Senior Notes And Secured Indebtedness (Narrative) (Details) (USD $)
0 Months Ended 1 Months Ended 12 Months Ended 0 Months Ended 12 Months Ended 1 Months Ended 1 Months Ended 12 Months Ended 1 Months Ended 1 Months Ended 12 Months Ended 12 Months Ended 1 Months Ended 12 Months Ended 2 Months Ended 12 Months Ended 10 Months Ended 12 Months Ended 10 Months Ended 12 Months Ended 12 Months Ended 9 Months Ended 12 Months Ended 12 Months Ended 1 Months Ended 12 Months Ended 1 Months Ended 12 Months Ended 12 Months Ended 12 Months Ended
Sep. 03, 2009
May 30, 2012
Dec. 31, 2013
Feb. 24, 2012
Dec. 31, 2012
William Lyon Homes [Member]
Oct. 24, 2013
8.5% Senior Notes Due 2020 [Member]
Nov. 08, 2012
8.5% Senior Notes Due 2020 [Member]
Dec. 31, 2012
8.5% Senior Notes Due 2020 [Member]
Dec. 31, 2012
8.5% Senior Notes Due 2020 [Member]
California Lyon [Member]
Dec. 31, 2012
8.5% Senior Notes Due 2020 [Member]
Minimum [Member]
Dec. 31, 2012
8.5% Senior Notes Due 2020 [Member]
Maximum [Member]
Nov. 08, 2012
Senior Secured Term Loan [Member]
Nov. 08, 2012
Senior Subordinated Secured Notes [Member]
Nov. 08, 2012
Project Debt [Member]
Oct. 31, 2011
Land Acquisition Note Payable [Member]
Feb. 24, 2012
Land Acquisition Note Payable [Member]
Sep. 30, 2012
Additional Construction Notes One [Member]
Dec. 31, 2012
Additional Construction Notes One [Member]
Sep. 30, 2012
Notes Payable One [Member]
Dec. 31, 2013
Notes Payable One [Member]
Sep. 30, 2012
Additional Construction Notes Two [Member]
Dec. 31, 2012
Additional Construction Notes Two [Member]
Dec. 31, 2013
Additional Construction Notes Two [Member]
Dec. 31, 2013
Additional Construction Notes Four [Member]
Jun. 30, 2013
Additional Construction Notes Three [Member]
Dec. 31, 2013
Additional Construction Notes Three [Member]
Feb. 24, 2012
Predecessor [Member]
Dec. 31, 2011
Predecessor [Member]
Dec. 31, 2013
Predecessor [Member]
8 1/2% Senior Notes Due November 15, 2020 [Member]
Dec. 31, 2012
Successor [Member]
Dec. 31, 2013
Successor [Member]
Dec. 31, 2012
Successor [Member]
California Lyon [Member]
Dec. 31, 2013
Successor [Member]
California Lyon [Member]
Dec. 31, 2013
Successor [Member]
8 1/2% Senior Notes Due November 15, 2020 [Member]
Dec. 31, 2012
Successor [Member]
8 1/2% Senior Notes Due November 15, 2020 [Member]
Dec. 31, 2013
Successor [Member]
8 1/2% Senior Notes Due November 15, 2020 [Member]
California Lyon [Member]
Dec. 31, 2012
Successor [Member]
8 1/2% Senior Notes Due November 15, 2020 [Member]
California Lyon [Member]
Dec. 31, 2013
Successor [Member]
Senior Secured Term Loan [Member]
Dec. 31, 2012
Successor [Member]
Senior Secured Term Loan [Member]
Dec. 31, 2013
Successor [Member]
7 5/8% Senior Notes Due December 15, 2012 [Member]
Dec. 31, 2012
Successor [Member]
7 5/8% Senior Notes Due December 15, 2012 [Member]
Dec. 31, 2013
Successor [Member]
10 3/4% Senior Notes Due April 1, 2013 [Member]
Dec. 31, 2012
Successor [Member]
10 3/4% Senior Notes Due April 1, 2013 [Member]
Dec. 31, 2013
Successor [Member]
7 1/2% Senior Notes Due February 15, 2014 [Member]
Dec. 31, 2012
Successor [Member]
7 1/2% Senior Notes Due February 15, 2014 [Member]
Dec. 31, 2013
Revolving Credit Facility [Member]
Fixed Interest Rate [Member]
Sep. 30, 2013
Revolving Credit Facility [Member]
Revolving Credit Facility Agreement [Member]
Dec. 31, 2013
Revolving Credit Facility [Member]
Revolving Credit Facility Agreement [Member]
Aug. 07, 2013
Revolving Credit Facility [Member]
Revolving Credit Facility Agreement [Member]
Dec. 31, 2013
Revolving Credit Facility [Member]
Line Of Credit Loan Agreement [Member]
Mar. 05, 2013
Revolving Credit Facility [Member]
Line Of Credit Loan Agreement [Member]
Dec. 31, 2013
Revolving Credit Facility [Member]
Line Of Credit Loan Agreement [Member]
Minimum [Member]
Dec. 31, 2013
Revolving Credit Facility [Member]
Line Of Credit Loan Agreement [Member]
Maximum [Member]
Dec. 31, 2013
Revolving Credit Facility [Member]
Debt Instrument Variable Rate Prime Rate [Member]
Aug. 07, 2013
Line of Credit [Member]
Revolving Credit Facility Agreement [Member]
Dec. 31, 2013
Prime Rate [Member]
Additional Construction Notes Four [Member]
Dec. 31, 2013
Prime Rate [Member]
Revolving Credit Facility [Member]
Line Of Credit Loan Agreement [Member]
Dec. 31, 2013
London Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR) [Member]
Additional Construction Notes Four [Member]
Dec. 31, 2013
London Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR) [Member]
Revolving Credit Facility [Member]
Line Of Credit Loan Agreement [Member]
Dec. 31, 2013
Seller Financing [Member]
Successor [Member]
Dec. 31, 2012
Seller Financing [Member]
Successor [Member]
Dec. 31, 2013
Notes Payable One [Member]
Seller Financing [Member]
Dec. 31, 2013
Notes Payable One [Member]
Seller Financing [Member]
Successor [Member]
Dec. 31, 2013
Notes Payable Two [Member]
Seller Financing [Member]
Dec. 31, 2013
Notes Payable Two [Member]
Seller Financing [Member]
Successor [Member]
Dec. 31, 2013
Construction Notes Payable Agreement [Member]
Revolving Credit Facility [Member]
Additional Construction Notes Four [Member]
Dec. 31, 2013
Promissory Note [Member]
Additional Construction Notes Four [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]                                                                                                                                      
Debt Instrument Interest Rate Description                                   Prime rate +1.0%, with a rate floor of 5.0%       Prime rate +1%, with a rate floor of 5.0%   LIBOR + 3.0% or the Prime rate +1.0%   Prime rate +0.5%, with a rate floor of 4.0%                                       A fixed rate at LIBOR plus 3.00% per annum               A variable rate at the Prime Rate, as adjusted by CB&T in accordance with the CB&T Loan Agreement, plus 1.00% per annum                          
Debt instrument interest rate (as a percent)       10.00%     8.50%         10.25% 12.00%   1.50%                                     8.50% 8.50%         7.625% 7.625% 10.75% 10.75% 7.50% 7.50%                                 3.00%   7.00%      
Aggregate principal amount           $ 100,000,000 $ 325,000,000         $ 235,000,000 $ 76,000,000 $ 11,000,000                                                                                                          
Percentage of issuance price on face value           106.50% 100.00%                                                                                                                        
Proceeds from Issuance of Long-term Debt           104,700,000                                                                                                                          
8 1/2% Senior notes due November 15, 2020       283,500,000                                                 425,000,000         431,295,000 325,000,000 431,295,000 325,000,000                                                            
Interest at an annual rate (as a percent)               8.50%                                                                                                                      
First requisite repayment date               May 15, 2013                                                                                                                      
Debt instrument, maturity date Sep. 30, 2016             Nov. 15, 2020             Oct. 01, 2012   Sep. 30, 2015       Mar. 31, 2015                         Nov. 15, 2020 Nov. 15, 2020     Jan. 31, 2015 Jan. 31, 2015 Dec. 15, 2012 Dec. 15, 2012 Apr. 01, 2013 Apr. 01, 2013 Feb. 15, 2014 Feb. 15, 2014         Mar. 05, 2016                       Mar. 31, 2014   May 31, 2015      
Debt instrument redemption date               November 15, 2016                                                                                                                      
Notice period for redemption of notes (in days)                   30 days 60 days                                                                                                                
Percentage of redemption price of principal amount (as a percent)               100.00% 108.50%                                                                                                                    
Principal amount of notes redeemed (as a percent)                 35.00%                                                                                                                    
Maximum borrowing capacity                                                                                                 100,000,000   30,000,000       50,000,000                        
Additional capacity under accordion feature                                                                                                 125,000,000                                    
Commitment fee (as a percent)                                                                                             0.50%                                        
Letters of credit outstanding, amount                                                                                               4,000,000                                      
Basis spread on variable rate (as a percent)                                 1.00%       1.00%       0.50%                                                             1.00% 1.00% 3.00% 3.00%                
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate at Period End                                               4.25%                                                                                      
Percentage bearing variable interest (as a percent)                                                                                                       4.25% 5.00%                            
Current borrowing capacity                                                                                                   7,500,000                                  
Maturity date, description                                                                                                   every 90 days                                  
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage Rate Range, Minimum                                     5.00%   5.00%       4.00%                                                                                    
Total notes payable                                 19,000,000       17,000,000     18,600,000 28,000,000         13,248,000 38,060,000 7,809,000 12,281,000                                                     13,862,000 0   1,800,000   12,100,000 11,500,000 7,100,000
Line of Credit Facility, Amount Outstanding                                       7,800,000   5,400,000 900,000     21,200,000                                                                               2,100,000  
Acquisition price of land                             56,000,000                                                                                                        
Loans value                             55,000,000                                                                                                        
Loans value, noncurrent                               56,300,000                                                                                                      
(Loss) gain on extinguishment of debt   1,000,000 203,000,000                                                       (1,392,000) 0 (1,392,000)                                                                      
Amortization expense, net   $ 300,000                                                                                                                                  
Ownership rate         100.00%