Note 23 (Details) - Condensed Consolidating Financial Statements - Statements of Operations (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Jul. 31, 2013	Jul. 31, 2012	Jul. 31, 2013	Jul. 31, 2012
Condensed Income Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Homebuilding	$ 465,479	$ 376,224	$ 1,224,347	$ 972,319
Financial services	12,878	10,787	35,219	25,990
Total revenues	478,357	387,011	1,259,566	998,309
Costs and Expenses	471,659	395,910	1,278,051	1,075,640
(Loss) gain on extinguishment of debt		6,230		57,966
(Loss) income from unconsolidated joint ventures	3,690	852	6,806	2,324
(Loss) income before income taxes	10,388	(1,817)	(11,679)	(17,041)
State and federal income tax (benefit) provision	1,922	(36,493)	(10,155)	(35,254)
Net income (loss)	8,466	34,676	(1,524)	18,213
Financial services	6,640	6,111	21,205	16,651
Homebuilding [Member] | Consolidation, Eliminations [Member]
Condensed Income Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Costs and Expenses	2,141	(67,011)	4,554	(42,392)
Homebuilding [Member] | Parent Company [Member]
Condensed Income Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Costs and Expenses	3,177	1,640	5,921	5,815
Homebuilding [Member] | Subsidiary Issuer [Member]
Condensed Income Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Costs and Expenses	30,389	88,266	90,088	112,342
Homebuilding [Member] | Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Condensed Income Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Costs and Expenses	351,903	352,332	994,979	954,080
Homebuilding [Member] | Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Condensed Income Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Costs and Expenses	77,409	14,572	161,304	29,144
Homebuilding [Member] | Consolidated Entities [Member]
Condensed Income Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Costs and Expenses	465,019	389,799	1,256,846	1,058,989
Homebuilding [Member]
Condensed Income Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Total revenues	465,549	376,153	1,224,489	972,319
Costs and Expenses	67,526	84,615	194,667	210,904
(Loss) income before income taxes	37,268	14,731	64,755	17,512
Consolidation, Eliminations [Member]
Condensed Income Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Homebuilding	(1,246)	(1,251)	(3,741)	(3,729)
Financial services
Intercompany charges	4,208	(37,685)	15,886	(27,055)
Total revenues	2,962	(38,936)	12,145	(30,784)
Costs and Expenses	2,141	(67,009)	4,554	(42,403)
(Loss) gain on extinguishment of debt
(Loss) income from unconsolidated joint ventures
(Loss) income before income taxes	821	28,073	7,591	11,619
State and federal income tax (benefit) provision
Equity in income (loss) of consolidated subsidiaries	(24,336)	(32,287)	727	2,302
Net income (loss)	(23,515)	(4,214)	8,318	13,921
Financial services		2		(11)
Parent Company [Member]
Condensed Income Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Homebuilding		4	3	8
Financial services
Intercompany charges
Total revenues		4	3	8
Costs and Expenses	3,181	1,663	5,934	5,918
(Loss) gain on extinguishment of debt
(Loss) income from unconsolidated joint ventures
(Loss) income before income taxes	(3,181)	(1,659)	(5,931)	(5,910)
State and federal income tax (benefit) provision	(2,233)	(4,261)	(19,308)	(12,929)
Equity in income (loss) of consolidated subsidiaries	9,414	32,074	(14,901)	11,194
Net income (loss)	8,466	34,676	(1,524)	18,213
Financial services	4	23	13	103
Subsidiary Issuer [Member]
Condensed Income Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Homebuilding	(76)	(92)	(175)	(197)
Financial services
Intercompany charges	20,760	53,026	61,167	76,975
Total revenues	20,684	52,934	60,992	76,778
Costs and Expenses	30,389	88,266	90,088	112,342
(Loss) gain on extinguishment of debt		6,230	(770,009)	57,966
(Loss) income from unconsolidated joint ventures
(Loss) income before income taxes	(9,705)	(29,102)	(799,105)	22,402
State and federal income tax (benefit) provision
Equity in income (loss) of consolidated subsidiaries	(10,887)	(10,375)	(33,606)	(32,546)
Net income (loss)	(20,592)	(39,477)	(832,711)	(10,144)
Financial services
Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Condensed Income Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Homebuilding	372,416	356,862	1,033,927	934,330
Financial services	3,080	2,237	7,743	5,232
Intercompany charges	(24,931)	(15,107)	(75,265)	(46,238)
Total revenues	350,565	343,992	966,405	893,324
Costs and Expenses	353,955	353,739	1,000,721	958,047
(Loss) gain on extinguishment of debt			770,009
(Loss) income from unconsolidated joint ventures	34	30	2,293	521
(Loss) income before income taxes	(3,356)	(9,717)	737,986	(64,202)
State and federal income tax (benefit) provision	4,155	(32,232)	9,153	(22,325)
Equity in income (loss) of consolidated subsidiaries	25,809	10,588	47,780	19,050
Net income (loss)	18,298	33,103	776,613	(22,827)
Financial services	2,052	1,407	5,742	3,967
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Condensed Income Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Homebuilding	94,385	20,701	194,333	41,907
Financial services	9,798	8,550	27,476	20,758
Intercompany charges	(37)	(234)	(1,788)	(3,682)
Total revenues	104,146	29,017	220,021	58,983
Costs and Expenses	81,993	19,251	176,754	41,736
(Loss) gain on extinguishment of debt
(Loss) income from unconsolidated joint ventures	3,656	822	4,513	1,803
(Loss) income before income taxes	25,809	10,588	47,780	19,050
State and federal income tax (benefit) provision
Equity in income (loss) of consolidated subsidiaries
Net income (loss)	25,809	10,588	47,780	19,050
Financial services	4,584	4,679	15,450	12,592
Consolidated Entities [Member]
Condensed Income Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Homebuilding	465,479	376,224	1,224,347	972,319
Financial services	12,878	10,787	35,219	25,990
Intercompany charges
Total revenues	478,357	387,011	1,259,566	998,309
Costs and Expenses	471,659	395,910	1,278,051	1,075,640
(Loss) gain on extinguishment of debt		6,230		57,966
(Loss) income from unconsolidated joint ventures	3,690	852	6,806	2,324
(Loss) income before income taxes	10,388	(1,817)	(11,679)	(17,041)
State and federal income tax (benefit) provision	1,922	(36,493)	(10,155)	(35,254)
Equity in income (loss) of consolidated subsidiaries
Net income (loss)	8,466	34,676	(1,524)	18,213
Financial services	$ 6,640	$ 6,111	$ 21,205	$ 16,651