Note 21 - Consolidating Condensed Financial Statements - Statements of Cash Flows (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Jul. 31, 2016	Jul. 31, 2015	Jul. 31, 2016	Jul. 31, 2015
Parent Company [Member] | Reportable Legal Entities [Member]
Net (loss) income	$ (474)	$ (7,684)	$ (25,108)	$ (41,619)
Adjustments to reconcile net (loss) income to net cash (used in) provided by operating activities			(9,089)	(3,128)
Net cash (used in) provided by operating activities			(34,197)	(44,747)
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities
Intercompany financing activities			34,197	44,747
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities			34,197	44,747
Net (decrease) increase in cash
Subsidiary Issuer [Member] | Reportable Legal Entities [Member] | Related to Letters of Credit [Member]
Decrease in restricted cash related to mortgage company			873
Subsidiary Issuer [Member] | Reportable Legal Entities [Member]
Net (loss) income	1,237	(20,893)	(18,607)	(63,087)
Adjustments to reconcile net (loss) income to net cash (used in) provided by operating activities			(25,300)	12,191
Net cash (used in) provided by operating activities			(43,907)	(50,896)
Investments in and advances to unconsolidated joint ventures			(110)	81
Distributions of capital from unconsolidated joint ventures			186	315
Intercompany investing activities			231,254	(189,879)
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities			231,831	(189,483)
Net proceeds from revolving credit facility			5,000
Payments for senior notes and senior amortizing notes			(263,994)	(4,238)
Deferred financing costs from land bank financing programs and note issuances			(2,139)	(4,689)
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities			(261,133)	241,073
Net (decrease) increase in cash			(73,209)	694
Cash and cash equivalents balance, beginning of period			199,318	159,508
Cash and cash equivalents balance, end of period	126,109	160,202	126,109	160,202
Proceeds from senior notes				250,000
Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member] | Reportable Legal Entities [Member]
Net (loss) income	(809)	2,010	(50,509)	(27,406)
Adjustments to reconcile net (loss) income to net cash (used in) provided by operating activities			289,872	(154,619)
Net cash (used in) provided by operating activities			239,363	(182,025)
Proceeds from sale of property and assets			622	1,112
Purchase of property, equipment & other fixed assets and acquisitions			(5,064)	(1,653)
Investments in and advances to unconsolidated joint ventures			(1,395)	184
Distributions of capital from unconsolidated joint ventures			1,087	646
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities			(4,750)	289
Net payments related to mortgages and notes			(53,780)	18,682
Net proceeds from model sale leaseback financing programs			(977)	17,918
Net borrowings from land bank financing programs			69,388	(10,065)
Deferred financing costs from land bank financing programs and note issuances			(4,180)	(1,781)
Intercompany financing activities			(245,387)	157,306
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities			(234,936)	182,060
Net (decrease) increase in cash			(323)	324
Cash and cash equivalents balance, beginning of period			(4,800)	(4,726)
Cash and cash equivalents balance, end of period	(5,123)	(4,402)	(5,123)	(4,402)
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member] | Reportable Legal Entities [Member] | Related to Mortgage Company [Member]
Decrease in restricted cash related to mortgage company			88	1,466
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member] | Reportable Legal Entities [Member]
Net (loss) income	4,839	15,474	36,387	42,677
Adjustments to reconcile net (loss) income to net cash (used in) provided by operating activities			(3,090)	(97,689)
Net cash (used in) provided by operating activities			33,297	(55,012)
Proceeds from sale of property and assets			21	31
Purchase of property, equipment & other fixed assets and acquisitions			(30)
Investments in and advances to unconsolidated joint ventures			(37,584)	(17,266)
Distributions of capital from unconsolidated joint ventures			5,502	9,760
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities			(32,003)	(6,009)
Net payments related to mortgages and notes			677	12,103
Net proceeds from model sale leaseback financing programs			357	1,846
Net borrowings from land bank financing programs			22,331	(311)
Net proceeds related to mortgage warehouse lines of credit			6,781	11,635
Deferred financing costs from land bank financing programs and note issuances			(1,547)	(1,057)
Intercompany financing activities			(20,064)	(12,174)
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities			8,535	12,042
Net (decrease) increase in cash			9,829	(48,979)
Cash and cash equivalents balance, beginning of period			59,227	107,116
Cash and cash equivalents balance, end of period	69,056	58,137	69,056	58,137
Consolidation, Eliminations [Member]
Net (loss) income	(5,267)	3,409	32,729	47,816
Adjustments to reconcile net (loss) income to net cash (used in) provided by operating activities			(32,729)	(47,816)
Net cash (used in) provided by operating activities
Intercompany investing activities			(231,254)	189,879
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities			(231,254)	189,879
Intercompany financing activities			231,254	(189,879)
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities			231,254	(189,879)
Net (decrease) increase in cash
Related to Mortgage Company [Member]
Decrease in restricted cash related to mortgage company			88	1,466
Related to Letters of Credit [Member]
Decrease in restricted cash related to mortgage company			873
Net (loss) income	(474)	(7,684)	(25,108)	(41,619)
Adjustments to reconcile net (loss) income to net cash (used in) provided by operating activities			219,664	(291,061)
Net cash (used in) provided by operating activities			194,556	(332,680)
Proceeds from sale of property and assets			643	1,143
Purchase of property, equipment & other fixed assets and acquisitions			(5,094)	(1,653)
Investments in and advances to unconsolidated joint ventures			(39,089)	(17,001)
Distributions of capital from unconsolidated joint ventures			6,403	10,721
Intercompany investing activities
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities			(36,176)	(5,324)
Net payments related to mortgages and notes			(53,103)	30,785
Net proceeds from model sale leaseback financing programs			(620)	19,764
Net borrowings from land bank financing programs			91,719	(10,376)
Net proceeds from revolving credit facility			5,000
Payments for senior notes and senior amortizing notes			(263,994)	(4,238)
Net proceeds related to mortgage warehouse lines of credit			6,781	11,635
Deferred financing costs from land bank financing programs and note issuances			(7,866)	(7,527)
Intercompany financing activities
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities			(222,083)	290,043
Net (decrease) increase in cash			(63,703)	(47,961)
Cash and cash equivalents balance, beginning of period			253,745	261,898
Cash and cash equivalents balance, end of period	$ 190,042	$ 213,937	$ 190,042	213,937
Proceeds from senior notes				$ 250,000