Note 6 - Fair Value Measurements (Tables)

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2014

Fair Value Disclosures [Abstract]

Fair Value, Assets Measured on Recurring Basis [Table Text Block]

		Fair Value
Financial Instrument	Hierarchy	September 30, 2014		December 31, 2013
		(Dollars in thousands)
Marketable securities (available-for-sale)
Equity securities	Level 1	$	426,453	$	389,323
Debt securities - maturity less than 1 year	Level 2		2,060		72,577
Debt securities - maturity 1 to 5 years	Level 2		10,167		106,566
Debt securities - maturity greater than 5 years	Level 2		15,959		19,601
Total available-for-sale securities		$	454,639	$	588,067
Mortgage loans held-for-sale, net	Level 2	$	58,132	$	92,578
Metropolitan district bond securities (related party) (available-for-sale)	Level 3	$	15,379	$	12,729

Available-for-sale Securities [Table Text Block]

	September 30, 2014
	Amortized Cost		OTTI			Net Amortized Cost		Fair Value
	(Dollars in thousands)
Homebuilding:
Equity securities	$	417,688	$	(4,293	)		413,395	$	417,242
Debt securities		20,426		-			20,426		20,202
Total homebuilding available-for-sale marketable securities	$	438,114	$	(4,293	)	$	433,821	$	437,444
Financial Services:
Equity securities	$	9,028		-			9,028	$	9,211
Debt securities		7,934		-			7,934		7,984
Total financial services available-for-sale marketable securities	$	16,962	$	-		$	16,962	$	17,195
Total available-for-sale marketable securities	$	455,076	$	(4,293	)	$	450,783	$	454,639

	December 31, 2013
	Amortized Cost		OTTI		Net Amortized Cost		Fair Value
	(Dollars in thousands)
Homebuilding:
Equity securities	$	375,142	$	-	$	375,142	$	385,303
Debt securities		181,635		-		181,635		183,718
Total homebuilding available-for-sale marketable securities	$	556,777	$	-	$	556,777	$	569,021
Financial Services:
Equity securities	$	4,000	$	-	$	4,000	$	4,020
Debt securities		14,721		-		14,721		15,026
Total financial services available-for-sale marketable securities	$	18,721	$	-	$	18,721	$	19,046
Total available-for-sale marketable securities	$	575,498	$	-	$	575,498	$	588,067

Schedule of Unrealized Loss on Investments [Table Text Block]

	September 30, 2014							December 31, 2013
	Number of Securities in Loss Position		Aggregate Loss Position			Aggregate Fair Value of Securities in a Loss Position		Number of Securities in Loss Position		Aggregate Loss Position			Aggregate Fair Value of Securities in a Loss Position
Type of Investment	(Dollars in thousands)
Debt		82	$	(294	)	$	17,758		72	$	(430	)	$	46,440
Equity		9		(1,901	)		76,720		7		(713	)		14,174
Total		91	$	(2,195	)	$	94,478		79	$	(1,143	)	$	60,614

Realized Gain (Loss) on Investments [Table Text Block]

	Three Months Ended						Nine Months Ended
	September 30,						September 30,
	2014			2013			2014			2013
	(Dollars in thousands)
Gross realized gains on sales of available-for-sale securities
Equity securities	$	979		$	498		$	6,496		$	714
Debt securities		466			116			2,386			376
Total	$	1,445		$	614		$	8,882		$	1,090
Gross realized losses on sales of available-for-sale securities
Equity securities	$	(92	)	$	-		$	(801	)	$	-
Debt securities		(87	)		(293	)		(459	)		(1,518	)
Total	$	(179	)	$	(293	)	$	(1,260	)	$	(1,518	)
Net realized gain (loss) on sales of available-for-sale securities	$	1,266		$	321		$	7,622		$	(428	)

Fair Value Inputs, Assets, Quantitative Information [Table Text Block]

	Quantitative Data						Sensitivity Analysis
Unobservable Input	Range			Weighted Average			Movement in Fair Value from Increase in Input	Movement in Fair Value from Decrease in Input
Number of homes closed per year		0 to 132			93		Increase	Decrease
Discount rate		6% to 16	%		11.5	%	Decrease	Increase

Schedule Of Principal Amounts And Fair Values Of Debt Instruments [Table Text Block]

	Three Months Ended				Nine Months Ended
	September 30,				September 30,
	2014		2013		2014		2013
	(Dollars in thousands)
Balance at beginning of period	$	14,291	$	13,835	$	12,729	$	5,818
Increase in fair value (recorded in other comprehensive income)		798		-		1,757		7,354
Change due to accretion of principal		290		332		893		995
Cash receipts		-		-		-		-
Balance at end of period	$	15,379	$	14,167	$	15,379	$	14,167

Fair Value of Senior Notes [Table Text Block]

	September 30, 2014				December 31, 2013
	Carrying Amount		Fair Value		Carrying Amount		Fair Value
	(Dollars in thousands)
5⅜% Senior Notes due December 2014, net	$	-	$	-	$	249,814	$	258,750
5⅜% Senior Notes due July 2015, net		249,967		258,125		249,935		262,562
5⅝% Senior Notes due February 2020, net		246,302		258,125		245,871		259,688
5½% Senior Notes due January 2024, net		250,000		246,250		-		-
6% Senior Notes due January 2043		350,000		317,188		350,000		305,083
Total	$	1,096,269	$	1,079,688	$	1,095,620	$	1,086,083