Note 20 - Supplemental Guarantor Information - Supplemental Condensed Combining Balance Sheet (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Jun. 30, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016	Jun. 30, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015
Total Assets	$ 2,536,411	$ 2,528,589
Total Liabilities	1,172,758	1,208,519
Total Stockholders' Equity	1,363,653	1,320,070
Total Liabilities and Stockholders' Equity	2,536,411	2,528,589
Cash and cash equivalents	337,976	282,909	$ 171,306	$ 180,988
Deferred tax asset, net	62,400	74,900
Homebuilding Segment [Member]
Prepaid and other assets	67,009	60,463
Other assets	1,453	1,384
Total Assets	2,368,105	2,317,495
Accounts payable	48,327	42,088
Accrued liabilities	148,199	144,566
Advances and notes payable to parent and subsidiaries
Revolving credit facility	15,000	15,000
Senior notes, net	842,232	841,646
Total Liabilities	1,053,758	1,043,300
Cash and cash equivalents	314,814	259,087
Marketable securities	65,268	59,770
Restricted cash	5,027	3,778
Trade and other receivables	37,747	42,492
Housing Completed or Under Construction	909,911	874,199
Land and Land Under Development	846,825	884,615
Total Inventories	1,756,736	1,758,814
Intercompany receivables
Investment in subsidiaries
Property and equipment, net	27,194	28,041
Deferred tax asset, net	62,446	74,888
Metropolitan district bond securities (related party)	31,864	30,162
Financial Services Segment [Member]
Mortgage loans held-for-sale, net	95,283	138,774
Other assets	11,195	12,062
Total Assets	168,306	211,094
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities	49,873	50,734
Advances and notes payable to parent and subsidiaries
Mortgage repurchase facility	69,127	114,485
Total Liabilities	119,000	165,219
Cash and cash equivalents	23,162	23,822
Marketable securities	38,666	36,436
Intercompany receivables
Reportable Legal Entities [Member] | Parent Company [Member]
Total Assets	2,302,330	2,226,377
Total Liabilities	938,677	906,307
Total Stockholders' Equity	1,363,653	1,320,070
Total Liabilities and Stockholders' Equity	2,302,330	2,226,377
Cash and cash equivalents	310,329	255,679	127,973	141,245
Reportable Legal Entities [Member] | Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Total Assets	1,869,110	1,865,792
Total Liabilities	1,572,157	1,623,979
Total Stockholders' Equity	296,953	241,813
Total Liabilities and Stockholders' Equity	1,869,110	1,865,792
Cash and cash equivalents	4,485	3,408	4,033	3,097
Reportable Legal Entities [Member] | Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Total Assets	212,645	257,194
Total Liabilities	154,646	203,793
Total Stockholders' Equity	57,999	53,401
Total Liabilities and Stockholders' Equity	212,645	257,194
Cash and cash equivalents	23,162	23,822	39,300	36,646
Reportable Legal Entities [Member] | Homebuilding Segment [Member] | Parent Company [Member]
Prepaid and other assets	3,464	5,267
Total Assets	2,302,330	2,226,377
Accounts payable
Accrued liabilities	33,656	1,527
Advances and notes payable to parent and subsidiaries	47,789	48,134
Revolving credit facility	15,000	15,000
Senior notes, net	842,232	841,646
Total Liabilities	938,677	906,307
Cash and cash equivalents	310,329	255,679
Marketable securities	65,268	59,770
Restricted cash
Trade and other receivables	5,490	5,380
Housing Completed or Under Construction
Land and Land Under Development
Total Inventories
Intercompany receivables	1,442,812	1,475,291
Investment in subsidiaries	354,952	295,214
Property and equipment, net	25,057	25,495
Deferred tax asset, net	63,094	74,119
Metropolitan district bond securities (related party)	31,864	30,162
Reportable Legal Entities [Member] | Homebuilding Segment [Member] | Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Prepaid and other assets	63,545	55,196
Total Assets	1,869,110	1,865,792
Accounts payable	48,327	42,088
Accrued liabilities	111,794	136,615
Advances and notes payable to parent and subsidiaries	1,412,036	1,445,276
Revolving credit facility
Senior notes, net
Total Liabilities	1,572,157	1,623,979
Cash and cash equivalents	4,485	3,408
Marketable securities
Restricted cash	5,027	3,778
Trade and other receivables	34,378	39,247
Housing Completed or Under Construction	909,911	874,199
Land and Land Under Development	846,825	884,615
Total Inventories	1,756,736	1,758,814
Intercompany receivables	2,802	2,803
Investment in subsidiaries
Property and equipment, net	2,137	2,546
Deferred tax asset, net
Metropolitan district bond securities (related party)
Reportable Legal Entities [Member] | Homebuilding Segment [Member] | Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Prepaid and other assets
Total Assets	5,645	5,289
Accounts payable
Accrued liabilities	99	143
Advances and notes payable to parent and subsidiaries	27,016	26,266
Revolving credit facility
Senior notes, net
Total Liabilities	27,115	26,409
Cash and cash equivalents
Marketable securities
Restricted cash
Trade and other receivables
Housing Completed or Under Construction
Land and Land Under Development
Total Inventories
Intercompany receivables	5,645	5,289
Investment in subsidiaries
Property and equipment, net
Deferred tax asset, net
Metropolitan district bond securities (related party)
Reportable Legal Entities [Member] | Financial Services Segment [Member] | Parent Company [Member]
Mortgage loans held-for-sale, net
Other assets
Total Assets
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities
Advances and notes payable to parent and subsidiaries
Mortgage repurchase facility
Total Liabilities
Cash and cash equivalents
Marketable securities
Intercompany receivables
Reportable Legal Entities [Member] | Financial Services Segment [Member] | Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Mortgage loans held-for-sale, net
Other assets
Total Assets
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities
Advances and notes payable to parent and subsidiaries
Mortgage repurchase facility
Total Liabilities
Cash and cash equivalents
Marketable securities
Intercompany receivables
Reportable Legal Entities [Member] | Financial Services Segment [Member] | Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Mortgage loans held-for-sale, net	95,283	138,774
Other assets	10,547	12,831
Total Assets	207,000	251,905
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities	54,644	59,150
Advances and notes payable to parent and subsidiaries	3,760	3,749
Mortgage repurchase facility	69,127	114,485
Total Liabilities	127,531	177,384
Cash and cash equivalents	23,162	23,822
Marketable securities	38,666	36,436
Intercompany receivables	39,342	40,042
Consolidation, Eliminations [Member]
Total Assets	(1,847,674)	(1,820,774)
Total Liabilities	(1,492,722)	(1,525,560)
Total Stockholders' Equity	(354,952)	(295,214)
Total Liabilities and Stockholders' Equity	(1,847,674)	(1,820,774)
Cash and cash equivalents
Consolidation, Eliminations [Member] | Homebuilding Segment [Member]
Prepaid and other assets
Total Assets	(1,808,980)	(1,779,963)
Accounts payable
Accrued liabilities	2,650	6,281
Advances and notes payable to parent and subsidiaries	(1,486,841)	(1,519,676)
Revolving credit facility
Senior notes, net
Total Liabilities	(1,484,191)	(1,513,395)
Cash and cash equivalents
Marketable securities
Restricted cash
Trade and other receivables	(2,121)	(2,135)
Housing Completed or Under Construction
Land and Land Under Development
Total Inventories
Intercompany receivables	(1,451,259)	(1,483,383)
Investment in subsidiaries	(354,952)	(295,214)
Property and equipment, net
Deferred tax asset, net	(648)	769
Metropolitan district bond securities (related party)
Consolidation, Eliminations [Member] | Financial Services Segment [Member]
Mortgage loans held-for-sale, net
Other assets	648	(769)
Total Assets	(38,694)	(40,811)
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities	(4,771)	(8,416)
Advances and notes payable to parent and subsidiaries	(3,760)	(3,749)
Mortgage repurchase facility
Total Liabilities	(8,531)	(12,165)
Cash and cash equivalents
Marketable securities
Intercompany receivables	$ (39,342)	$ (40,042)