Supplemental Disclosure to Statements of Cash Flows (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
	Oct. 31, 2019	Oct. 31, 2018	Oct. 31, 2017	Oct. 31, 2015	Nov. 01, 2018	Nov. 02, 2017	Oct. 31, 2016
Cash flow information:
Interest paid, net of amount capitalized	$ 35,422	$ 20,812	$ 21,578
Income tax payment	141,681	215,092	119,852
Income tax refunds	4,344	3,101	2,776
Noncash activity:
Cost of inventory acquired through seller financing or municipal bonds, net	213,824	185,633	61,877
Financed portion of land sale			625
Reduction in inventory for our share of earnings in land purchased from unconsolidated entities and allocation of basis difference	(5,300)	(1,320)	11,760
Cost of inventory acquired through foreclosure		4,609
Reclassification of deferred income from inventory to accrued liabilities			3,520
Treasury Stock, Retired, Cost Method, Amount	0
Cost of Other Inventory Acquired	38,134	2,801
Reclassification of inventory to property, construction and office equipment			8,990
Increase (decrease) in unrecognized losses in defined benefit plans	4,138	(3,115)	(1,201)
Defined benefit retirement plan amendment	4,956
Deferred tax decrease related to stock-based compensation activity included in additional paid-in capital			5,232
Income tax (expense) benefit recognized in total comprehensive income	2,265	(1,141)	(880)
Noncash transfer of other assets to inventory	7,100	16,763
Transfer of inventory to investment in unconsolidated entities			72,757
Transfer of investment in unconsolidated entities to inventory			14,328
Transfer of other assets to investment in unconsolidated entities	44,139	60,971	1,308
Reclassification deferred income from accrued expenses to investment in unconsolidated entities		5,995
Increase in investments in unconsolidated entities for change in the fair value of debt guarantees	928	623	130
Miscellaneous (decreases) increases to investments in unconsolidated entities	(1,876)	1,776	5,117
Acquisition of a Business:
Fair value of assets purchased, excluding cash acquired	173,516		88,465
Liabilities Assumed	11,143		5,377
Payments to Acquire Businesses, Net of Cash Acquired	162,373		83,088
Cash and Cash Equivalents, at Carrying Value	1,286,014	1,182,195	712,829
Restricted Cash and Cash Equivalents	33,629	34,215	48,405
Cash, Cash Equivalents, Restricted Cash and Restricted Cash Equivalents	1,319,643	1,216,410	761,234				$ 785,469
Accounting Standards Update 2014-09 [Member]
Noncash activity:
Reclassification of Inventory to Property, Construction and Office Equipment, Net					$ 104,807
Net decrease in inventory and retained earnings for adoption of ASU 2014-09					8,989
Net increase in accrued expenses and decrease in retained earnings due to adoption of ASU 2014-09					6,541
Net decrease in investment in unconsolidated entities and retained earnings due to adoption of ASU 2014-09					$ 2,457
Treasury Stock [Member]
Noncash activity:
Treasury Stock, Retired, Cost Method, Amount	$ 895,517