Name:	hov_CommonStockDividendsPercentOfIncreaseFromClassAToClassB
Namespace Prefix:	hov_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

Represent the number of votes per share of common stock

No definition available.

Name:	hov_CommonStockVotingRightsVotesPerShareNumber
Namespace Prefix:	hov_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

Name:	hov_Note15CommonStockDetailsLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	hov_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

Number of rights which, under the company's shareholder rights plan, was distributed for each share of Class A Common Stock and Class B Common Stock outstanding at the close of business on August 15, 2008.

No definition available.

Name:	hov_NumberOfRights
Namespace Prefix:	hov_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

Percentage of ownership of shareholders for which if they increased their collective ownership of the aggregate amount of our outstanding shares by more than 50 percentage points over a defined period of time, under Section 382 of the Internal Revenue Code, would limit our ability to use NOLs and built-in losses if there was an "ownership change".

No definition available.

Name:	hov_ShareholderOwnershipPercentage
Namespace Prefix:	hov_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

Percentage of increase over a defined period of time of percentage of collective ownership of shareholders of 5% or more, which under Section 382 of the Internal Revenue Code would limit our ability to use NOLs and built-in losses if there was an "ownership change".

No definition available.

Name:	hov_ShareholderOwnershipPercentageOfIncrease
Namespace Prefix:	hov_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

Percentage of outstanding Class A Common Stock acquired by any person or group without approval of Board of Directors, that would cause a triggering event under the Company's Rights Plan, causing significant dilution in the voting power of such person or group.

No definition available.

Name:	hov_ShareholderPercentOfStockAcquired
Namespace Prefix:	hov_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

Percentage of common stock ownership of which current stockholders exceed, per the company's Certificate of Incorporation would trigger a restriction of any direct or indirect transfer if the effect of the transaction would be to increase the direct or indirect ownership of the company's stock by any person or public group over this percentage.

No definition available.

Name:	hov_ShareholdersCurrentOwnershipPercentage
Namespace Prefix:	hov_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

Percentage of common stock ownership which, per the company's Certificate of Incorporation would trigger a restriction of any direct or indirect transfer if the effect of the transaction would be to increase the direct or indirect ownership of the company's stock by any person or public group over this percentage.

No definition available.

Name:	hov_ShareholdersOwnershipPercentageOnTransfers
Namespace Prefix:	hov_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

Threshold of percentage of ownership of common stock under the company's amended Certificate of Incorporation.

No definition available.

Name:	hov_ShareholdersOwnershipPercentageThreshold
Namespace Prefix:	hov_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

Percentage of Class A Common Stock owned by stockholders prior to the amendment of the Company's Certificate of Incorporation.

No definition available.

Name:	hov_ShareholdersPreExistingOwnershipPercentage
Namespace Prefix:	hov_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

Number of shares that have been repurchased during the period and have not been retired and are not held in treasury. Some state laws may govern the circumstances under which an entity may acquire its own stock and prescribe the accounting treatment therefore. This element is used when state law does not recognize treasury stock.

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

-Publisher SEC

-Name Regulation S-X (SX)

-Number 210

-Section 04

-Article 3

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

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 505

-SubTopic 10

-Section 50

-Paragraph 2

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6928386&loc=d3e21463-112644

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

-Publisher SEC

-Name Regulation S-X (SX)

-Number 210

-Section 02

-Paragraph 29, 30

-Article 5

Name:	us-gaap_StockRepurchasedDuringPeriodShares
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:sharesItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

The number of shares authorized to be repurchased by an entity's Board of Directors under a stock repurchase plan.

No definition available.

Name:	us-gaap_StockRepurchaseProgramNumberOfSharesAuthorizedToBeRepurchased
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:sharesItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

Amount remaining of a stock repurchase plan authorized.

No definition available.

Name:	us-gaap_StockRepurchaseProgramRemainingAuthorizedRepurchaseAmount1
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

Name:	us-gaap_RangeAxis=us-gaap_MinimumMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Name:	us-gaap_StatementClassOfStockAxis=us-gaap_CommonClassAMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type: