Note 16 - Operating and Reporting Segments (Details Textual) $ in Thousands		3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
		Jul. 31, 2018 USD ($)	Jul. 31, 2017 USD ($)	Jul. 31, 2018 USD ($)	Jul. 31, 2017 USD ($)
Real Estate Inventory Expense Not Eligible for Capitalization	[1],[2]	$ 24,859	$ 23,559	$ 80,078	$ 68,483
Gain (Loss) on Extinguishment of Debt, Total		(4,266)	(42,258)	(5,706)	(34,854)
Qualifying Assets Not Exceeding Debt [Member]
Real Estate Inventory Expense Not Eligible for Capitalization		20,200	17,200	59,700	46,500
Corporate, Non-Segment [Member]
General and Administrative Expense, Total		16,400	15,700	51,700	47,400
Gain (Loss) on Extinguishment of Debt, Total		(4,300)	(42,300)	(5,700)	(34,900)
Other Nonoperating Income (Expense), Total		(2,300)	900	(6,400)	100
Corporate, Non-Segment [Member] | Qualifying Assets Not Exceeding Debt [Member]
Real Estate Inventory Expense Not Eligible for Capitalization		$ 20,200	$ 17,200	$ 59,700	$ 46,500
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: Three Months Ended July 31, Nine Months Ended July 31, (In thousands) 2018 2017 2018 2017 Other interest expensed $24,859 $23,559 $80,078 $68,483 Interest paid by our mortgage and finance subsidiaries 616 465 1,802 1,549 Decrease in accrued interest 20,672 17,528 23,974 18,882 Cash paid for interest, net of capitalized interest $46,147 $41,552 $105,854 $88,914

[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 $20.2 million and $17.2 million for the three months ended July 31, 2018 and 2017, respectively, and $59.7 million and $46.5 million for the nine months ended July 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 $4.6 million and $6.4 million for the three months ended July 31, 2018 and 2017, respectively, and $20.4 million and $22.0 million for the nine months ended July 31, 2018 and 2017, respectively.