Note 3 - Interest (Details Textual) - USD ($) $ in Thousands		3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
		Apr. 30, 2017	Apr. 30, 2016	Apr. 30, 2017	Apr. 30, 2016
Real Estate Inventory Expense Not Eligible for Capitalization	[1],[2]	$ 22,297	$ 24,084	$ 44,924	$ 45,309
Qualifying Assets Not Exceeding Debt [Member]
Real Estate Inventory Expense Not Eligible for Capitalization		16,000	12,200	29,300	26,700
Completed Homes, Land in Planning and Fully Developed Lots without Homes under Construction [Member]
Real Estate Inventory Expense Not Eligible for Capitalization		$ 6,300	$ 11,900	$ 15,600	$ 18,600

[1] Cash paid for interest, net of capitalized interest, is the sum of other interest expensed, as defined above, and interest paid by our mortgage and finance subsidiaries adjusted for the change in accrued interest on notes payable, which is calculated as follows:

[2] Other interest expensed includes interest that does not qualify for interest capitalization because our assets that qualify for interest capitalization (inventory under development) do not exceed our debt, which amounted to $16.0 million and $12.2 million for the three months ended April 30, 2017 and 2016, respectively, and $29.3 million and $26.7 million for the six months ended April 30, 2017 and 2016, respectively. Other interest also includes interest on completed homes, land in planning and fully developed lots without homes under construction, which does not qualify for capitalization, and therefore, is expensed. This component of other interest was $6.3 million and $11.9 million for the three months ended April 30, 2017 and 2016, respectively, and $15.6 million and $18.6 million for the six months ended April 30, 2017 and 2016, respectively.