Note 21 - Financial Information of Subsidiary Issuer and Subsidiary Guarantors (Details) - Consolidating Condensed Financial Statements - Statements of Cash Flows - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		12 Months Ended
	Jan. 31, 2016	Jan. 31, 2015	Oct. 31, 2015
Cash flows from operating activities:
Net (loss) income	$ (16,173)	$ (14,376)	$ (14,376)
Adjustments to reconcile net (loss) income to net cash (used in) provided by operating activities	(48,908)	(181,241)
Net cash (used in) provided by operating activities	(65,081)	(195,617)
Cash flows from investing activities:
Proceeds from sale of property and assets	93	168
Purchase of property, equipment & other fixed assets and acquisitions	(1,253)	(879)
Investments in and advances to unconsolidated joint ventures	(11,497)	(11,735)
Distribution of capital from unconsolidated joint ventures	2,132	627
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities	(10,554)	(11,432)
Cash flows from financing activities:
Net proceeds from mortgages and notes	(15,393)	(3,319)
Net proceeds from model sale leaseback financing programs	2,229	(5,802)
Net proceeds from land bank financing programs	135,074	(7,203)
Net proceeds from senior notes		247,938
Payments related to senior notes and senior amortizing notes	(175,040)	(2,062)
Net payments related to mortgage warehouse lines of credit	31,481	(8,153)
Deferred financing costs from land bank financing programs and note issuances	(3,883)	(5,011)
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities	(25,532)	218,450
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents	(101,167)	11,401
Cash and cash equivalents balance, beginning of period	253,745	261,898	261,898
Cash and cash equivalents balance, end of period	152,578	273,299	253,745
Related to Mortgage Company [Member]
Cash flows from investing activities:
(Increase) decrease in restricted cash	(81)	387
Related to Letters of Credit [Member]
Cash flows from investing activities:
(Increase) decrease in restricted cash	52
Reportable Legal Entities [Member] | Parent Company [Member]
Cash flows from operating activities:
Net (loss) income	(16,173)	(14,376)	(14,376)
Adjustments to reconcile net (loss) income to net cash (used in) provided by operating activities	(11,768)	(7,520)
Net cash (used in) provided by operating activities	(27,941)	(21,896)
Cash flows from financing activities:
Intercompany financing activities	27,941	21,896
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities	27,941	21,896
Reportable Legal Entities [Member] | Subsidiary Issuer [Member]
Cash flows from operating activities:
Net (loss) income	(7,863)	(22,122)	(22,122)
Adjustments to reconcile net (loss) income to net cash (used in) provided by operating activities	(16,045)	3,248
Net cash (used in) provided by operating activities	(23,908)	(18,874)
Cash flows from investing activities:
Investments in and advances to unconsolidated joint ventures	(130)	81
Intercompany investing activities	117,284	(159,012)
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities	117,206	(158,931)
Cash flows from financing activities:
Net proceeds from senior notes		247,938
Payments related to senior notes and senior amortizing notes	(175,040)
Deferred financing costs from land bank financing programs and note issuances		(4,627)
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities	(175,040)	243,311
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents	(81,742)	65,506
Cash and cash equivalents balance, beginning of period	199,318	159,508	159,508
Cash and cash equivalents balance, end of period	117,576	225,014	199,318
Reportable Legal Entities [Member] | Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Cash flows from operating activities:
Net (loss) income	(34,430)	(13,567)	(13,567)
Adjustments to reconcile net (loss) income to net cash (used in) provided by operating activities	80,623	(39,948)
Net cash (used in) provided by operating activities	46,193	(53,515)
Cash flows from investing activities:
Proceeds from sale of property and assets	72	156
Purchase of property, equipment & other fixed assets and acquisitions	(1,223)	(879)
Investments in and advances to unconsolidated joint ventures	(865)	146
Distribution of capital from unconsolidated joint ventures	80
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities	(1,936)	(577)
Cash flows from financing activities:
Net proceeds from mortgages and notes	(10,035)	(10,277)
Net proceeds from model sale leaseback financing programs	2,118	(5,606)
Net proceeds from land bank financing programs	106,813	(6,332)
Deferred financing costs from land bank financing programs and note issuances	(2,496)	(114)
Intercompany financing activities	(143,237)	76,732
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities	(46,837)	54,403
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents	(2,580)	311
Cash and cash equivalents balance, beginning of period	(4,800)	(4,726)	(4,726)
Cash and cash equivalents balance, end of period	(7,380)	(4,415)	(4,800)
Reportable Legal Entities [Member] | Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Cash flows from operating activities:
Net (loss) income	15,553	13,871	13,871
Adjustments to reconcile net (loss) income to net cash (used in) provided by operating activities	(74,978)	(115,203)
Net cash (used in) provided by operating activities	(59,425)	(101,332)
Cash flows from investing activities:
Proceeds from sale of property and assets	21	12
Purchase of property, equipment & other fixed assets and acquisitions	(30)
Investments in and advances to unconsolidated joint ventures	(10,502)	(11,962)
Distribution of capital from unconsolidated joint ventures	2,052	627
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities	(8,540)	(10,936)
Cash flows from financing activities:
Net proceeds from mortgages and notes	(5,358)	6,958
Net proceeds from model sale leaseback financing programs	111	(196)
Net proceeds from land bank financing programs	28,261	(871)
Net payments related to mortgage warehouse lines of credit	31,481	(8,153)
Deferred financing costs from land bank financing programs and note issuances	(1,387)	(270)
Intercompany financing activities	(1,988)	60,384
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities	51,120	57,852
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents	(16,845)	(54,416)
Cash and cash equivalents balance, beginning of period	59,227	107,116	107,116
Cash and cash equivalents balance, end of period	42,382	52,700	59,227
Reportable Legal Entities [Member] | Related to Mortgage Company [Member] | Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Cash flows from investing activities:
(Increase) decrease in restricted cash	(81)	387
Reportable Legal Entities [Member] | Related to Letters of Credit [Member] | Subsidiary Issuer [Member]
Cash flows from investing activities:
(Increase) decrease in restricted cash	52
Consolidation, Eliminations [Member]
Cash flows from operating activities:
Net (loss) income	26,740	21,818	$ 21,818
Adjustments to reconcile net (loss) income to net cash (used in) provided by operating activities	(26,740)	(21,818)
Cash flows from investing activities:
Intercompany investing activities	(117,284)	159,012
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities	(117,284)	159,012
Cash flows from financing activities:
Intercompany financing activities	117,284	(159,012)
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities	$ 117,284	$ (159,012)