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Amount of revenue recognized from goods sold, services rendered, insurance premiums, or other activities that constitute an earning process. Includes, but is not limited to, investment and interest income before deduction of interest expense when recognized as a component of revenue, and sales and trading gain (loss).

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Note 23 - Supplemental Guarantor Information (Details) - Supplemental Condensed Combining Statements of Operations and Comprehensive Income (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2014	Sep. 30, 2014	Jun. 30, 2014	Mar. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013	Sep. 30, 2013	Jun. 30, 2013	Mar. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012
Condensed Income Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Revenues	$ 493,070us-gaap_Revenues	$ 405,051us-gaap_Revenues	$ 430,743us-gaap_Revenues	$ 318,534us-gaap_Revenues	$ 460,939us-gaap_Revenues	$ 433,693us-gaap_Revenues	$ 400,327us-gaap_Revenues	$ 331,748us-gaap_Revenues	$ 1,694,584us-gaap_Revenues	$ 1,680,434us-gaap_Revenues	$ 1,203,023us-gaap_Revenues
Inventory impairments	(910)us-gaap_AssetImpairmentCharges		(850)us-gaap_AssetImpairmentCharges		(569)us-gaap_AssetImpairmentCharges	(350)us-gaap_AssetImpairmentCharges
Selling, general, and administrative expenses	(54,602)	(50,512)	(49,798)	(48,341)	(55,421)	(57,753)	(51,908)	(48,201)
Interest expense									(685)us-gaap_InterestExpenseDebt	(1,726)us-gaap_InterestExpenseDebt	(808)us-gaap_InterestExpenseDebt
Losses from early extinguishments of debt									(18,153)
Other-than-temporary impairment of marketable securities									(4,293)
Income (loss) before income taxes									100,475	129,825	61,115
(Provision) benefit for income taxes									(37,332)us-gaap_IncomeTaxExpenseBenefit	184,560us-gaap_IncomeTaxExpenseBenefit	1,584us-gaap_IncomeTaxExpenseBenefit
Net income (loss)	14,639us-gaap_NetIncomeLoss	15,458us-gaap_NetIncomeLoss	21,542us-gaap_NetIncomeLoss	11,504us-gaap_NetIncomeLoss	30,709us-gaap_NetIncomeLoss	36,251us-gaap_NetIncomeLoss	224,909us-gaap_NetIncomeLoss	22,516us-gaap_NetIncomeLoss	63,143us-gaap_NetIncomeLoss	314,385us-gaap_NetIncomeLoss	62,699us-gaap_NetIncomeLoss
Other comprehensive income related to available for sale securities, net of tax									(1,120)	6,737	12,078
Comprehensive income									62,023	321,122	74,777
Homebuilding [Member] \| Consolidation, Eliminations [Member]
Condensed Income Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Revenues										(1,248)	(6,534)
Cost of Sales										1,248	6,534
Selling, general, and administrative expenses									(676)	(353)
Equity income (loss) of subsidiaries									(86,223)	(163,157)	(81,836)
Interest income									(46)	(48)
Income (loss) before income taxes									(86,945)	(163,558)	(81,836)
Homebuilding [Member] \| MDC Holdings [Member]
Condensed Income Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Selling, general, and administrative expenses									(38,290)	(63,506)	(52,880)
Equity income (loss) of subsidiaries									86,223	163,157	81,836
Interest income									24,824	28,329	24,035
Interest expense									(685)	(1,726)	(778)
Other income (expense), net									(8)	(14)	(126)
Losses from early extinguishments of debt									(18,153)
Other-than-temporary impairment of marketable securities									(4,293)
Income (loss) before income taxes									49,618	126,240	52,087
Homebuilding [Member] \| Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Condensed Income Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Revenues									1,650,631	1,630,423	1,162,676
Cost of Sales									(1,368,140)	(1,340,187)	(984,477)
Inventory impairments									(1,760)	(919)	(1,105)
Gross margin									280,731	289,317	177,094
Selling, general, and administrative expenses									(164,287)	(149,424)	(119,135)
Interest income									1,517	1,503	949
Interest expense											(30)
Other income (expense), net									(4,805)	(3,769)	(1,239)
Income (loss) before income taxes									113,156	137,627	57,639
Homebuilding [Member] \| Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Condensed Income Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Cost of Sales									(40)
Gross margin									(40)
Selling, general, and administrative expenses											4,720
Interest income									15	14	14
Other income (expense), net											(7)
Income (loss) before income taxes									(25)	14	4,727
Homebuilding [Member]
Condensed Income Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Revenues									1,650,631	1,629,175	1,156,142
Cost of Sales									(1,368,180)	(1,338,939)	(977,943)
Inventory impairments									(1,760)	(919)	(1,105)
Gross margin									280,691	289,317	177,094
Selling, general, and administrative expenses									(203,253)	(213,283)	(167,295)
Interest income									26,310	29,798	24,998
Interest expense									(685)	(1,726)	(808)
Other income (expense), net									(4,813)	(3,783)	(1,372)
Losses from early extinguishments of debt									(18,153)
Other-than-temporary impairment of marketable securities		(4,300)							(4,293)
Income (loss) before income taxes									75,804	100,323	32,617
Financial Services [Member] \| Consolidation, Eliminations [Member]
Condensed Income Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Income (loss) before income taxes									722	401
Financial Services [Member] \| Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Condensed Income Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Income (loss) before income taxes									23,949	29,101	28,498
Financial Services [Member]
Condensed Income Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Income (loss) before income taxes									24,671	29,502	28,498
Consolidation, Eliminations [Member]
Condensed Income Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Income (loss) before income taxes									(86,223)	(163,157)	(81,836)
Net income (loss)									(86,223)	(163,157)	(81,836)
Other comprehensive income related to available for sale securities, net of tax									22	119	(100)
Comprehensive income									(86,201)	(163,038)	(81,936)
MDC Holdings [Member]
Condensed Income Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Income (loss) before income taxes									49,618	126,240	52,087
(Provision) benefit for income taxes									13,525	188,145	10,612
Net income (loss)									63,143	314,385	62,699
Other comprehensive income related to available for sale securities, net of tax									(1,120)	6,737	12,078
Comprehensive income									62,023	321,122	74,777
Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Condensed Income Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Income (loss) before income taxes									113,156	137,627	57,639
(Provision) benefit for income taxes									(42,044)	7,507	1,435
Net income (loss)									71,112	145,134	59,074
Comprehensive income									71,112	145,134	59,074
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Condensed Income Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Income (loss) before income taxes									23,924	29,115	33,225
(Provision) benefit for income taxes									(8,813)	(11,092)	(10,463)
Net income (loss)									15,111	18,023	22,762
Other comprehensive income related to available for sale securities, net of tax									(22)	(119)	100
Comprehensive income									$ 15,089	$ 17,904	$ 22,862