Note 2 - Recently Issued Accounting Standards - Cumulative Effect of the Changes Made to Consolidated Balance Sheet (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Jun. 30, 2018	Jan. 01, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017
Deferred tax asset, net	$ 37,400		$ 41,500
Retained earnings	332,800	$ 263,930	258,164
Accumulated other comprehensive income			3,992
Accounting Standards Update 2018-02 [Member]
Retained earnings		(860)
Accumulated other comprehensive income		860
Accounting Standards Update 2016-01 [Member]
Retained earnings		4,852
Accumulated other comprehensive income		(4,852)
Accounting Standards Update 2014-09 [Member]
Retained earnings		1,774
Accumulated other comprehensive income
Homebuilding Segment [Member]
Housing completed or under construction	1,077,406	944,091	936,685
Property and equipment, net	55,112	51,709	26,439
Prepaid and other assets	45,450	41,439	75,666
Deferred tax asset, net	37,350	40,907	41,480
Other assets	1,043		1,220
Homebuilding Segment [Member] | Accounting Standards Update 2018-02 [Member]
Housing completed or under construction
Property and equipment, net
Prepaid and other assets
Deferred tax asset, net
Homebuilding Segment [Member] | Accounting Standards Update 2016-01 [Member]
Housing completed or under construction
Property and equipment, net
Prepaid and other assets
Deferred tax asset, net
Homebuilding Segment [Member] | Accounting Standards Update 2014-09 [Member]
Housing completed or under construction		7,406
Property and equipment, net		25,270
Prepaid and other assets		(34,227)
Deferred tax asset, net		(573)
Financial Services Segment [Member]
Other assets	$ 15,062	13,515	$ 9,617
Financial Services Segment [Member] | Accounting Standards Update 2018-02 [Member]
Other assets
Financial Services Segment [Member] | Accounting Standards Update 2016-01 [Member]
Other assets
Financial Services Segment [Member] | Accounting Standards Update 2014-09 [Member]
Other assets		$ 3,898