Note 21 - Consolidating Condensed Financial Statements - Statements of Cash Flows (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Apr. 30, 2016	Apr. 30, 2015	Apr. 30, 2016	Apr. 30, 2015
Parent Company [Member] | Reportable Legal Entities [Member]
Net (loss) income	$ (8,461)	$ (19,559)	$ (24,634)	$ (33,935)
Adjustments to reconcile net (loss) income to net cash used in operating activities			(12,034)	(7,989)
Net cash (used in) provided by operating activities			(36,668)	(41,924)
Intercompany financing activities			36,668	41,924
Net cash (used in) provided by financing activities			36,668	41,924
Subsidiary Issuer [Member] | Reportable Legal Entities [Member] | Related to Letters of Credit [Member]
Increase (decrease) in restricted cash			325
Subsidiary Issuer [Member] | Reportable Legal Entities [Member]
Net (loss) income	(11,981)	(20,072)	(19,844)	(42,194)
Adjustments to reconcile net (loss) income to net cash used in operating activities			22,078	18,740
Net cash (used in) provided by operating activities			2,234	(23,454)
Investments in and advances to unconsolidated joint ventures			(130)	81
Distributions of capital from unconsolidated joint ventures			186	33
Intercompany investing activities			80,160	(165,853)
Net cash (used in) provided by investing activities			80,169	(165,805)
Payments related to senior notes and senior amortizing notes			(175,040)	(2,062)
Borrowings from revolving credit facility			3,000
Deferred financing costs from land bank financing programs and note issuances				(4,627)
Net cash (used in) provided by financing activities			(172,040)	243,311
Net decrease in cash			(89,637)	54,052
Cash and cash equivalents balance, beginning of period			199,318	159,508
Cash and cash equivalents balance, end of period	109,681	213,560	109,681	213,560
Distributions of capital from unconsolidated joint ventures			(186)	(33)
Proceeds from senior notes				250,000
Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member] | Reportable Legal Entities [Member]
Net (loss) income	(15,270)	(15,849)	(49,700)	(29,416)
Adjustments to reconcile net (loss) income to net cash used in operating activities			120,711	(101,623)
Net cash (used in) provided by operating activities			71,011	(131,039)
Proceeds from sale of property and assets			94	952
Purchase of property, equipment & other fixed assets and acquisitions			(1,620)	(1,172)
Investments in and advances to unconsolidated joint ventures			(990)	146
Distributions of capital from unconsolidated joint ventures			1,087	339
Net cash (used in) provided by investing activities			(1,429)	265
Net payments related to mortgages and notes			(13,649)	6,336
Net proceeds from model sale leaseback financing programs			3,179	11,746
Net proceeds from land bank financing programs			90,425	(9,124)
Deferred financing costs from land bank financing programs and note issuances			(3,380)	(1,016)
Intercompany financing activities			(146,900)	124,498
Net cash (used in) provided by financing activities			(70,325)	132,440
Net decrease in cash			(743)	1,666
Cash and cash equivalents balance, beginning of period			(4,800)	(4,726)
Cash and cash equivalents balance, end of period	(5,543)	3,060	(5,543)	3,060
Distributions of capital from unconsolidated joint ventures			(1,087)	(339)
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member] | Reportable Legal Entities [Member] | Related to Mortgage Company [Member]
Increase (decrease) in restricted cash			(204)	1,645
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member] | Reportable Legal Entities [Member]
Net (loss) income	15,995	13,332	31,548	27,203
Adjustments to reconcile net (loss) income to net cash used in operating activities			(99,312)	(86,915)
Net cash (used in) provided by operating activities			(67,764)	(59,712)
Proceeds from sale of property and assets			21	31
Purchase of property, equipment & other fixed assets and acquisitions			(31)
Investments in and advances to unconsolidated joint ventures			(15,623)	(15,766)
Distributions of capital from unconsolidated joint ventures			4,164	7,039
Net cash (used in) provided by investing activities			(11,673)	(7,051)
Net payments related to mortgages and notes			(5,490)	8,375
Net proceeds from model sale leaseback financing programs			(1,960)	1,595
Net proceeds from land bank financing programs			24,048	(3,879)
Borrowings from revolving credit facility			257	6,047
Deferred financing costs from land bank financing programs and note issuances			(1,201)	(850)
Intercompany financing activities			30,072	(569)
Net cash (used in) provided by financing activities			45,726	10,719
Net decrease in cash			(33,711)	(56,044)
Cash and cash equivalents balance, beginning of period			59,227	107,116
Cash and cash equivalents balance, end of period	25,516	51,072	25,516	51,072
Distributions of capital from unconsolidated joint ventures			(4,164)	(7,039)
Consolidation, Eliminations [Member]
Net (loss) income	11,256	22,589	37,996	44,407
Adjustments to reconcile net (loss) income to net cash used in operating activities			(37,996)	(44,407)
Intercompany investing activities			(80,160)	165,853
Net cash (used in) provided by investing activities			(80,160)	165,853
Intercompany financing activities			80,160	(165,853)
Net cash (used in) provided by financing activities			80,160	(165,853)
Related to Mortgage Company [Member]
Increase (decrease) in restricted cash			(204)	1,645
Related to Letters of Credit [Member]
Increase (decrease) in restricted cash			325
Net (loss) income	(8,461)	(19,559)	(24,634)	(33,935)
Adjustments to reconcile net (loss) income to net cash used in operating activities			(6,553)	(222,194)
Net cash (used in) provided by operating activities			(31,187)	(256,129)
Proceeds from sale of property and assets			115	983
Purchase of property, equipment & other fixed assets and acquisitions			(1,651)	(1,172)
Investments in and advances to unconsolidated joint ventures			(16,743)	(15,539)
Distributions of capital from unconsolidated joint ventures			5,065	7,345
Net cash (used in) provided by investing activities			(13,093)	(6,738)
Net payments related to mortgages and notes			(19,139)	14,711
Net proceeds from model sale leaseback financing programs			1,219	13,341
Net proceeds from land bank financing programs			114,473	(13,003)
Payments related to senior notes and senior amortizing notes			(175,040)	(2,062)
Borrowings from revolving credit facility			257	6,047
Deferred financing costs from land bank financing programs and note issuances			(4,581)	(6,493)
Net cash (used in) provided by financing activities			(79,811)	262,541
Net decrease in cash			(124,091)	(326)
Cash and cash equivalents balance, beginning of period			253,745	261,898
Cash and cash equivalents balance, end of period	$ 129,654	$ 261,572	129,654	261,572
Distributions of capital from unconsolidated joint ventures			$ (5,065)	(7,345)
Proceeds from senior notes				$ 250,000