Investments in Unconsolidated Entities (Details 5) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Oct. 31, 2020	Jul. 31, 2020	Apr. 30, 2020	Jan. 31, 2020	Oct. 31, 2019	Jul. 31, 2019	Apr. 30, 2019	Jan. 31, 2019	Oct. 31, 2020	Oct. 31, 2019	Oct. 31, 2018
Condensed Statements of Operations:
Gain on disposition of loans and REO									$ 623	$ 947	$ 1,551
Income before income taxes	$ 266,991	$ 151,865	$ 102,113	$ 65,932	$ 272,649	$ 186,916	$ 176,159	$ 151,446	586,901	787,170	933,916
Income tax provision									140,277	197,163	185,765
Income (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interest									(10)	(19)	(15)
Net income	$ 199,317	$ 114,761	$ 75,670	$ 56,876	$ 202,315	$ 146,318	$ 129,324	$ 112,050	446,624	590,007	748,151
Income (loss) from unconsolidated entities									948	24,868	85,240
Land Development Joint Venture [Member]
Condensed Statements of Operations:
Revenues									87,174	261,677	351,397
Cost of revenues									64,810	246,980	317,103
Other expenses									2,948	4,752	9,385
Total expenses									67,758	251,732	326,488
Gain on disposition of loans and REO									0	0	0
Income before income taxes									19,416	9,945	24,909
Other income (expense)									3,061	3,079	5,939
Income tax provision									188	193	86
Income (Loss) from Continuing Operations, Net of Tax, Including Portion Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest									22,289	12,831	30,762
Income (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interest									0	0	0
Net income									22,289	12,831	30,762
Income (loss) from unconsolidated entities									11,412	6,160	3,392
Net Income Before Noncontrolling Interest									22,477	13,024	30,848
Home Building Joint Ventures, Total [Member]
Condensed Statements of Operations:
Revenues									139,587	374,587	148,002
Cost of revenues									124,899	323,764	109,357
Other expenses									15,731	24,633	11,742
Total expenses									140,630	348,397	121,099
Gain on disposition of loans and REO									0	0	0
Income before income taxes									(1,043)	26,190	26,903
Other income (expense)									536	6,144	2,134
Income tax provision									(254)	457	767
Income (Loss) from Continuing Operations, Net of Tax, Including Portion Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest									(253)	31,877	28,270
Income (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interest									0	0	0
Net income									(253)	31,877	28,270
Income (loss) from unconsolidated entities									(3,424)	17,004	14,069
Net Income Before Noncontrolling Interest									(507)	32,334	29,037
Rental Joint Ventures, including Trusts i and II [Member]
Condensed Statements of Operations:
Revenues									111,122	99,401	121,276
Cost of revenues									37,770	68,502	74,946
Other expenses									117,419	58,928	61,502
Total expenses									155,189	127,430	136,448
Gain on disposition of loans and REO									0	0	0
Income before income taxes									(44,067)	(28,029)	(15,172)
Other income (expense)									(448)	16,651	222,744
Income tax provision									0	0	0
Income (Loss) from Continuing Operations, Net of Tax, Including Portion Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest									(44,515)	(11,378)	207,572
Income (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interest									0	0	0
Net income									(44,515)	(11,378)	207,572
Income (loss) from unconsolidated entities									(9,389)	(824)	62,204
Net Income Before Noncontrolling Interest									(44,515)	(11,378)	207,572
Gibraltar Joint Ventures [Member]
Condensed Statements of Operations:
Revenues									26,781	21,377	19,592
Cost of revenues									15,762	13,234	17,817
Other expenses									1,505	1,880	3,201
Total expenses									17,267	15,114	21,018
Gain on disposition of loans and REO									(1,053)	(4,383)	(53,192)
Income before income taxes									10,567	10,646	51,766
Other income (expense)									0	12,793	1,937
Income tax provision									0	0	0
Income (Loss) from Continuing Operations, Net of Tax, Including Portion Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest									10,567	23,439	53,703
Income (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interest									(48)	9,593	28,297
Net income									10,615	13,846	25,406
Income (loss) from unconsolidated entities									2,349	2,528	5,575
Net Income Before Noncontrolling Interest									10,567	23,439	53,703
Equity Method Investment, Nonconsolidated Investee or Group of Investees
Condensed Statements of Operations:
Revenues									364,664	757,042	640,267
Cost of revenues									243,241	652,480	519,223
Other expenses									137,603	90,193	85,830
Total expenses									380,844	742,673	605,053
Gain on disposition of loans and REO									(1,053)	(4,383)	(53,192)
Income before income taxes									(15,127)	18,752	88,406
Other income (expense)									3,149	38,667	232,754
Income tax provision									(66)	650	853
Income (Loss) from Continuing Operations, Net of Tax, Including Portion Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest									(11,912)	56,769	320,307
Income (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interest									(48)	9,593	28,297
Net income									(11,864)	47,176	292,010
Income (loss) from unconsolidated entities									948	24,868	85,240
Net Income Before Noncontrolling Interest									$ (11,978)	$ 57,419	$ 321,160