Note 16 - Operating and Reporting Segments (Details Textual) $ in Thousands		3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
		Apr. 30, 2017 USD ($)	Apr. 30, 2016 USD ($)	Apr. 30, 2017 USD ($)	Apr. 30, 2016 USD ($)	Oct. 31, 2016 USD ($)
Other Nonoperating Income (Expense)		$ 95	$ (1,147)	$ (1,492)	$ (2,531)
Real Estate Inventory Expense Not Eligible for Capitalization	[1],[2]	22,297	24,084	44,924	45,309
Gain (Loss) on Extinguishment of Debt		(242)		7,404
Deferred Tax Assets, Net of Valuation Allowance		284,452		284,452		$ 283,633	[3]
Qualifying Assets Not Exceeding Debt [Member]
Real Estate Inventory Expense Not Eligible for Capitalization		16,000	$ 12,200	29,300	$ 26,700
Corporate, Non-Segment [Member]
Other Nonoperating Income (Expense)		100		800
General and Administrative Expense		16,100		31,700
Gain (Loss) on Extinguishment of Debt		(200)		(7,400)
Deferred Tax Assets, Net of Valuation Allowance		284,500		284,500		$ 283,600
Corporate, Non-Segment [Member] | Qualifying Assets Not Exceeding Debt [Member]
Real Estate Inventory Expense Not Eligible for Capitalization		$ 16,000		$ 29,300
Homebuilding [Member]
Number of Reportable Segments				6

[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.

[3] Derived from the audited balance sheet as of October 31, 2016. See notes to condensed consolidated financial statements (unaudited).