Consolidated Financial Statements	6 Months Ended
Jun. 30, 2015
Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract]
Consolidated Financial Statements	Consolidated Financial Statements The consolidated financial statements include the accounts of The Ryland Group, Inc. and its 100 percent-owned subsidiaries (the “Company”). Noncontrolling interest represents the selling entities’ ownership interests in land and lot option purchase contracts. (See Note 11, “Variable Interest Entities (‘VIE’).”) Intercompany transactions have been eliminated in consolidation. Information is presented on a continuing operations basis unless otherwise noted. The results from continuing and discontinued operations are presented separately in the consolidated financial statements. All prior period amounts have been reclassified to conform to the 2015 presentation. (See “Critical Accounting Policies” within Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations.) On June 14, 2015, the Company entered into an Agreement and Plan of Merger (the “Merger Agreement”) with Standard Pacific. Subject to the terms and conditions of the Merger Agreement, Standard Pacific and the Company have agreed that the Company will merge with and into Standard Pacific in a “merger of equals,” with Standard Pacific continuing as the surviving corporation(the “Surviving Corporation”), and the separate corporate existence of the Company will cease (the “Merger"). Subject to the terms and conditions of the Merger Agreement, which was unanimously approved by the boards of directors of Standard Pacific and the Company, if the Merger is completed, each five shares of common stock issued and outstanding of Standard Pacific will be combined and converted into one issued and outstanding share of common stock of the Surviving Corporation and each share of common stock of the Company issued and outstanding will be converted and exchangeable for 1.0191 issued and outstanding shares of common stock of the Surviving Corporation. The proposed merger is subject to approval by the shareholders of the Company and Standard Pacific and other customary closing conditions. The Company currently expects the transaction to close in early Fall 2015. During the second quarter of 2015, the Company incurred transaction related fees totaling $3.6 million, which was reported in "Other (expense) income" within the Consolidated Statements of Earnings. (See Part II, Item 1A. Risk Factors) The Consolidated Balance Sheet at June 30, 2015, the Consolidated Statements of Earnings and Comprehensive Income for the three- and six-month periods ended June 30, 2015 and 2014, the Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows for the six-month periods ended June 30, 2015 and 2014, and the Consolidated Statement of Stockholders’ Equity as of and for the six-month period ended June 30, 2015, have been prepared by the Company without audit. In the opinion of management, all adjustments, including normally recurring adjustments necessary to present fairly the Company’s financial position, results of operations and cash flows at June 30, 2015, and for all periods presented, have been made. Certain information and footnote disclosures normally included in the financial statements have been condensed or omitted. These financial statements should be read in conjunction with the financial statements and related notes included in the Company’s 2014 Annual Report on Form 10-K. The Company has historically experienced, and expects to continue to experience, variability in quarterly results. Accordingly, the results of operations for the three and six months ended June 30, 2015, are not necessarily indicative of the operating results expected for the year ending December 31, 2015.

Consolidated Financial Statements

The consolidated financial statements include the accounts of The Ryland Group, Inc. and its 100 percent-owned subsidiaries (the “Company”). Noncontrolling interest represents the selling entities’ ownership interests in land and lot option purchase contracts. (See Note 11, “Variable Interest Entities (‘VIE’).”) Intercompany transactions have been eliminated in consolidation. Information is presented on a continuing operations basis unless otherwise noted. The results from continuing and discontinued operations are presented separately in the consolidated financial statements. All prior period amounts have been reclassified to conform to the 2015 presentation. (See “Critical Accounting Policies” within Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations.)

On June 14, 2015, the Company entered into an Agreement and Plan of Merger (the “Merger Agreement”) with Standard Pacific. Subject to the terms and conditions of the Merger Agreement, Standard Pacific and the Company have agreed that the Company will merge with and into Standard Pacific in a “merger of equals,” with Standard Pacific continuing as the surviving corporation(the “Surviving Corporation”), and the separate corporate existence of the Company will cease (the “Merger"). Subject to the terms and conditions of the Merger Agreement, which was unanimously approved by the boards of directors of Standard Pacific and the Company, if the Merger is completed, each five shares of common stock issued and outstanding of Standard Pacific will be combined and converted into one issued and outstanding share of common stock of the Surviving Corporation and each share of common stock of the Company issued and outstanding will be converted and exchangeable for 1.0191 issued and outstanding shares of common stock of the Surviving Corporation. The proposed merger is subject to approval by the shareholders of the Company and Standard Pacific and other customary closing conditions. The Company currently expects the transaction to close in early Fall 2015. During the second quarter of 2015, the Company incurred transaction related fees totaling $3.6 million, which was reported in "Other (expense) income" within the Consolidated Statements of Earnings. (See Part II, Item 1A. Risk Factors)

The Consolidated Balance Sheet at June 30, 2015, the Consolidated Statements of Earnings and Comprehensive Income for the three- and six-month periods ended June 30, 2015 and 2014, the Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows for the six-month periods ended June 30, 2015 and 2014, and the Consolidated Statement of Stockholders’ Equity as of and for the six-month period ended June 30, 2015, have been prepared by the Company without audit. In the opinion of management, all adjustments, including normally recurring adjustments necessary to present fairly the Company’s financial position, results of operations and cash flows at June 30, 2015, and for all periods presented, have been made. Certain information and footnote disclosures normally included in the financial statements have been condensed or omitted. These financial statements should be read in conjunction with the financial statements and related notes included in the Company’s 2014 Annual Report on Form 10-K.

The Company has historically experienced, and expects to continue to experience, variability in quarterly results. Accordingly, the results of operations for the three and six months ended June 30, 2015, are not necessarily indicative of the operating results expected for the year ending December 31, 2015.