Supplemental Disclosure to Statements of Cash Flows (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
	Oct. 31, 2020	Oct. 31, 2019	Oct. 31, 2018	Nov. 01, 2018
Cash flow information:
Interest paid, net of amount capitalized	$ 18,326	$ 35,422	$ 20,812
Income tax payment	48,509	141,681	215,092
Income tax refunds	1,822	4,344	3,101
Noncash activity:
Cost of inventory acquired through seller financing or municipal bonds, net	158,435	213,824	185,633
Reduction in inventory for our share of earnings in land purchased from unconsolidated entities and allocation of basis difference	215	5,300	1,320
Noncash lease activity	122,269	0	0
Cost of inventory acquired through foreclosure	0	0	4,609
Treasury Stock, Retired, Cost Method, Amount		0
Cost of Other Inventory Acquired	7,092	38,134	2,801
Reclassification of inventory to property, construction and office equipment	16,558	0	0
Increase (decrease) in unrecognized losses in defined benefit plans	729	4,138	(3,115)
Defined benefit retirement plan amendment	2,600	4,956	0
Income tax (expense) benefit recognized in total comprehensive income	471	2,265	(1,141)
Noncash transfer of other assets to inventory	0	7,100	16,763
Transfer of inventory to investment in unconsolidated entities	13,690	0	0
Transfer of other assets to investment in unconsolidated entities	52,345	44,139	60,971
Reclassification deferred income from accrued expenses to investment in unconsolidated entities	0	0	5,995
Increase in investments in unconsolidated entities for change in the fair value of debt guarantees	25	928	623
Miscellaneous (decreases) increases to investments in unconsolidated entities	645	(1,876)	1,776
Acquisition of a Business:
Fair value of assets purchased, excluding cash acquired	63,854	173,516	0
Liabilities Assumed	3,505	11,143	0
Payments to Acquire Businesses, Net of Cash Acquired	60,349	162,373	0
Cash and Cash Equivalents, at Carrying Value	1,370,944	1,286,014	1,182,195
Restricted Cash and Cash Equivalents	25,660	33,629	34,215
Cash, Cash Equivalents, Restricted Cash and Restricted Cash Equivalents	1,396,604	1,319,643	1,216,410
Accounting Standards Update 2014-09 [Member]
Noncash activity:
Reclassification of Inventory to Property, Construction and Office Equipment, Net		0	0	$ 104,807
Net decrease in inventory and retained earnings for adoption of ASU 2014-09		0	0	8,989
Net increase in accrued expenses and decrease in retained earnings due to adoption of ASU 2014-09		0	0	6,541
Net decrease in investment in unconsolidated entities and retained earnings due to adoption of ASU 2014-09		0	0	$ 2,457
Treasury Stock [Member]
Noncash activity:
Treasury Stock, Retired, Cost Method, Amount	$ 0	$ 895,517	$ 0