Note 10 - Operating and Reporting Segments - Financial Information Relating to Segment Operations (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands		3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
		Oct. 31, 2018	Jul. 31, 2018	Apr. 30, 2018	Jan. 31, 2018	Oct. 31, 2017	Jul. 31, 2017	Apr. 30, 2017	Jan. 31, 2017	Oct. 31, 2018	Oct. 31, 2017	Oct. 31, 2016
Revenues, Total		$ 614,811	$ 456,712	$ 502,544	$ 417,166	$ 721,686	$ 592,035	$ 585,935	$ 552,009	$ 1,991,233	$ 2,451,665	$ 2,752,247
Income (Loss) from Continuing Operations before Income Taxes, Noncontrolling Interest, Total		48,117	78	(9,578)	(30,471)	12,305	(50,173)	(7,699)	323	8,146	(45,244)	2,436
Total interest expense, net										164,086	185,210	182,595
Total depreciation										3,156	4,249	3,565
Net additions to operating properties and equipment										5,193	6,478	8,007
Income from unconsolidated joint ventures		$ 17,134	$ 10,732	$ 1,343	$ (5,176)	$ 3,062	$ (3,881)	$ (4,562)	$ (1,666)	24,033	(7,047)	(4,346)
Corporate, Non-Segment [Member]
Revenues, Total	[1]									5,764	1,066	141
Income (Loss) from Continuing Operations before Income Taxes, Noncontrolling Interest, Total	[1]									(139,160)	(174,958)	(105,306)
Total interest expense, net										76,183	69,124	50,387
Total depreciation										1,599	2,999	2,631
Net additions to operating properties and equipment										3,333	2,066	3,988
Homebuilding [Member]
Revenues, Total										1,937,878	2,392,922	2,679,630
Homebuilding [Member] | Operating Segments [Member]
Revenues, Total										1,932,114	2,391,856	2,679,489
Income (Loss) from Continuing Operations before Income Taxes, Noncontrolling Interest, Total										129,079	103,317	72,269
Total interest expense, net										87,799	116,716	132,971
Total depreciation										1,543	1,234	893
Net additions to operating properties and equipment										1,860	4,412	3,989
Homebuilding [Member] | Northeast [Member] | Operating Segments [Member]
Revenues, Total										116,296	209,509	278,028
Income (Loss) from Continuing Operations before Income Taxes, Noncontrolling Interest, Total										20,869	2,300	(3,869)
Total interest expense, net										11,811	20,308	19,417
Total depreciation										135	71	62
Net additions to operating properties and equipment										142	442	78
Income from unconsolidated joint ventures										20,231	(4,376)	(2,639)
Homebuilding [Member] | Mid-Atlantic [Member] | Operating Segments [Member]
Revenues, Total										354,690	464,126	458,579
Income (Loss) from Continuing Operations before Income Taxes, Noncontrolling Interest, Total										18,757	17,191	17,476
Total interest expense, net										15,051	23,886	23,662
Total depreciation										63	50	56
Net additions to operating properties and equipment										318	71	208
Income from unconsolidated joint ventures										799	1,180	(27)
Homebuilding [Member] | Midwest [Member] | Operating Segments [Member]
Revenues, Total										196,599	199,770	311,322
Income (Loss) from Continuing Operations before Income Taxes, Noncontrolling Interest, Total										1,528	(1,151)	(11,416)
Total interest expense, net										5,874	7,799	12,275
Total depreciation										1,106	858	497
Net additions to operating properties and equipment										621	3,773	3,180
Income from unconsolidated joint ventures										(775)	(1,424)	(1,304)
Homebuilding [Member] | Southeast [Member] | Operating Segments [Member]
Revenues, Total										241,620	260,402	260,584
Income (Loss) from Continuing Operations before Income Taxes, Noncontrolling Interest, Total										(9,914)	(6,199)	(17,791)
Total interest expense, net										14,934	13,646	16,770
Total depreciation										124	83	82
Net additions to operating properties and equipment										701	28	233
Income from unconsolidated joint ventures										(2,032)	837	(1,774)
Homebuilding [Member] | Southwest [Member] | Operating Segments [Member]
Revenues, Total										638,282	827,503	1,028,529
Income (Loss) from Continuing Operations before Income Taxes, Noncontrolling Interest, Total										49,852	71,540	84,424
Total interest expense, net										21,820	25,278	37,552
Total depreciation										70	78	104
Net additions to operating properties and equipment										23	18	199
Income from unconsolidated joint ventures										5,165	(306)	(64)
Homebuilding [Member] | West [Member] | Operating Segments [Member]
Revenues, Total										384,627	430,546	342,447
Income (Loss) from Continuing Operations before Income Taxes, Noncontrolling Interest, Total										47,987	19,636	3,445
Total interest expense, net										18,309	25,799	23,295
Total depreciation										45	94	92
Net additions to operating properties and equipment										55	80	91
Income from unconsolidated joint ventures										645	(2,958)	1,462
Financial Services [Member]
Revenues, Total										53,355	58,743	72,617
Financial Services [Member] | Operating Segments [Member]
Revenues, Total										53,355	58,743	72,617
Income (Loss) from Continuing Operations before Income Taxes, Noncontrolling Interest, Total										18,227	26,397	35,473
Financial services interest expense (1)	[2]									104	(630)	(763)
Total depreciation										14	16	41
Net additions to operating properties and equipment												$ 30

[1] Corporate and unallocated for the year ended October 31, 2018 included corporate general and administrative costs of $69.6 million, interest expense of $76.2 million (a component of Other interest on our Consolidated Statements of Operations), loss on extinguishment of debt of $7.5 million, and $14.1 million of other income and expenses primarily related to interest income and gain on the sale of our former corporate headquarters building, along with the adjustment to our insurance reserves. Corporate and unallocated for the year ended October 31, 2017 included corporate general and administrative costs of $59.4 million, interest expense of $69.1 million (a component of Other interest on our Consolidated Statements of Operations), loss on extinguishment of debt of $34.9 million, $12.5 million adjustment for construction defect reserves (discussed in Note 16) and $0.9 million of other income and expenses primarily related to interest income, rental income, bond amortization and stock compensation. Corporate and unallocated for the year ended October 31, 2016 included corporate general and administrative costs of $60.1 million, interest expense of $50.4 million (a component of Other interest on our Consolidated Statements of Operations), loss on extinguishment of debt of $3.2 million, $(9.2) million adjustment for construction defect reserves (discussed in Note 16) and $0.8 million of other income and expenses primarily related to bond amortization, stock compensation and rental income.

[2] Financial services interest expenses are included in the Financial services lines on the Consolidated Statements of Operations in the respective revenues and expenses sections.