SEGMENTS (Details 2) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2013	Sep. 30, 2013	Jun. 30, 2013	Mar. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012	Sep. 30, 2012	Jun. 30, 2012	Mar. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011
Segments reporting
Land sales									$ 251,217	$ 182,643	$ 114,610
Builder price participation									9,356	5,747	3,816
Minimum rents									81,668	82,621	71,178
Tenant recoveries									21,068	23,351	19,323
Condominium rights and unit sales									32,969	267	22,067
Other land revenues									17,315	18,073	13,133
Resort and conference center revenues									39,201	39,782	15,744
Other rental and property revenues									21,816	24,402	15,818
Total revenues	133,953	103,514	147,052	90,091	108,367	94,815	93,939	79,765	474,610	376,886	275,689
Cost of sales - land									124,040	89,298	70,108
Condominium rights and unit cost of sales									16,572	96	14,465
Other property operating costs									73,186	63,035	50,549
Rental property real estate taxes									14,291	13,643	10,270
Rental property maintenance costs									8,083	8,655	7,076
Resort and conference center operations									29,454	29,112	13,220
Provision for (recovery of) doubtful accounts									836	1,224	(235)
Demolition costs									2,078
Depreciation and amortization									33,845	24,429	16,782
Interest income									(3,185)	(9,437)	(9,876)
Interest expense									9,759	964
Early extinguishment of debt											11,305
Equity in Earnings from Real Estate Affiliates									(14,428)	(3,683)	(8,578)
Master Planned Communities | Segment Basis
Segments reporting
Land sales									251,217	182,643	161,383
Builder price participation									9,356	5,747	4,924
Minimum rents									781	576	673
Other land revenues									13,416	18,073	17,057
Total revenues									274,770	207,039	184,037
Master Planned Communities | Consolidated Properties
Segments reporting
Land sales											114,610
Builder price participation											3,816
Minimum rents											659
Other land revenues											13,133
Total revenues											132,218
Master Planned Communities | Real Estate Affiliates
Segments reporting
Land sales											46,773
Builder price participation											1,108
Minimum rents											14
Other land revenues											3,924
Total revenues											51,819
Operating Assets | Segment Basis
Segments reporting
Minimum rents									80,124	81,140	72,405
Tenant recoveries									20,901	23,210	20,254
Resort and conference center revenues									39,201	39,782	34,850
Other rental and property revenues									20,360	20,959	21,064
Total revenues									160,586	165,091	148,573
Operating Assets | Consolidated Properties
Segments reporting
Minimum rents											69,602
Tenant recoveries											19,193
Resort and conference center revenues											15,744
Other rental and property revenues											14,072
Total revenues											118,611
Operating Assets | Real Estate Affiliates
Segments reporting
Minimum rents											2,803
Tenant recoveries											1,061
Resort and conference center revenues											19,106
Other rental and property revenues											6,992
Total revenues											29,962
Strategic Developments | Segment Basis
Segments reporting
Minimum rents									763	905	917
Tenant recoveries									167	141	130
Condominium rights and unit sales									32,969	267	22,067
Other land revenues									3,899
Other rental and property revenues									1,456	3,443	1,746
Total revenues									39,254	4,756	24,860
Strategic Developments | Consolidated Properties
Segments reporting
Minimum rents											917
Tenant recoveries											130
Condominium rights and unit sales											22,067
Other rental and property revenues											1,746
Total revenues											24,860
Operating segment
Segments reporting
Total revenues									474,610	376,886	357,470
Operating segment | Segment Basis
Segments reporting
REP EBT									154,437	109,705	62,197
Operating segment | Consolidated Properties
Segments reporting
REP EBT									140,009	106,022	49,987
Operating segment | Real Estate Affiliates
Segments reporting
REP EBT									(14,428)	(3,683)	12,210
Operating segment | Master Planned Communities
Segments reporting
Total revenues									274,770	207,039	184,037
Operating segment | Master Planned Communities | Segment Basis
Segments reporting
Cost of sales - land									124,040	89,298	94,040
Land sales operations									30,826	32,817	31,965
Land sales real estate and business taxes									7,588	7,558	9,619
Depreciation and amortization									32	72	48
Interest income									(16)	(45)	(508)
Interest expense									(18,678)	(14,598)	(9,788)
Total expenses									143,792	115,102	125,376
Venture partner share of The Woodlands EBT											(7,949)
REP EBT									130,978	91,937	50,712
Operating segment | Master Planned Communities | Consolidated Properties
Segments reporting
Cost of sales - land											70,108
Land sales operations											24,533
Land sales real estate and business taxes											7,713
Depreciation and amortization											2
Interest income											(144)
Interest expense											(11,920)
Total expenses											90,292
REP EBT											41,926
Operating segment | Master Planned Communities | Real Estate Affiliates
Segments reporting
Cost of sales - land											23,932
Land sales operations											7,432
Land sales real estate and business taxes											1,906
Depreciation and amortization											46
Interest income											(364)
Interest expense											2,132
Total expenses											35,084
Venture partner share of The Woodlands EBT											(7,949)
REP EBT											8,786
Operating segment | Operating Assets
Segments reporting
Total revenues									160,586	165,091	148,573
Operating segment | Operating Assets | Segment Basis
Segments reporting
Other property operating costs									64,608	60,072	55,745
Rental property real estate taxes									12,065	11,292	10,638
Rental property maintenance costs									7,552	8,073	6,922
Resort and conference center operations									29,454	29,112	27,124
Provision for (recovery of) doubtful accounts									835	1,335	(107)
Depreciation and amortization									31,427	23,318	20,309
Interest income									(135)	(185)	(127)
Interest expense									19,146	16,289	12,902
Early extinguishment of debt											11,305
Equity in Earnings from Real Estate Affiliates									(3,893)	(3,683)	(3,926)
Total expenses									163,137	145,623	140,785
Venture partner share of The Woodlands EBT											425
REP EBT									(2,551)	19,468	8,213
Operating segment | Operating Assets | Consolidated Properties
Segments reporting
Other property operating costs											46,522
Rental property real estate taxes											9,666
Rental property maintenance costs											6,405
Resort and conference center operations											13,220
Provision for (recovery of) doubtful accounts											(98)
Depreciation and amortization											16,341
Interest income											(125)
Interest expense											10,586
Early extinguishment of debt											11,305
Total expenses											113,822
REP EBT											4,789
Operating segment | Operating Assets | Real Estate Affiliates
Segments reporting
Other property operating costs											9,223
Rental property real estate taxes											972
Rental property maintenance costs											517
Resort and conference center operations											13,904
Provision for (recovery of) doubtful accounts											(9)
Depreciation and amortization											3,968
Interest income											(2)
Interest expense											2,316
Equity in Earnings from Real Estate Affiliates											(3,926)
Total expenses											26,963
Venture partner share of The Woodlands EBT											425
REP EBT											3,424
Operating segment | Strategic Developments
Segments reporting
Total revenues									39,254	4,756	24,860
Operating segment | Strategic Developments | Segment Basis
Segments reporting
Condominium rights and unit cost of sales									16,572	96	14,465
Other property operating costs									8,578	3,094	5,428
Rental property real estate taxes									2,226	2,351	604
Rental property maintenance costs									531	582	671
Provision for (recovery of) doubtful accounts									1	(111)	(137)
Demolition costs									2,078
Depreciation and amortization									189	225	234
Interest expense									(4,318)	219	323
Equity in Earnings from Real Estate Affiliates									(10,535)
Total expenses									13,244	6,456	21,588
REP EBT									26,010	(1,700)	3,272
Operating segment | Strategic Developments | Consolidated Properties
Segments reporting
Condominium rights and unit cost of sales											14,465
Other property operating costs											5,428
Rental property real estate taxes											604
Rental property maintenance costs											671
Provision for (recovery of) doubtful accounts											(137)
Depreciation and amortization											234
Interest expense											323
Total expenses											21,588
REP EBT											$ 3,272