Note 21 - Supplemental Guarantor Information - Supplemental Condensed Combining Balance Sheet (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Mar. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018	Mar. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 476,066	$ 470,139	$ 407,580	$ 514,240
Operating lease right-of-use asset	33,500
Deferred tax asset, net	34,500	37,200
Assets	3,034,919	3,001,077
Cash and cash equivalents	476,066	470,139	407,580	514,240
Present value of operating lease liabilities 2	34,583
Total Liabilities	1,424,213	1,425,077
Total Stockholders' Equity	1,610,706	1,576,000	1,432,493	1,407,287
Total Liabilities and Stockholders' Equity	3,034,919	3,001,077
Deferred tax assets, net	34,500	37,200
Homebuilding Segment [Member]
Cash and cash equivalents	416,374	414,724	352,868
Restricted cash	8,136	6,363	6,198
Trade and other receivables	67,960	52,982
Housing completed or under construction	950,274	952,436
Land and land under development	1,198,824	1,180,558
Total inventories	2,149,098	2,132,994
Intercompany receivables
Investment in subsidiaries
Property and equipment, net	59,765	58,167
Operating lease right-of-use asset	32,604
Deferred tax asset, net	34,504	37,178
Prepaid and other assets	42,545	45,794
Assets	2,810,986	2,748,202
Cash and cash equivalents	416,374	414,724	352,868
Marketable securities	45,767	40,879
Other assets	42,545	45,794
Accounts payable	58,570	50,505
Accrued liabilities	185,131	196,247
Present value of operating lease liabilities 2	33,460
Advances and notes payable to parent and subsidiaries
Revolving credit facility	15,000	15,000
Senior notes, net	988,322	987,967
Total Liabilities	1,280,483	1,249,719
Deferred tax assets, net	34,504	37,178
Metropolitan district bond securities (related party)
Other assets	693	995
Financial Services Segment [Member]
Cash and cash equivalents	51,556	49,052	48,514
Intercompany receivables
Prepaid and other assets	15,800
Assets	223,933	252,875
Cash and cash equivalents	51,556	49,052	48,514
Marketable securities	45,767	40,879
Mortgage loans held-for-sale, net	110,810	149,211
Other assets	15,800
Advances and notes payable to parent and subsidiaries
Total Liabilities	143,730	175,358
Accounts payable and other liabilities	58,874	58,543
Mortgage repurchase facility	84,856	116,815
Other assets	15,800	13,733
Reportable Legal Entities [Member] | Parent Company [Member]
Cash and cash equivalents	411,750	410,127	348,609	468,718
Assets	2,726,034	2,674,373
Cash and cash equivalents	411,750	410,127	348,609	468,718
Total Liabilities	1,115,328	1,098,373
Total Stockholders' Equity	1,610,706	1,576,000
Total Liabilities and Stockholders' Equity	2,726,034	2,674,373
Reportable Legal Entities [Member] | Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Cash and cash equivalents	12,760	10,960	10,457	13,051
Assets	2,303,390	2,271,378
Cash and cash equivalents	12,760	10,960	10,457	13,051
Total Liabilities	2,121,924	1,903,140
Total Stockholders' Equity	181,466	368,238
Total Liabilities and Stockholders' Equity	2,303,390	2,271,378
Reportable Legal Entities [Member] | Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Cash and cash equivalents	51,556	49,052	48,514	32,471
Assets	245,637	276,231
Cash and cash equivalents	51,556	49,052	48,514	32,471
Total Liabilities	154,683	188,621
Total Stockholders' Equity	90,954	87,610
Total Liabilities and Stockholders' Equity	245,637	276,231
Reportable Legal Entities [Member] | Homebuilding Segment [Member] | Parent Company [Member]
Cash and cash equivalents	411,750	410,127
Restricted cash
Trade and other receivables	589	758
Housing completed or under construction
Land and land under development
Total inventories
Intercompany receivables	1,939,500	1,735,342
Investment in subsidiaries	272,420	455,848
Property and equipment, net	23,608	23,896
Operating lease right-of-use asset	32,604
Deferred tax asset, net	34,513	36,168
Prepaid and other assets	11,050	12,234
Assets	2,726,034	2,674,373
Cash and cash equivalents	411,750	410,127
Other assets	11,050	12,234
Accounts payable	39
Accrued liabilities	50,285	65,691
Present value of operating lease liabilities 2	33,460
Advances and notes payable to parent and subsidiaries	28,222	29,715
Revolving credit facility	15,000	15,000
Senior notes, net	988,322	987,967
Total Liabilities	1,115,328	1,098,373
Deferred tax assets, net	34,513	36,168
Metropolitan district bond securities (related party)
Reportable Legal Entities [Member] | Homebuilding Segment [Member] | Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Cash and cash equivalents	4,624	4,597
Restricted cash	8,136	6,363
Trade and other receivables	67,371	52,224
Housing completed or under construction	950,274	952,436
Land and land under development	1,198,824	1,180,558
Total inventories	2,149,098	2,132,994
Intercompany receivables	6,509	7,369
Investment in subsidiaries
Property and equipment, net	36,157	34,271
Operating lease right-of-use asset
Deferred tax asset, net
Prepaid and other assets	31,495	33,560
Assets	2,303,390	2,271,378
Cash and cash equivalents	4,624	4,597
Other assets	31,495	33,560
Accounts payable	58,531	50,505
Accrued liabilities	132,666	125,387
Present value of operating lease liabilities 2
Advances and notes payable to parent and subsidiaries	1,930,727	1,727,248
Revolving credit facility
Senior notes, net
Total Liabilities	2,121,924	1,903,140
Deferred tax assets, net
Metropolitan district bond securities (related party)
Reportable Legal Entities [Member] | Homebuilding Segment [Member] | Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Cash and cash equivalents
Restricted cash
Trade and other receivables
Housing completed or under construction
Land and land under development
Total inventories
Intercompany receivables
Investment in subsidiaries
Property and equipment, net
Operating lease right-of-use asset
Deferred tax asset, net
Prepaid and other assets
Assets
Cash and cash equivalents
Other assets
Accounts payable
Accrued liabilities
Present value of operating lease liabilities 2
Advances and notes payable to parent and subsidiaries	296	295
Revolving credit facility
Senior notes, net
Total Liabilities	296	295
Deferred tax assets, net
Metropolitan district bond securities (related party)
Reportable Legal Entities [Member] | Financial Services Segment [Member] | Parent Company [Member]
Cash and cash equivalents
Intercompany receivables
Prepaid and other assets
Assets
Cash and cash equivalents
Marketable securities
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
Other assets
Reportable Legal Entities [Member] | Financial Services Segment [Member] | Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Cash and cash equivalents
Intercompany receivables
Prepaid and other assets
Assets
Cash and cash equivalents
Marketable securities
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
Other assets
Reportable Legal Entities [Member] | Financial Services Segment [Member] | Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Cash and cash equivalents	51,556	49,052
Intercompany receivables	21,713	22,346
Prepaid and other assets	15,791
Assets	245,637	276,231
Cash and cash equivalents	51,556	49,052
Marketable securities	45,767	40,879
Mortgage loans held-for-sale, net	110,810	149,211
Other assets	15,791
Advances and notes payable to parent and subsidiaries	8,477	7,799
Total Liabilities	154,387	188,326
Accounts payable and other liabilities	61,054	63,712
Mortgage repurchase facility	84,856	116,815
Other assets		14,743
Consolidation, Eliminations [Member]
Cash and cash equivalents
Assets	(2,240,142)	(2,220,905)
Cash and cash equivalents
Total Liabilities	(1,967,722)	(1,765,057)
Total Stockholders' Equity	(272,420)	(455,848)
Total Liabilities and Stockholders' Equity	(2,240,142)	(2,220,905)
Consolidation, Eliminations [Member] | Homebuilding Segment [Member]
Cash and cash equivalents
Restricted cash
Trade and other receivables
Housing completed or under construction
Land and land under development
Total inventories
Intercompany receivables	(1,946,009)	(1,742,711)
Investment in subsidiaries	(272,420)	(455,848)
Property and equipment, net
Operating lease right-of-use asset
Deferred tax asset, net	(9)	1,010
Prepaid and other assets
Assets	(2,218,438)	(2,197,549)
Cash and cash equivalents
Other assets
Accounts payable
Accrued liabilities	2,180	5,169
Present value of operating lease liabilities 2
Advances and notes payable to parent and subsidiaries	(1,959,245)	(1,757,258)
Revolving credit facility
Senior notes, net
Total Liabilities	(1,957,065)	(1,752,089)
Deferred tax assets, net	(9)	1,010
Metropolitan district bond securities (related party)
Consolidation, Eliminations [Member] | Financial Services Segment [Member]
Cash and cash equivalents
Intercompany receivables	(21,713)	(22,346)
Prepaid and other assets	9
Assets	(21,704)	(23,356)
Cash and cash equivalents
Marketable securities
Mortgage loans held-for-sale, net
Other assets	9
Advances and notes payable to parent and subsidiaries	(8,477)	(7,799)
Total Liabilities	(10,657)	(12,968)
Accounts payable and other liabilities	(2,180)	(5,169)
Mortgage repurchase facility
Other assets		$ (1,010)