Note 19 - Supplemental Guarantor Information - Supplemental Condensed Combining Balance Sheet (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Sep. 30, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015	Sep. 30, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
MDC Holdings [Member] | Homebuilding Segment [Member] | Reportable Legal Entities [Member]
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 124,730	$ 141,245
Marketable securities	57,116	92,387
Restricted cash
Trade and other receivables	6,517	5,304
Housing completed or under construction
Land and land under development
Total inventories
Intercompany receivables	1,609,686	1,509,551
Investment in subsidiaries	258,979	267,191
Property and equipment, net	26,121	26,073
Deferred Tax Assets, Net	83,839	97,083
Metropolitan district bond securities (related party)	29,132	25,911
Prepaid and other assets	6,153	5,973
Assets	2,202,273	2,170,718
Accounts payable
Accrued liabilities	5,543	11,527
Advances and notes payable to parent and subsidiaries	47,749	47,375
Revolving credit facility	15,000	15,000
Senior notes, net	841,359	840,524
Total homebuilding liabilities	909,651	914,426
Total financial services liabilities	909,651	914,426
Land and Land Under Development
Long-term Line of Credit	15,000	15,000
MDC Holdings [Member] | Financial Services Segment [Member] | Reportable Legal Entities [Member]
Cash and cash equivalents
Marketable securities
Intercompany receivables
Assets
Loans Receivable Held-for-sale, Net, Not Part of Disposal Group, Mortgage
Other assets
Advances and notes payable to parent and subsidiaries
Total homebuilding liabilities
Accounts payable and other liabilities
Mortgage repurchase facility
Total financial services liabilities
MDC Holdings [Member] | Reportable Legal Entities [Member]
Cash and cash equivalents	124,730	141,245	$ 81,358	$ 119,951
Assets	2,202,273	2,170,718
Total homebuilding liabilities	909,651	914,426
Total financial services liabilities	909,651	914,426
Total Stockholders' Equity	1,292,622	1,256,292
Total Liabilities and Stockholders' Equity	2,202,273	2,170,718
Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member] | Homebuilding Segment [Member] | Reportable Legal Entities [Member]
Cash and cash equivalents	4,548	3,097
Marketable securities
Restricted cash	4,621	3,750
Trade and other receivables	38,979	20,297
Housing completed or under construction	976,372	747,036
Land and land under development	870,733	1,016,926
Total inventories	1,847,105	1,763,962
Intercompany receivables	2,803	2,850
Investment in subsidiaries
Property and equipment, net	2,628	2,153
Deferred Tax Assets, Net
Metropolitan district bond securities (related party)
Prepaid and other assets	60,042	59,421
Assets	1,960,726	1,855,530
Accounts payable	54,117	40,472
Accrued liabilities	113,535	108,445
Advances and notes payable to parent and subsidiaries	1,579,856	1,480,589
Revolving credit facility
Senior notes, net
Total homebuilding liabilities	1,747,508	1,629,506
Total financial services liabilities	1,747,508	1,629,506
Land and Land Under Development	1,847,105	1,763,962
Long-term Line of Credit
Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member] | Financial Services Segment [Member] | Reportable Legal Entities [Member]
Cash and cash equivalents
Marketable securities
Intercompany receivables
Assets
Loans Receivable Held-for-sale, Net, Not Part of Disposal Group, Mortgage
Other assets
Advances and notes payable to parent and subsidiaries
Total homebuilding liabilities
Accounts payable and other liabilities
Mortgage repurchase facility
Total financial services liabilities
Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member] | Reportable Legal Entities [Member]
Cash and cash equivalents	4,548	3,097	3,716	2,691
Assets	1,960,726	1,855,530
Total homebuilding liabilities	1,747,508	1,629,506
Total financial services liabilities	1,747,508	1,629,506
Total Stockholders' Equity	213,218	226,024
Total Liabilities and Stockholders' Equity	1,960,726	1,855,530
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member] | Homebuilding Segment [Member] | Reportable Legal Entities [Member]
Cash and cash equivalents
Marketable securities
Restricted cash
Trade and other receivables
Housing completed or under construction
Land and land under development
Total inventories
Intercompany receivables	5,467	5,291
Investment in subsidiaries
Property and equipment, net
Deferred Tax Assets, Net
Metropolitan district bond securities (related party)
Prepaid and other assets
Assets	5,467	5,291
Accounts payable
Accrued liabilities	145	(33)
Advances and notes payable to parent and subsidiaries	26,267	25,536
Revolving credit facility
Senior notes, net
Total homebuilding liabilities	26,412	25,503
Total financial services liabilities	26,412	25,503
Land and Land Under Development
Long-term Line of Credit
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member] | Financial Services Segment [Member] | Reportable Legal Entities [Member]
Cash and cash equivalents	34,180	36,646
Marketable securities	22,105	11,307
Intercompany receivables	39,479	39,234
Assets	224,632	210,764
Loans Receivable Held-for-sale, Net, Not Part of Disposal Group, Mortgage	117,989	115,670
Other assets	10,879	7,907
Advances and notes payable to parent and subsidiaries	3,563	3,426
Total homebuilding liabilities	157,926	149,385
Accounts payable and other liabilities	62,352	57,348
Mortgage repurchase facility	92,011	88,611
Total financial services liabilities	157,926	149,385
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member] | Reportable Legal Entities [Member]
Cash and cash equivalents	34,180	36,646	37,921	31,183
Assets	230,099	216,055
Total homebuilding liabilities	184,338	174,888
Total financial services liabilities	184,338	174,888
Total Stockholders' Equity	45,761	41,167
Total Liabilities and Stockholders' Equity	230,099	216,055
Homebuilding Segment [Member] | Consolidation, Eliminations [Member]
Cash and cash equivalents
Marketable securities
Restricted cash
Trade and other receivables	(2,414)	(2,287)
Housing completed or under construction
Land and land under development
Total inventories
Intercompany receivables	(1,617,956)	(1,517,692)
Investment in subsidiaries	(258,979)	(267,191)
Property and equipment, net
Deferred Tax Assets, Net	1,289	2,024
Metropolitan district bond securities (related party)
Prepaid and other assets
Assets	(1,878,060)	(1,785,146)
Accounts payable
Accrued liabilities	3,004	2,947
Advances and notes payable to parent and subsidiaries	(1,653,872)	(1,553,500)
Revolving credit facility
Senior notes, net
Total homebuilding liabilities	(1,650,868)	(1,550,553)
Total financial services liabilities	(1,650,868)	(1,550,553)
Land and Land Under Development
Long-term Line of Credit
Homebuilding Segment [Member]
Cash and cash equivalents	129,278	144,342
Marketable securities	57,116	92,387
Restricted cash	4,621	3,750
Trade and other receivables	43,082	23,314
Housing completed or under construction	976,372	747,036
Land and land under development	870,733	1,016,926
Total inventories	1,847,105	1,763,962
Intercompany receivables
Investment in subsidiaries
Property and equipment, net	28,749	28,226
Deferred Tax Assets, Net	85,128	99,107
Metropolitan district bond securities (related party)	29,132	25,911
Prepaid and other assets	66,195	65,394
Assets	2,290,406	2,246,393
Accounts payable	54,117	40,472
Accrued liabilities	122,227	122,886
Advances and notes payable to parent and subsidiaries
Revolving credit facility	15,000	15,000
Senior notes, net	841,359	840,524
Total homebuilding liabilities	1,032,703	1,018,882
Total financial services liabilities	1,032,703	1,018,882
Land and Land Under Development	1,847,105	1,763,962
Long-term Line of Credit	15,000	15,000
Financial Services Segment [Member] | Consolidation, Eliminations [Member]
Cash and cash equivalents
Marketable securities
Intercompany receivables	(39,479)	(39,234)
Assets	(40,768)	(41,258)
Loans Receivable Held-for-sale, Net, Not Part of Disposal Group, Mortgage
Other assets	(1,289)	(2,024)
Advances and notes payable to parent and subsidiaries	(3,563)	(3,426)
Total homebuilding liabilities	(8,981)	(8,660)
Accounts payable and other liabilities	(5,418)	(5,234)
Mortgage repurchase facility
Total financial services liabilities	(8,981)	(8,660)
Financial Services Segment [Member]
Cash and cash equivalents	34,180	36,646
Marketable securities	22,105	11,307
Intercompany receivables
Assets	183,864	169,506
Loans Receivable Held-for-sale, Net, Not Part of Disposal Group, Mortgage	117,989	115,670
Other assets	9,590	5,883
Advances and notes payable to parent and subsidiaries
Total homebuilding liabilities	148,945	140,725
Accounts payable and other liabilities	56,934	52,114
Mortgage repurchase facility	92,011	88,611
Total financial services liabilities	148,945	140,725
Consolidation, Eliminations [Member]
Cash and cash equivalents
Assets	(1,918,828)	(1,826,404)
Total homebuilding liabilities	(1,659,849)	(1,559,213)
Total financial services liabilities	(1,659,849)	(1,559,213)
Total Stockholders' Equity	(258,979)	(267,191)
Total Liabilities and Stockholders' Equity	(1,918,828)	(1,826,404)
Cash and cash equivalents	163,458	180,988	$ 122,995	$ 153,825
Deferred Tax Assets, Net	85,100	99,100
Assets	2,474,270	2,415,899
Total homebuilding liabilities	1,181,648	1,159,607
Total financial services liabilities	1,181,648	1,159,607
Total Stockholders' Equity	1,292,622	1,256,292
Total Liabilities and Stockholders' Equity	$ 2,474,270	$ 2,415,899