Note 20 - Supplemental Guarantor Information - Supplemental Condensed Combining Balance Sheet (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Mar. 31, 2018	Jan. 01, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017	Mar. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 407,580		$ 514,240	$ 324,291	$ 286,687
Deferred tax asset, net	40,500		41,500
Total Assets	2,787,162		2,780,292
Total Liabilities	1,354,669		1,373,005
Total Stockholders' Equity	1,432,493		1,407,287
Total Liabilities and Stockholders' Equity	2,787,162		2,780,292
Homebuilding Segment [Member]
Cash and cash equivalents	352,868		472,957	296,731
Marketable securities	49,817		49,634
Restricted cash	6,198		8,812	4,229
Trade and other receivables	52,909		53,362
Housing completed or under construction	1,009,197	$ 944,091	936,685
Land and land under development	964,660		893,051
Total inventories	1,973,857		1,829,736
Intercompany receivables
Investment in subsidiaries
Property and equipment, net	53,368	51,709	26,439
Deferred tax asset, net	40,484	40,907	41,480
Prepaid and other assets	38,015	41,439	75,666
Total Assets	2,567,516		2,558,086
Other assets	1,926		1,220
Accounts payable	53,347		39,655
Accrued liabilities	155,245		166,312
Advances and notes payable to parent and subsidiaries
Revolving credit facility	15,000		15,000
Senior notes, net	986,932		986,597
Total Liabilities	1,210,524		1,207,564
Financial Services Segment [Member]
Cash and cash equivalents	48,514		32,471	23,331
Marketable securities	40,912		42,004
Intercompany receivables
Total Assets	219,646		222,206
Mortgage loans held-for-sale, net	113,158		138,114
Other assets	17,062	$ 13,515	9,617
Advances and notes payable to parent and subsidiaries
Total Liabilities	144,145		165,441
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities	54,019		53,101
Mortgage repurchase facility	90,126		112,340
Reportable Legal Entities [Member] | Parent Company [Member]
Cash and cash equivalents	348,609		468,718	292,246	255,679
Total Assets	2,492,341		2,497,461
Total Liabilities	1,059,848		1,090,174
Total Stockholders' Equity	1,432,493		1,407,287
Total Liabilities and Stockholders' Equity	2,492,341		2,497,461
Reportable Legal Entities [Member] | Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Cash and cash equivalents	10,457		13,051	8,714	7,186
Total Assets	2,097,947		1,963,300
Total Liabilities	1,920,441		1,709,792
Total Stockholders' Equity	177,506		253,508
Total Liabilities and Stockholders' Equity	2,097,947		1,963,300
Reportable Legal Entities [Member] | Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Cash and cash equivalents	48,514		32,471	23,331	23,822
Total Assets	241,393		266,254
Total Liabilities	179,194		202,362
Total Stockholders' Equity	62,199		63,892
Total Liabilities and Stockholders' Equity	241,393		266,254
Reportable Legal Entities [Member] | Homebuilding Segment [Member] | Parent Company [Member]
Cash and cash equivalents	348,609		468,718
Marketable securities	49,817		49,634
Restricted cash
Trade and other receivables	2,904		8,200
Housing completed or under construction
Land and land under development
Total inventories
Intercompany receivables	1,776,963		1,578,830
Investment in subsidiaries	239,705		317,400
Property and equipment, net	24,013		24,557
Deferred tax asset, net	41,463		42,862
Prepaid and other assets	8,867		7,260
Total Assets	2,492,341		2,497,461
Accounts payable
Accrued liabilities	32,387		40,344
Advances and notes payable to parent and subsidiaries	25,529		48,233
Revolving credit facility	15,000		15,000
Senior notes, net	986,932		986,597
Total Liabilities	1,059,848		1,090,174
Reportable Legal Entities [Member] | Homebuilding Segment [Member] | Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Cash and cash equivalents	4,259		4,239
Marketable securities
Restricted cash	6,198		8,812
Trade and other receivables	52,327		47,422
Housing completed or under construction	1,009,197		936,685
Land and land under development	964,660		893,051
Total inventories	1,973,857		1,829,736
Intercompany receivables	2,803		2,803
Investment in subsidiaries
Property and equipment, net	29,355		1,882
Deferred tax asset, net
Prepaid and other assets	29,148		68,406
Total Assets	2,097,947		1,963,300
Accounts payable	53,347		39,655
Accrued liabilities	121,968		122,544
Advances and notes payable to parent and subsidiaries	1,745,126		1,547,593
Revolving credit facility
Senior notes, net
Total Liabilities	1,920,441		1,709,792
Reportable Legal Entities [Member] | Homebuilding Segment [Member] | Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
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			5,291
Investment in subsidiaries
Property and equipment, net
Deferred tax asset, net
Prepaid and other assets
Total Assets			5,291
Accounts payable
Accrued liabilities			37
Advances and notes payable to parent and subsidiaries	27,791		27,015
Revolving credit facility
Senior notes, net
Total Liabilities	27,791		27,052
Reportable Legal Entities [Member] | Financial Services Segment [Member] | Parent Company [Member]
Cash and cash equivalents
Marketable securities
Intercompany receivables
Total Assets
Mortgage loans held-for-sale, net
Other assets
Advances and notes payable to parent and subsidiaries
Total Liabilities
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities
Mortgage repurchase facility
Reportable Legal Entities [Member] | Financial Services Segment [Member] | Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Cash and cash equivalents
Marketable securities
Intercompany receivables
Total Assets
Mortgage loans held-for-sale, net
Other assets
Advances and notes payable to parent and subsidiaries
Total Liabilities
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities
Mortgage repurchase facility
Reportable Legal Entities [Member] | Financial Services Segment [Member] | Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Cash and cash equivalents	48,514		32,471
Marketable securities	40,912		42,004
Intercompany receivables	22,726		40,139
Total Assets	241,393		260,963
Mortgage loans held-for-sale, net	113,158		138,114
Other assets	16,083		8,235
Advances and notes payable to parent and subsidiaries	4,046		4,222
Total Liabilities	151,403		175,310
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities	57,231		58,748
Mortgage repurchase facility	90,126		112,340
Consolidation, Eliminations [Member]
Cash and cash equivalents
Total Assets	(2,044,519)		(1,946,723)
Total Liabilities	(1,804,814)		(1,629,323)
Total Stockholders' Equity	(239,705)		(317,400)
Total Liabilities and Stockholders' Equity	(2,044,519)		(1,946,723)
Consolidation, Eliminations [Member] | Homebuilding Segment [Member]
Cash and cash equivalents
Marketable securities
Restricted cash
Trade and other receivables	(2,322)		(2,260)
Housing completed or under construction
Land and land under development
Total inventories
Intercompany receivables	(1,779,766)		(1,586,924)
Investment in subsidiaries	(239,705)		(317,400)
Property and equipment, net
Deferred tax asset, net	(979)		(1,382)
Prepaid and other assets
Total Assets	(2,022,772)		(1,907,966)
Accounts payable
Accrued liabilities	890		3,387
Advances and notes payable to parent and subsidiaries	(1,798,446)		(1,622,841)
Revolving credit facility
Senior notes, net
Total Liabilities	(1,797,556)		(1,619,454)
Consolidation, Eliminations [Member] | Financial Services Segment [Member]
Cash and cash equivalents
Marketable securities
Intercompany receivables	(22,726)		(40,139)
Total Assets	(21,747)		(38,757)
Mortgage loans held-for-sale, net
Other assets	979		1,382
Advances and notes payable to parent and subsidiaries	(4,046)		(4,222)
Total Liabilities	(7,258)		(9,869)
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities	(3,212)		(5,647)
Mortgage repurchase facility