Note 3 - Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Details Textual) $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
Oct. 31, 2018 USD ($)	Oct. 31, 2017 USD ($)	Oct. 31, 2016 USD ($)
Cash Equivalents, at Carrying Value, Total	$ 199,600	$ 13,300
Number of Previously Mothballed Communities Sold During the Period	2
Number of Mothballed Communities Reactivated	2
Number of Communities Mothballed	18	22
Inventory Real Estate Mothballed Communities	$ 24,500	$ 36,700
Inventory Real Estate Mothballed Communities Accumulated Impairment Charges	186,100	214,100
Inventory, Land Held-for-sale	6,400	23,600
General Liability Insurance Deductible	20,000	20,000
Bodily Injury Insurance Deductible	250	250
Bodily Injury Insurance Limit	5,000	5,000
Aggregate Retention for Construction Defects Warranty and Bodily Injury Claims	20,000	21,000
Real Estate Inventory Expense Not Eligible for Capitalization	103,297	97,304	$ 90,967
Advertising Expense	16,400	17,900	21,400
Allowance for Doubtful Accounts Receivable, Ending Balance	11,400	7,300
Allowance for Doubtful Accounts Receivable, Recoveries	600	200
Allowance for Doubtful Accounts Receivable, Write-offs	100	100
Provision for Doubtful Accounts	$ 4,800
Senior Exchangeable Note Units [Member]
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage	6.00%
Joint Venture Investments [Member]
Equity Method Investment, Other than Temporary Impairment	$ 0	2,800	0
Qualifying Assets Not Exceeding Debt [Member]
Real Estate Inventory Expense Not Eligible for Capitalization	76,200	69,100	50,400
Completed Homes, Land in Planning and Fully Developed Lots without Homes under Construction [Member]
Real Estate Inventory Expense Not Eligible for Capitalization	$ 27,100	28,200	$ 40,600
Maximum [Member]
Joint Venture Voting Interest Percentage	50.00%
Measurement Input, Discount Rate [Member] \| Minimum [Member]
Community, Measurement Input	0.168
Measurement Input, Discount Rate [Member] \| Maximum [Member]
Community, Measurement Input	0.198
Homebuilding [Member]
Liabilities from Inventory Real Estate Not Owned	$ 63,387	91,101
Homebuilding [Member] \| Model Sale Leaseback Financing Arrangements [Member]
Inventory Real Estate, Other Options	50,500	58,500
Liabilities from Inventory Real Estate Not Owned	43,900	51,800
Homebuilding [Member] \| Land Banking Arrangement [Member]
Inventory Real Estate, Other Options	37,400	66,300
Liabilities from Inventory Real Estate Not Owned	$ 19,500	$ 39,300

Aggregate annual retention for construction defect, warranty and bodily injury claims.

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Annual deductible for bodily injury claims.

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The limit on our deductible for bodily injury claims.

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Value of input used to measure community.

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Annual deductible under our general liability insurance per occurrence for construction defects and warranty claims on homes delivered.

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The net book value of mothballed communities at the end of the period.

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The amount of impairment charges recorded to date on our mothballed communities.

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Inventory not owned required to be recorded as a financing in accordance with current accounting standards.

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Joint venture, voting interest percentage.

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Includes the liabilities for the inventory for which we do not have title related to the remaining exercise price of land and lot option purchases contracts; variable interest entities when we are the primary beneficiary; and model sale leaseback financing arrangements.

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The number of mothballed communities at the end of the period.

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Number of mothballed communities reactivated during the period.

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Represents the number of previously mothballed communities sold during the period.

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Interest cost which does not qualify for interest capitalization.

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- Definition

Amount charged to advertising expense for the period, which are expenses incurred with the objective of increasing revenue for a specified brand, product or product line.

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For an unclassified balance sheet, a valuation allowance for receivables due a company that are expected to be uncollectible.

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Amount of recoveries of receivables doubtful of collection that were previously charged off.

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Amount of direct write-downs of accounts receivable charged against the allowance.

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Amount of short-term, highly liquid investments that are both readily convertible to known amounts of cash and so near their maturity that they present insignificant risk of changes in value because of changes in interest rates. Excludes cash and cash equivalents within disposal group and discontinued operation.

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Contractual interest rate for funds borrowed, under the debt agreement.

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This item represents an other than temporary decline in value that has been recognized against an investment accounted for under the equity method of accounting. The excess of the carrying amount over the fair value of the investment represents the amount of the write down which is or was reflected in earnings. The written down value is a new cost basis with the adjusted value of the investment becoming its new carrying value subject to the equity accounting method. Evidence of a loss in value might include, but would not necessarily be limited to, absence of an ability to recover the carrying amount of the investment or inability of the investee to sustain an earnings capacity which would justify the carrying amount of the investment.

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Carrying amount as of the balance sheet date of parcels of land held for sale, and on which the entity has no intention or no further intention to perform construction activities.

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Amount of expense related to write-down of receivables to the amount expected to be collected. Includes, but is not limited to, accounts receivable and notes receivable.

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