Note 12 - Reduction of Inventory to Fair Value (Details Textual) $ in Millions	12 Months Ended
Oct. 31, 2018 USD ($)	Oct. 31, 2017 USD ($)	Oct. 31, 2016 USD ($)
Number of Communities Evaluated for Impairment	391	372
Number of Communities Performed Detailed Impairment Calculations	5	12
Carrying Value of Communities Tested for Impairment	$ 11.2	$ 98.0
Impairment of Real Estate	2.1	15.1	$ 24.5
Land Option Write Offs	1.4	2.7	8.9
Homebuilding [Member]
Impairment of Real Estate	$ 2.1	$ 15.1	$ 24.5
Number of Communities Impaired	5	10	20
Number of Communities Tested for Impairment for Which Undiscounted Future Cash Flow Only Exceeded Carrying Amount By Less Than 20 Percent		2
Carrying Value of Communities Tested for Impairment for Which Undiscounted Future Cash Flow Only Exceeded Carrying Amount by Less than 20 Percent		$ 45.0
Percentage Undiscounted Cash Flow Exceeds Carrying Amount		20.00%
Land Option Write Offs	$ 1.4	$ 2.7	$ 8.9
Homebuilding [Member] \| Minimum [Member] \| Measurement Input, Discount Rate [Member]
Inventory, Measurement Input	0.168	0.183	0.168
Homebuilding [Member] \| Maximum [Member] \| Measurement Input, Discount Rate [Member]
Inventory, Measurement Input	0.198	0.198	0.188

The aggregate carrying value of communities for which detailed impairment calculatons were performed.

No definition available.

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Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The aggregate carrying value of communities tested for impairment which had undiscounted future cash flow that only exceeded the carrying amount by less than 20%.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	hov_
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- Definition

Interest rate used to find the present value of an amount to be paid or received in the future as an input to measure fair value.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	hov_
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- Definition

The charge against earnings in the period to write off costs associated with land options that were terminated.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
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- Definition

Number of communities evaluated for impairment during the period

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	hov_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Represents the number of communities with impairment losses.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	hov_NumberOfCommunitiesImpaired
Namespace Prefix:	hov_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Number of communities for which detailed impairment calculations were performed during the period.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	hov_NumberOfCommunitiesPerformedDetailedImpairmentCalculations
Namespace Prefix:	hov_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Represents the number of communities tested for impairment which had undiscounted future cash flow that only exceeded the carrying amount by less than 20%.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Percentage by which undiscounted future cash flow for communities tested for impairment exceeds carrying value under which such carrying amounts are disclosed.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	hov_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The charge against earnings in the period to reduce the carrying amount of real property to fair value.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2009/role/commonPracticeRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 230
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 28
-Subparagraph (b)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=109223946&loc=d3e3602-108585

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2009/role/commonPracticeRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 360
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (b)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=109226691&loc=d3e2921-110230

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