Note 17 - Operating and Reporting Segments (Details Textual) $ in Thousands		3 Months Ended			6 Months Ended
		Apr. 30, 2021 USD ($)	Jan. 31, 2021	Apr. 30, 2020 USD ($)	Apr. 30, 2021 USD ($)	Apr. 30, 2020 USD ($)
Real Estate Inventory Expense Not Eligible for Capitalization	[1],[2]	$ 22,033		$ 26,869	$ 46,008	$ 51,872
Gain (Loss) on Extinguishment of Debt, Total		0		(174)	0	9,282
Qualifying Assets Not Exceeding Debt [Member]
Real Estate Inventory Expense Not Eligible for Capitalization		17,500		13,800	33,700	28,700
Corporate, Non-Segment [Member]
General and Administrative Expense, Total		40,400		15,300	63,900	35,000
Other Nonoperating Income (Expense), Total		300		(1,100)	100	(2,000)
Gain (Loss) on Extinguishment of Debt, Total				(200)		(9,300)
Corporate, Non-Segment [Member] | Qualifying Assets Not Exceeding Debt [Member]
Real Estate Inventory Expense Not Eligible for Capitalization		$ 17,500		$ 13,800	$ 33,700	$ 28,700
Homebuilding [Member]
Number of Reportable Segments			6		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:

[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 $17.5 million and $13.8 million for the three months ended April 30, 2021 and 2020, respectively, and $33.7 million and $28.7 million for the six months ended April 30, 2021 and 2020, 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 $4.5 million and $13.1 million for the three months ended April 30, 2021 and 2020, respectively, and $12.3 million and $23.2 million for the six months ended April 30, 2021 and 2020, respectively.