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Note 6 - Fair Value Measurements (Details) (USD $)
12 Months Ended 3 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2014
Sep. 30, 2014
Dec. 31, 2013
Note 6 - Fair Value Measurements (Details) [Line Items]      
Other than Temporary Impairment Losses, Investments, Portion Recognized in Earnings, Net $ 4,293,000us-gaap_OtherThanTemporaryImpairmentLossesInvestmentsPortionRecognizedInEarningsNet    
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Gain (Loss) Accumulated in AOCI 4,500,000mdc_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesGrossUnrealizedGainLossAccumulatedInAOCI   12,600,000mdc_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesGrossUnrealizedGainLossAccumulatedInAOCI
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Loss Accumulated in AOCI 3,100,000mdc_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesGrossUnrealizedLossAccumulatedInAOCI   1,100,000mdc_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesGrossUnrealizedLossAccumulatedInAOCI
Disposal Group, Including Discontinued Operation, Mortgage Loans 13,600,000us-gaap_LoansHeldForSaleMortgages   25,900,000us-gaap_LoansHeldForSaleMortgages
Carrying Value of Impaired Inventory 6,709,000mdc_CarryingValueOfImpairedInventory   4,187,000mdc_CarryingValueOfImpairedInventory
Under Commitment To Sell [Member] | Fair Value, Inputs, Level 2 [Member]      
Note 6 - Fair Value Measurements (Details) [Line Items]      
Disposal Group, Including Discontinued Operation, Mortgage Loans 72,300,000us-gaap_LoansHeldForSaleMortgages
/ us-gaap_FairValueByFairValueHierarchyLevelAxis
= us-gaap_FairValueInputsLevel2Member
/ us-gaap_MortgageLoansOnRealEstateLoanTypeAxis
= mdc_UnderCommitmentToSellMember
  65,100,000us-gaap_LoansHeldForSaleMortgages
/ us-gaap_FairValueByFairValueHierarchyLevelAxis
= us-gaap_FairValueInputsLevel2Member
/ us-gaap_MortgageLoansOnRealEstateLoanTypeAxis
= mdc_UnderCommitmentToSellMember
Not Under Commitment To Sell [Member] | Fair Value, Inputs, Level 2 [Member]      
Note 6 - Fair Value Measurements (Details) [Line Items]      
Disposal Group, Including Discontinued Operation, Mortgage Loans 13,600,000us-gaap_LoansHeldForSaleMortgages
/ us-gaap_FairValueByFairValueHierarchyLevelAxis
= us-gaap_FairValueInputsLevel2Member
/ us-gaap_MortgageLoansOnRealEstateLoanTypeAxis
= mdc_NotUnderCommitmentToSellMember
  25,900,000us-gaap_LoansHeldForSaleMortgages
/ us-gaap_FairValueByFairValueHierarchyLevelAxis
= us-gaap_FairValueInputsLevel2Member
/ us-gaap_MortgageLoansOnRealEstateLoanTypeAxis
= mdc_NotUnderCommitmentToSellMember
Homebuilding [Member]      
Note 6 - Fair Value Measurements (Details) [Line Items]      
Other than Temporary Impairment Losses, Investments, Portion Recognized in Earnings, Net 4,293,000us-gaap_OtherThanTemporaryImpairmentLossesInvestmentsPortionRecognizedInEarningsNet
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= mdc_HomebuildingMember
4,300,000us-gaap_OtherThanTemporaryImpairmentLossesInvestmentsPortionRecognizedInEarningsNet
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= mdc_HomebuildingMember
 
Fair Value, Inputs, Level 2 [Member]      
Note 6 - Fair Value Measurements (Details) [Line Items]      
Disposal Group, Including Discontinued Operation, Mortgage Loans 88,392,000us-gaap_LoansHeldForSaleMortgages
/ us-gaap_FairValueByFairValueHierarchyLevelAxis
= us-gaap_FairValueInputsLevel2Member
  92,578,000us-gaap_LoansHeldForSaleMortgages
/ us-gaap_FairValueByFairValueHierarchyLevelAxis
= us-gaap_FairValueInputsLevel2Member
Minimum [Member]      
Note 6 - Fair Value Measurements (Details) [Line Items]      
Short Term Borrowings Maturity Period 30 days    
Inventories [Member]      
Note 6 - Fair Value Measurements (Details) [Line Items]      
Carrying Value of Impaired Inventory $ 10,700,000mdc_CarryingValueOfImpairedInventory
/ us-gaap_BalanceSheetLocationAxis
= us-gaap_InventoriesMember
  $ 5,800,000mdc_CarryingValueOfImpairedInventory
/ us-gaap_BalanceSheetLocationAxis
= us-gaap_InventoriesMember