Note 22 - Financial Information of Subsidiary Issuer and Subsidiary Guarantors (Detail) - Consolidating Condensed Balance Sheets (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Oct. 31, 2012	Oct. 31, 2011
Assets	$ 1,684,250	$ 1,602,180
Liabilities	2,169,595	2,098,782
Notes payable	1,562,395	1,624,101
Income taxes payable	6,882	41,829
Stockholders’ (deficit) equity	(485,575)	(496,694)
Non-controlling interest in consolidated joint ventures	230	92
Total liabilities and equity	1,684,250	1,602,180
Homebuilding [Member] \| Parent Company [Member]
Assets	6,155	12,756
Liabilities	1,671	2,172
Homebuilding [Member] \| Subsidiary Issuer [Member]
Assets	259,339	200,281
Liabilities	125	(33)
Homebuilding [Member] \| Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Assets	976,836	1,096,594
Liabilities	391,628	355,191
Homebuilding [Member] \| Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Assets	277,286	207,443
Liabilities	61,800	11,276
Homebuilding [Member]
Assets	1,519,616	1,517,074
Liabilities	455,224	368,606
Financial Services [Member] \| Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Assets	23,669	4,537
Liabilities	23,070	4,231
Financial Services [Member] \| Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Assets	140,965	80,569
Liabilities	122,024	60,015
Financial Services [Member]
Assets	164,634	85,106
Liabilities	145,094	64,246
Due to and from Consolidated Subsidiaries [Member] \| Parent Company [Member]
Assets	25	(467,562)
Due to and from Consolidated Subsidiaries [Member] \| Subsidiary Issuer [Member]
Assets	15,311	2,140,349
Due to and from Consolidated Subsidiaries [Member] \| Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Assets	70,067	(2,435,348)
Due to and from Consolidated Subsidiaries [Member] \| Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Assets		(9,364)
Due to and from Consolidated Subsidiaries [Member] \| Consolidation, Eliminations [Member]
Assets	(85,403)	771,925
Parent Company [Member]
Assets	6,180	(454,806)
Income taxes payable	40,551	39,716
Intercompany	449,533
Stockholders’ (deficit) equity	(485,575)	(496,694)
Total liabilities and equity	6,180	(454,806)
Subsidiary Issuer [Member]
Assets	274,650	2,340,630
Notes payable	1,561,635	1,623,957
Intercompany	(1,930,998)
Stockholders’ (deficit) equity	643,888	716,706
Total liabilities and equity	274,650	2,340,630
Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Assets	1,070,572	(1,334,217)
Notes payable	271	144
Income taxes payable	(33,669)	2,113
Intercompany	1,494,224
Stockholders’ (deficit) equity	(804,952)	(1,695,896)
Total liabilities and equity	1,070,572	(1,334,217)
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Assets	418,251	278,648
Notes payable	489
Intercompany	(12,759)
Stockholders’ (deficit) equity	246,467	207,265
Non-controlling interest in consolidated joint ventures	230	92
Total liabilities and equity	418,251	278,648
Consolidation, Eliminations [Member]
Assets	(85,403)	771,925
Stockholders’ (deficit) equity	(85,403)	771,925
Total liabilities and equity	$ (85,403)	$ 771,925

Carrying amount as of the balance sheet date of the unpaid sum of the known and estimated amounts payable to satisfy all domestic and foreign income tax obligations due. This amount is the total of current and noncurrent accrued income taxes.

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 942

-SubTopic 210

-Section S99

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (SX 210.9-03.15)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6876686&loc=d3e534808-122878

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 944

-SubTopic 210

-Section S99

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (SX 210.7-03.15(b))

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6879938&loc=d3e572229-122910

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name FASB Interpretation (FIN)

-Number 48

-Paragraph 15, 21

-LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy.

Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)

-Number 109

-Section Appendix E

-Paragraph 289

-LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy.

Reference 5: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher SEC

-Name Regulation S-X (SX)

-Number 210

-Section 03

-Paragraph 15

-Subparagraph b(1)

-Article 7

Reference 6: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 740

-SubTopic 10

-Section 50

-Paragraph 15

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6907707&loc=d3e32718-109319

Reference 7: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher SEC

-Name Regulation S-X (SX)

-Number 210

-Section 03

-Paragraph 15

-Subparagraph 1

-Article 9

+ Details

- Definition

Sum of the carrying amounts as of the balance sheet date of all assets that are recognized. Assets are probable future economic benefits obtained or controlled by an entity as a result of past transactions or events.

+ References+ Details

- Definition

Total of all stockholders' equity (deficit) items, net of receivables from officers, directors, owners, and affiliates of the entity which is directly or indirectly attributable to that ownership interest in subsidiary equity which is not attributable to the parent (that is, noncontrolling interest, previously referred to as minority interest).

+ References+ Details

- Definition

Receivables to be collected from (obligations owed to) related parties, net as of the balance sheet date where one party can exercise control or significant influence over another party; including affiliates, owners or officers and their immediate families, pension trusts, and so forth.

+ References+ Details

- Definition

Total of all stockholders' equity (deficit) items, net of receivables from officers, directors, owners, and affiliates of the entity which are attributable to the parent. The amount of the economic entity's stockholders' equity attributable to the parent excludes the amount of stockholders' equity which is allocable to that ownership interest in subsidiary equity which is not attributable to the parent (noncontrolling interest, minority interest). This excludes temporary equity and is sometimes called permanent equity.

+ References+ Details