Note 21 - Consolidating Condensed Financial Statements - Balance Sheets (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Jul. 31, 2016	Oct. 31, 2015
Subsidiary Issuer [Member] | Reportable Legal Entities [Member] | Homebuilding [Member]
Assets	$ 152,404	$ 230,358
Liability	113	87
Subsidiary Issuer [Member] | Reportable Legal Entities [Member]
Assets	1,456,893	1,717,871
Income taxes receivable	(66,948)	(89,212)
Intercompany receivable	1,371,437	1,575,712
Investments in and amounts due from consolidated subsidiaries		1,013
Notes payable	1,664,756	1,933,119
Amounts due to consolidated subsidiaries	25,966
Stockholders’ (deficit) equity	(233,942)	(215,335)
Total liabilities and equity	1,456,893	1,717,871
Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member] | Reportable Legal Entities [Member] | Homebuilding [Member]
Assets	1,356,452	1,553,811
Liability	622,053	588,854
Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member] | Reportable Legal Entities [Member] | Financial Services [Member]
Assets	13,023	15,680
Liability	13,085	15,677
Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member] | Reportable Legal Entities [Member]
Assets	2,010,574	2,203,816
Income taxes receivable	221,680	251,293
Investments in and amounts due from consolidated subsidiaries	419,419	383,032
Notes payable	5,063	2,132
Intercompany payable	1,277,040	1,453,311
Stockholders’ (deficit) equity	93,333	143,842
Total liabilities and equity	2,010,574	2,203,816
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member] | Reportable Legal Entities [Member] | Homebuilding [Member]
Assets	420,742	367,869
Liability	102,679	65,947
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member] | Reportable Legal Entities [Member] | Financial Services [Member]
Assets	152,862	144,301
Liability	128,954	121,106
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member] | Reportable Legal Entities [Member]
Assets	651,970	570,472
Income taxes receivable	22	22
Intercompany receivable	78,344	58,280
Notes payable	915	384
Stockholders’ (deficit) equity	419,422	383,035
Total liabilities and equity	651,970	570,472
Parent Company [Member] | Reportable Legal Entities [Member] | Homebuilding [Member]
Liability	3,166	3,076
Parent Company [Member] | Reportable Legal Entities [Member]
Assets	138,604	128,176
Income taxes receivable	138,604	128,176
Intercompany payable	172,741	180,681
Amounts due to consolidated subsidiaries	114,640	72,503
Stockholders’ (deficit) equity	(151,943)	(128,084)
Total liabilities and equity	138,604	128,176
Consolidation, Eliminations [Member]
Assets	(1,869,200)	(2,018,037)
Intercompany receivable	(1,449,781)	(1,633,992)
Investments in and amounts due from consolidated subsidiaries	(419,419)	(384,045)
Intercompany payable	(1,449,781)	(1,633,992)
Amounts due to consolidated subsidiaries	(140,606)	(72,503)
Stockholders’ (deficit) equity	(278,813)	(311,542)
Total liabilities and equity	(1,869,200)	(2,018,037)
Homebuilding [Member]
Assets	1,929,598	2,152,038	[1]
Liability	728,011	657,964	[1]
Financial Services [Member]
Assets	165,885	159,981	[1]
Liability	142,039	136,783	[1]
Assets	2,388,841	2,602,298	[1]
Income taxes receivable	293,358	290,279
Intercompany receivable
Liability	2,540,784	2,730,382	[1]
Notes payable	1,670,734	1,935,635	[1]
Intercompany payable
Amounts due to consolidated subsidiaries
Stockholders’ (deficit) equity	(151,943)	(128,084)	[1]
Total liabilities and equity	$ 2,388,841	$ 2,602,298	[1]

[1] Derived from the audited balance sheet as of October 31, 2015.