Note 4 - Reduction of Inventory to Fair Value (Details Textual) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Apr. 30, 2018 USD ($)	Apr. 30, 2017 USD ($)	Apr. 30, 2018 USD ($)	Apr. 30, 2017 USD ($)	Oct. 31, 2017 USD ($)
Number of Communities Evaluated for Impairment			377	381
Number of Communities Performed Detailed Impairment Calculations			5	9
Carrying Value of Communities Tested for Impairment			$ 11,200	$ 66,900
Impairment of Real Estate	$ 2,100	$ 1,500	2,100	4,200
Homebuilding [Member]
Impairment of Real Estate	$ 2,100	$ 1,500	$ 2,100	$ 4,200
Number of Communities Impaired	5	1	5	6
PreImpairment Value	$ 11,200	$ 8,500	$ 11,200	$ 21,100
Number of Communities Tested for Impairment for Which Undiscounted Future Cash Flow Only Exceeded Carrying Amount By Less Than 20 Percent			0	3
Carrying Value of Communities Tested for Impairment for Which Undiscounted Future Cash Flow Only Exceeded Carrying Amount by Less than 20 Percent				$ 45,800
Percentage Undiscounted Cash Flow Exceeds Carrying Amount			20.00%	20.00%
Land Option Write Offs	$ 600	$ 400	$ 1,000	$ 900
Number of Walk Away Lots	714	478	1,341	1,539
Number of Communities Mothballed During the Period			0
Number of Previously Mothballed Communities Sold During the Period			2
Number of Mothballed Communities Reactivated			1
Number of Communities Mothballed	19		19		22
Inventory Real Estate Mothballed Communities	$ 24,400		$ 24,400		$ 36,700
Inventory Real Estate Mothballed Communities Accumulated Impairment Charges	186,100		186,100		214,100
Liabilities from Inventory Real Estate Not Owned	53,515		53,515		91,101
Homebuilding [Member] | Model Sale Leaseback Financing Arrangements [Member]
Inventory Real Estate, Other Options	33,500		33,500		58,500
Liabilities from Inventory Real Estate Not Owned	30,000		30,000		51,800
Homebuilding [Member] | Land Banking Arrangement [Member]
Inventory Real Estate, Other Options	45,400		45,400		66,300
Liabilities from Inventory Real Estate Not Owned	$ 23,500		$ 23,500		$ 39,300
Homebuilding [Member] | Minimum [Member] | Measurement Input, Discount Rate [Member]
Inventory, Measurement Input			16.8	18.3
Homebuilding [Member] | Maximum [Member] | Measurement Input, Discount Rate [Member]
Inventory, Measurement Input			19.8	19.8