Note 20 - Supplemental Guarantor Information - Supplemental Condensed Combining Balance Sheet (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Jun. 30, 2018	Jan. 01, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017	Jun. 30, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 433,323		$ 514,240	$ 343,003	$ 286,687
Deferred tax asset, net	37,400		41,500
Assets	2,847,629		2,780,292
Total Liabilities	1,357,788		1,373,005
Total Stockholders' Equity	1,489,841		1,407,287
Total Liabilities and Stockholders' Equity	2,847,629		2,780,292
Homebuilding Segment [Member]
Cash and cash equivalents	378,219		472,957	314,814
Marketable securities			49,634
Restricted cash	7,443		8,812	5,027
Trade and other receivables	54,719		53,362
Housing completed or under construction	1,077,406	$ 944,091	936,685
Land and land under development	977,694		893,051
Total inventories	2,055,100		1,829,736
Intercompany receivables
Investment in subsidiaries
Property and equipment, net	55,112	51,709	26,439
Deferred tax asset, net	37,350	40,907	41,480
Prepaid and other assets	45,450	41,439	75,666
Assets	2,633,393		2,558,086
Other assets	1,043		1,220
Accounts payable	52,513		39,655
Accrued liabilities	168,899		166,312
Advances and notes payable to parent and subsidiaries
Revolving credit facility	15,000		15,000
Senior notes, net	987,272		986,597
Total Liabilities	1,223,684		1,207,564
Financial Services Segment [Member]
Cash and cash equivalents	47,661		32,471	23,162
Marketable securities	44,328		42,004
Intercompany receivables
Assets	214,236		222,206
Mortgage loans held-for-sale, net	107,185		138,114
Other assets	15,062	$ 13,515	9,617
Advances and notes payable to parent and subsidiaries
Total Liabilities	134,104		165,441
Accounts payable and other liabilities	53,285		53,101
Mortgage repurchase facility	80,819		112,340
Reportable Legal Entities [Member] | Parent Company [Member]
Cash and cash equivalents	373,344		468,718	310,329	255,679
Assets	2,569,470		2,497,461
Total Liabilities	1,079,629		1,090,174
Total Stockholders' Equity	1,489,841		1,407,287
Total Liabilities and Stockholders' Equity	2,569,470		2,497,461
Reportable Legal Entities [Member] | Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Cash and cash equivalents	12,318		13,051	9,512	7,186
Assets	2,200,176		1,963,300
Total Liabilities	1,957,848		1,709,792
Total Stockholders' Equity	242,328		253,508
Total Liabilities and Stockholders' Equity	2,200,176		1,963,300
Reportable Legal Entities [Member] | Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Cash and cash equivalents	47,661		32,471	23,162	23,822
Assets	236,706		266,254
Total Liabilities	170,435		202,362
Total Stockholders' Equity	66,271		63,892
Total Liabilities and Stockholders' Equity	236,706		266,254
Reportable Legal Entities [Member] | Homebuilding Segment [Member] | Parent Company [Member]
Cash and cash equivalents	373,344		468,718
Marketable securities			49,634
Restricted cash
Trade and other receivables	5,917		8,200
Housing completed or under construction
Land and land under development
Total inventories
Intercompany receivables	1,812,520		1,578,830
Investment in subsidiaries	308,599		317,400
Property and equipment, net	23,595		24,557
Deferred tax asset, net	37,899		42,862
Prepaid and other assets	7,596		7,260
Assets	2,569,470		2,497,461
Accounts payable
Accrued liabilities	42,024		40,344
Advances and notes payable to parent and subsidiaries	35,333		48,233
Revolving credit facility	15,000		15,000
Senior notes, net	987,272		986,597
Total Liabilities	1,079,629		1,090,174
Reportable Legal Entities [Member] | Homebuilding Segment [Member] | Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Cash and cash equivalents	4,875		4,239
Marketable securities
Restricted cash	7,443		8,812
Trade and other receivables	51,073		47,422
Housing completed or under construction	1,077,406		936,685
Land and land under development	977,694		893,051
Total inventories	2,055,100		1,829,736
Intercompany receivables	12,314		2,803
Investment in subsidiaries
Property and equipment, net	31,517		1,882
Deferred tax asset, net
Prepaid and other assets	37,854		68,406
Assets	2,200,176		1,963,300
Accounts payable	52,513		39,655
Accrued liabilities	124,883		122,544
Advances and notes payable to parent and subsidiaries	1,780,452		1,547,593
Revolving credit facility
Senior notes, net
Total Liabilities	1,957,848		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
Assets			5,291
Accounts payable
Accrued liabilities			37
Advances and notes payable to parent and subsidiaries	27,789		27,015
Revolving credit facility
Senior notes, net
Total Liabilities	27,789		27,052
Reportable Legal Entities [Member] | Financial Services Segment [Member] | Parent Company [Member]
Cash and cash equivalents
Marketable securities
Intercompany receivables
Assets
Mortgage loans held-for-sale, net
Other assets
Advances and notes payable to parent and subsidiaries
Total Liabilities
Accounts payable and other liabilities
Mortgage repurchase facility
Reportable Legal Entities [Member] | Financial Services Segment [Member] | Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Cash and cash equivalents
Marketable securities
Intercompany receivables
Assets
Mortgage loans held-for-sale, net
Other assets
Advances and notes payable to parent and subsidiaries
Total Liabilities
Accounts payable and other liabilities
Mortgage repurchase facility
Reportable Legal Entities [Member] | Financial Services Segment [Member] | Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Cash and cash equivalents	47,661		32,471
Marketable securities	44,328		42,004
Intercompany receivables	23,019		40,139
Assets	236,706		260,963
Mortgage loans held-for-sale, net	107,185		138,114
Other assets	14,513		8,235
Advances and notes payable to parent and subsidiaries	4,279		4,222
Total Liabilities	142,646		175,310
Accounts payable and other liabilities	57,548		58,748
Mortgage repurchase facility	80,819		112,340
Consolidation, Eliminations [Member]
Cash and cash equivalents
Assets	(2,158,723)		(1,946,723)
Total Liabilities	(1,850,124)		(1,629,323)
Total Stockholders' Equity	(308,599)		(317,400)
Total Liabilities and Stockholders' Equity	(2,158,723)		(1,946,723)
Consolidation, Eliminations [Member] | Homebuilding Segment [Member]
Cash and cash equivalents
Marketable securities
Restricted cash
Trade and other receivables	(2,271)		(2,260)
Housing completed or under construction
Land and land under development
Total inventories
Intercompany receivables	(1,824,834)		(1,586,924)
Investment in subsidiaries	(308,599)		(317,400)
Property and equipment, net
Deferred tax asset, net	(549)		(1,382)
Prepaid and other assets
Assets	(2,136,253)		(1,907,966)
Accounts payable
Accrued liabilities	1,992		3,387
Advances and notes payable to parent and subsidiaries	(1,843,574)		(1,622,841)
Revolving credit facility
Senior notes, net
Total Liabilities	(1,841,582)		(1,619,454)
Consolidation, Eliminations [Member] | Financial Services Segment [Member]
Cash and cash equivalents
Marketable securities
Intercompany receivables	(23,019)		(40,139)
Assets	(22,470)		(38,757)
Mortgage loans held-for-sale, net
Other assets	549		1,382
Advances and notes payable to parent and subsidiaries	(4,279)		(4,222)
Total Liabilities	(8,542)		(9,869)
Accounts payable and other liabilities	(4,263)		(5,647)
Mortgage repurchase facility