Note 12 - Reduction of Inventory to Fair Value - Inventory Impairments by Homebuilding Segment (Details) $ in Millions		12 Months Ended
		Oct. 31, 2018 USD ($)	Oct. 31, 2017 USD ($)	Oct. 31, 2016 USD ($)
Dollar amount of impairment		$ 2.1	$ 15.1	$ 24.5
Homebuilding [Member]
Number of communities		5	10	20
Dollar amount of impairment		$ 2.1	$ 15.1	$ 24.5
Pre-impairment value	[1]	$ 11.2	$ 52.9	$ 88.4
Homebuilding [Member] | Northeast [Member]
Number of communities		1	2	5
Dollar amount of impairment		$ 0.4	$ 3.3	$ 9.5
Pre-impairment value	[1]	$ 1.0	$ 22.2	$ 33.8
Homebuilding [Member] | Mid-Atlantic [Member]
Number of communities			1
Dollar amount of impairment			$ 1.5
Pre-impairment value	[1]		$ 8.5
Homebuilding [Member] | Midwest [Member]
Number of communities		1	2	12
Dollar amount of impairment		$ 0.1	$ 0.2	$ 13.5
Pre-impairment value	[1]	$ 0.5	$ 0.8	$ 43.7
Homebuilding [Member] | Southeast [Member]
Number of communities		3	3	3
Dollar amount of impairment		$ 1.6	$ 8.1	$ 1.5
Pre-impairment value	[1]	$ 9.7	$ 18.3	$ 10.9
Homebuilding [Member] | Southwest [Member]
Number of communities
Dollar amount of impairment
Pre-impairment value	[1]
Homebuilding [Member] | West [Member]
Number of communities			2
Dollar amount of impairment			$ 2.0
Pre-impairment value	[1]		$ 3.1

[1] Represents carrying value, net of prior period impairments, if any, at the time of recording the applicable period's impairments.