Note 21 - Financial Information of Subsidiary Issuer and Subsidiary Guarantors (Details) - Consolidating Condensed Financial Statements - Statements of Operations (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended
	Jan. 31, 2015	Jan. 31, 2014
Condensed Income Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Total revenues	$ 445,714	$ 364,048
Total expenses	466,846	390,509
Income from unconsolidated joint ventures	1,452	2,571
(Loss) income before income taxes	(19,680)	(23,890)
State and federal income tax (benefit) provision	(5,304)	633
Equity in (loss) income of consolidated subsidiaries		0
Net (loss) income	(14,376)	(24,523)
Homebuilding [Member] | Reportable Legal Entities [Member] | Parent Company [Member]
Condensed Income Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Total expenses	3,711	3,983
Homebuilding [Member] | Reportable Legal Entities [Member] | Subsidiary Issuer [Member]
Condensed Income Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Homebuilding revenue		(46)
Total expenses	37,828	31,179
Homebuilding [Member] | Reportable Legal Entities [Member] | Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Condensed Income Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Homebuilding revenue	365,189	283,038
Total expenses	357,509	289,618
Homebuilding [Member] | Reportable Legal Entities [Member] | Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Condensed Income Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Homebuilding revenue	69,403	72,962
Total expenses	60,481	61,009
Homebuilding [Member] | Consolidation, Eliminations [Member]
Condensed Income Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Total expenses		(1,952)
Homebuilding [Member]
Condensed Income Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Homebuilding revenue	434,592	355,954
Total revenues	434,628	355,999
Total expenses	459,529	383,837
(Loss) income before income taxes	13,531	9,684
Financial Services [Member] | Reportable Legal Entities [Member] | Parent Company [Member]
Condensed Income Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Financial services	68	4
Financial Services [Member] | Reportable Legal Entities [Member] | Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Condensed Income Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Financial services	1,833	1,835
Financial services	1,573	1,525
Financial Services [Member] | Reportable Legal Entities [Member] | Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Condensed Income Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Financial services	9,289	6,259
Financial services	5,676	5,143
Financial Services [Member]
Condensed Income Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Financial services	11,122	8,094
Total revenues	11,122	8,094
(Loss) income before income taxes	3,805	1,422
Financial services	7,317	6,672
Reportable Legal Entities [Member] | Parent Company [Member]
Condensed Income Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Total expenses	3,779	3,987
(Loss) income before income taxes	(3,779)	(3,987)
State and federal income tax (benefit) provision	(12,286)	(3,592)
Equity in (loss) income of consolidated subsidiaries	(22,883)	(24,128)
Net (loss) income	(14,376)	(24,523)
Reportable Legal Entities [Member] | Subsidiary Issuer [Member]
Condensed Income Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Intercompany charges	28,512
Total revenues	28,512	21,321
Total expenses	37,828	31,179
(Loss) income before income taxes	(9,316)	(9,858)
Equity in (loss) income of consolidated subsidiaries	(12,806)	(12,079)
Net (loss) income	(22,122)	(21,937)
Intercompany charges		21,367
Reportable Legal Entities [Member] | Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Condensed Income Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Total revenues	367,022	263,611
Total expenses	387,464	291,143
Income from unconsolidated joint ventures	(14)	23
(Loss) income before income taxes	(20,456)	(27,509)
State and federal income tax (benefit) provision	6,982	4,225
Equity in (loss) income of consolidated subsidiaries	13,871	15,368
Net (loss) income	(13,567)	(16,366)
Intercompany charges	28,382	(21,262)
Reportable Legal Entities [Member] | Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Condensed Income Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Total revenues	78,692	78,972
Total expenses	66,287	66,152
Income from unconsolidated joint ventures	1,466	2,548
(Loss) income before income taxes	13,871	15,368
Net (loss) income	13,871	15,368
Intercompany charges	130	(249)
Consolidation, Eliminations [Member]
Condensed Income Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Intercompany charges	(28,512)
Total revenues	(28,512)	144
Total expenses	(28,512)	(1,952)
(Loss) income before income taxes		2,096
Equity in (loss) income of consolidated subsidiaries	21,818	20,839
Net (loss) income	21,818	22,935
Intercompany charges	$ (28,512)	$ 144