Geographic Segments (Details 1) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended					12 Months Ended
	Jan. 31, 2013	Oct. 31, 2012	Jul. 31, 2012	Apr. 30, 2012	Jan. 31, 2012	Oct. 31, 2012
Inventory
Inventory impairments and write-offs	$ 709				$ 8,120
Inventory	4,155,047	3,761,187				3,761,187
Investments in unconsolidated entities
Investments in and advances to unconsolidated entities	321,851	330,617				330,617
(Recovery) impairment of investment in unconsolidated entities	0				0
Land controlled for future communities [Member]
Inventory
Inventory impairments and write-offs	9				777
Inventory	54,521	56,300				56,300
Land owned for future communities [Member]
Inventory
Inventory impairments and write-offs	0				918
Inventory	1,253,102	1,040,373				1,040,373
Operating communities [Member]
Inventory
Inventory impairments and write-offs	700	1,400	2,685	2,560	6,425	13,070
Inventory	2,847,424	2,664,514				2,664,514
North [Member]
Investments in unconsolidated entities
Investments in and advances to unconsolidated entities	143,358	142,213				142,213
(Recovery) impairment of investment in unconsolidated entities
North [Member] | Land controlled for future communities [Member]
Inventory
Inventory impairments and write-offs	88				24
Inventory	14,937	13,196				13,196
North [Member] | Land owned for future communities [Member]
Inventory
Inventory impairments and write-offs
Inventory	395,575	226,082				226,082
North [Member] | Operating communities [Member]
Inventory
Inventory impairments and write-offs	500				2,265
Inventory	855,440	803,085				803,085
Mid-Atlantic [Member] | Land controlled for future communities [Member]
Inventory
Inventory impairments and write-offs	16				199
Inventory	26,031	27,249				27,249
Mid-Atlantic [Member] | Land owned for future communities [Member]
Inventory
Inventory impairments and write-offs
Inventory	474,446	431,620				431,620
Mid-Atlantic [Member] | Operating communities [Member]
Inventory
Inventory impairments and write-offs
Inventory	739,084	729,739				729,739
South [Member]
Investments in unconsolidated entities
Investments in and advances to unconsolidated entities	31,609	31,252				31,252
(Recovery) impairment of investment in unconsolidated entities
South [Member] | Land controlled for future communities [Member]
Inventory
Inventory impairments and write-offs	355				555
Inventory	8,130	7,724				7,724
South [Member] | Land owned for future communities [Member]
Inventory
Inventory impairments and write-offs					918
Inventory	163,080	141,644				141,644
South [Member] | Operating communities [Member]
Inventory
Inventory impairments and write-offs					4,160
Inventory	633,822	603,239				603,239
West [Member]
Investments in unconsolidated entities
Investments in and advances to unconsolidated entities	106,368	116,452				116,452
(Recovery) impairment of investment in unconsolidated entities
West [Member] | Land controlled for future communities [Member]
Inventory
Inventory impairments and write-offs	(450)				(1)
Inventory	5,423	8,131				8,131
West [Member] | Land owned for future communities [Member]
Inventory
Inventory impairments and write-offs
Inventory	220,001	241,027				241,027
West [Member] | Operating communities [Member]
Inventory
Inventory impairments and write-offs	200
Inventory	619,078	528,451				528,451
Corporate and other [Member]
Investments in unconsolidated entities
Investments in and advances to unconsolidated entities	40,516	40,700				40,700
(Recovery) impairment of investment in unconsolidated entities