Credit Facility, Loans Payable, Senior Notes, Senior Subordinated Notes and Mortgage Company Warehouse Loan Credit Facility, Loans Payable, Senior Notes, Senior Subordinated Notes and Mortgage Company Warehouse Loan (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	12 Months Ended
	Oct. 31, 2012	Oct. 31, 2011
Credit Facility, Loans Payable, Senior Notes, Senior Subordinated Notes and Mortgage Company Warehouse Loan [Abstract]
Loans payable	$ 99,817	$ 106,556
Debt, Weighted Average Interest Rate	3.64%	3.99%
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage Rate Range, Minimum	0.26%	0.16%
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage Rate Range, Maximum	7.87%	7.87%
Loans secured by assets [Abstract]
Secured Debt	98,952	105,092
Value of Assets Securing Loans	$ 311,104	$ 283,169