Note 16 - Operating and Reporting Segments (Details Textual) $ in Thousands		3 Months Ended
		Jan. 31, 2018 USD ($)	Jul. 31, 2017 USD ($)	Jan. 31, 2017 USD ($)
Real Estate Inventory Expense Not Eligible for Capitalization	[1],[2]	$ 29,131		$ 22,627
Other Nonoperating Income (Expense)		(390)		(1,587)
Gain (Loss) on Extinguishment of Debt			$ (42,300)	7,646
Qualifying Assets Not Exceeding Debt [Member]
Real Estate Inventory Expense Not Eligible for Capitalization		19,600		13,300
Corporate, Non-Segment [Member]
General and Administrative Expense		19,100		15,700
Real Estate Inventory Expense Not Eligible for Capitalization				13,300
Other Nonoperating Income (Expense)		(3,900)		600
Gain (Loss) on Extinguishment of Debt				$ (7,600)
Corporate, Non-Segment [Member] | Qualifying Assets Not Exceeding Debt [Member]
Real Estate Inventory Expense Not Eligible for Capitalization		$ 19,600
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: Other interest expensed of $29,131 plus interest paid by our mortgage and finance subsidiaries $601 Plus the decrease in accrued interest of 26,750 for 2018 and other interest expensed of $22,627 plus interest paid by our mortgage and finance subsidiaries $629 Plus the decrease in accrued interest of $763 for 2017.

[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 $19.6 million and $13.3 million for the three months ended January 31, 2018 and 2017, 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 $9.6 million and $9.3 million for the three months ended January 31, 2018 and 2017, respectively.