Note 6 - Fair Value Measurements (Tables)

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2014

Fair Value Disclosures [Abstract]

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

		Fair Value
Financial Instrument	Hierarchy	December 31, 2014		December 31, 2013
		(Dollars in thousands)
Marketable securities (available-for-sale)
Equity securities	Level 1	$	129,560	$	389,323
Debt securities - maturity less than 1 year	Level 2		1,511		72,577
Debt securities - maturity 1 to 5 years	Level 2		7,643		106,566
Debt securities - maturity greater than 5 years	Level 2		17,426		19,601
Total available-for-sale securities		$	156,140	$	588,067
Mortgage loans held-for-sale, net	Level 2	$	88,392	$	92,578
Metropolitan district bond securities (related party) (available-for-sale)	Level 3	$	18,203	$	12,729

Available-for-sale Securities [Table Text Block]

	December 31, 2014				December 31, 2013
	Amortized Cost		Fair Value		Amortized Cost		Fair Value
	(Dollars in thousands)
Homebuilding:
Equity securities	$	116,009	$	120,274	$	375,142	$	385,303
Debt securities		20,660		20,604		181,635		183,718
Total homebuilding available-for-sale marketable securities	$	136,669	$	140,878	$	556,777	$	569,021
Financial Services:
Equity securities	$	9,028	$	9,286	$	4,000	$	4,020
Debt securities		5,930		5,976		14,721		15,026
Total financial services available-for-sale marketable securities	$	14,958	$	15,262	$	18,721	$	19,046
Total available-for-sale marketable securities	$	151,627	$	156,140	$	575,498	$	588,067

Schedule of Unrealized Loss on Investments [Table Text Block]

	December 31, 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
	(Dollars in thousands)
Type of Investment
Debt		52	$	(359	)	$	14,536		72	$	(430	)	$	46,440
Equity		6		(2,738	)		74,999		7		(713	)		14,174
Total		58	$	(3,097	)	$	89,535		79	$	(1,143	)	$	60,614

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

	Year Ended December 31,
	2014			2013			2012
	(Dollars in thousands)
Gross realized gains on sales of available-for-sale securities
Equity securities	$	7,719		$	1,251		$	-
Debt securities		2,432			83			608
Total	$	10,151		$	1,334		$	608
Gross realized losses on sales of available-for-sale securities
Equity securities	$	(6,183	)	$	-		$	-
Debt securities		(952	)		(3,794	)		(1,287	)
Total	$	(7,135	)	$	(3,794	)	$	(1,287	)
Net realized gain (loss) on sales of available-for-sale securities	$	3,016		$	(2,460	)	$	(679	)

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 123		93	Increase	Decrease
Discount rate		5.2% to 14%		10.2%	Decrease	Increase

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

	Year Ended December 31,
	2014			2013
	(Dollars in thousands)
Balance at beginning of period	$	12,729		$	5,818
Increase in fair value (recorded in other comprehensive income)		6,114			6,373
Change due to accretion of principal		1,405			1,192
Cash receipts		(2,045	)		(654	)
Balance at end of period	$	18,203		$	12,729

Fair Value of Senior Notes [Table Text Block]

	December 31, 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		-		-		249,935		262,562
5⅝% Senior Notes due February 2020, net		246,450		257,950		245,871		259,688
5½% Senior Notes due January 2024		250,000		242,608		-		-
6% Senior Notes due January 2043		350,000		296,555		350,000		305,083
Total	$	846,450	$	797,113	$	1,095,620	$	1,086,083

Schedule Of Carrying Value Impaired Of Inventory [Table Text Block]

	Carrying Value of
	Impaired Inventory at
	December 31, 2014		December 31, 2013
	(Dollars in thousands)
West	$	-	$	-
Mountain		4,378		-
East		2,331		4,187
Total	$	6,709	$	4,187