744,000	43,569,000
Total Assets	1,757,514,000	1,491,406,000
Accounts payable	35,445,000	15,033,000
Accrued liabilities	105,529,000	56,334,000
Advances and notes payable to parent and subsidiaries	1,392,111,000	1,121,581,000
Total Liabilities	1,533,085,000	1,192,948,000
Homebuilding [Member] | Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Condensed Balance Sheet Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Intercompany receivables	5,295,000	1,899,000
Total Assets	5,295,000	1,899,000
Accrued liabilities	67,000	82,000
Advances and notes payable to parent and subsidiaries	23,809,000	19,668,000
Total Liabilities	23,876,000	19,750,000
Homebuilding [Member]
Condensed Balance Sheet Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Cash and cash equivalents	122,642,000	148,634,000
Marketable securities	140,878,000	569,021,000
Restricted cash	2,816,000	2,195,000
Trade Receivables	28,555,000	23,407,000
Housing completed or under construction	732,692,000	636,700,000
Land and land under development	935,268,000	774,961,000
Total inventories	1,667,960,000	1,411,661,000
Deferred tax asset	140,486,000	176,262,000
Metropolitan district bond securities (related party)	18,203,000	12,729,000
Other assets, net	98,487,000	84,773,000
Total Assets	2,220,027,000	2,428,682,000
Accounts payable	35,445,000	15,046,000
Accrued liabilities	115,117,000	152,821,000
Revolving credit facility	15,000,000
Senior notes, net	846,450,000	1,095,620,000
Total Liabilities	1,012,012,000	1,263,487,000
Financial Services [Member] | Consolidation, Eliminations [Member]
Condensed Balance Sheet Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Intercompany receivables	(39,513,000)	(11,216,000)
Other assets, net	(2,957,000)	(3,287,000)
Total Assets	(42,470,000)	(14,503,000)
Advances and notes payable to parent and subsidiaries	(2,784,000)	(3,042,000)
Total Liabilities	(7,765,000)	(7,294,000)
Accounts payable and other liabilities	(4,981,000)	(4,252,000)
Financial Services [Member] | Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Condensed Balance Sheet Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Cash and cash equivalents	31,183,000	50,704,000
Marketable securities	15,262,000	19,046,000
Intercompany receivables	39,513,000	11,216,000
Mortgage loans held-for-sale, net	88,392,000	92,578,000
Other assets, net	6,531,000	7,726,000
Total Assets	180,881,000	181,270,000
Advances and notes payable to parent and subsidiaries	2,784,000	3,042,000
Mortgage repurchase facility	60,822,000	63,074,000
Total Liabilities	125,855,000	126,007,000
Accounts payable and other liabilities	62,249,000	59,891,000
Financial Services [Member]
Condensed Balance Sheet Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Cash and cash equivalents	31,183,000	50,704,000
Marketable securities	15,262,000	19,046,000
Mortgage loans held-for-sale, net	88,392,000	92,578,000
Other assets, net	3,574,000	4,439,000
Total Assets	138,411,000	166,767,000
Mortgage repurchase facility	60,822,000	63,074,000
Total Liabilities	118,090,000	118,713,000
Accounts payable and other liabilities	57,268,000	55,639,000
Consolidation, Eliminations [Member]
Condensed Balance Sheet Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Total Assets	(1,729,708,000)	(1,501,312,000)
Total Liabilities	(1,468,834,000)	(1,165,442,000)
Total Stockholder’s Equity	(260,874,000)	(335,870,000)
Total Liabilities and Stockholders’ Equity	(1,729,708,000)	(1,501,312,000)
MDC Holdings [Member]
Condensed Balance Sheet Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Cash and cash equivalents	119,951,000	145,180,000	125,904,000	313,566,000
Total Assets	2,144,456,000	2,422,186,000
Total Liabilities	916,120,000	1,208,937,000
Total Stockholder’s Equity	1,228,336,000	1,213,249,000
Total Liabilities and Stockholders’ Equity	2,144,456,000	2,422,186,000
Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Condensed Balance Sheet Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Cash and cash equivalents	2,691,000	3,454,000	3,631,000	2,852,000
Total Assets	1,757,514,000	1,491,406,000
Total Liabilities	1,533,085,000	1,192,948,000
Total Stockholder’s Equity	224,429,000	298,458,000
Total Liabilities and Stockholders’ Equity	1,757,514,000	1,491,406,000
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Condensed Balance Sheet Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Cash and cash equivalents	31,183,000	50,704,000	30,560,000	26,943,000
Total Assets	186,176,000	183,169,000
Total Liabilities	149,731,000	145,757,000
Total Stockholder’s Equity	36,445,000	37,412,000
Total Liabilities and Stockholders’ Equity	$ 186,176,000	$ 183,169,000