Segment Information (Segment Financial Information) (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended				9 Months Ended				12 Months Ended
	Aug. 31, 2012		Aug. 31, 2011		Aug. 31, 2012		Aug. 31, 2011		Nov. 30, 2011
Revenues:
Total homebuilding revenues	$ 421,555		$ 364,532		$ 974,055		$ 829,816
Financial services	2,949		2,784		7,859		6,178
Total revenues	424,504		367,316		981,914		835,994
Pretax income (loss):
Total homebuilding pretax loss	(11,798)		(10,716)		(89,307)		(195,900)
Financial services	4,359		1,067		7,830		3,321
Total pretax income (loss)	(7,439)		(9,649)		(81,477)		(192,579)
Equity in income (loss) of unconsolidated joint ventures:
Equity in income (loss) of unconsolidated joint ventures	278		64		(37)		(55,865)
Inventory impairments:
Total inventory impairments	6,403		328		22,912		21,414		22,700
Land option contract abandonments:
Total land option contract abandonments	0		834		0		2,093
Joint venture impairments:
Total joint venture impairments	0		0		0		53,727
Assets:
Total homebuilding assets	2,543,684				2,543,684				2,480,369
Financial services	5,780				5,780				32,173
Total assets	2,549,464				2,549,464				2,512,542
Investments in unconsolidated joint ventures:
Total investments in unconsolidated joint ventures	122,155	[1]			122,155	[1]			127,926	[1]
West Coast
Revenues:
Total homebuilding revenues	207,239		175,434		445,123		354,348
Pretax income (loss):
Total homebuilding pretax loss	4,435		3,336		(29,019)		9,927
Equity in income (loss) of unconsolidated joint ventures:
Equity in income (loss) of unconsolidated joint ventures	(52)		67		(129)		50
Inventory impairments:
Total inventory impairments	933		328		14,040		1,679
Land option contract abandonments:
Total land option contract abandonments	0		0		0		112
Joint venture impairments:
Total joint venture impairments	0		0		0		0
Assets:
Total homebuilding assets	1,016,181				1,016,181				995,888
Investments in unconsolidated joint ventures:
Total investments in unconsolidated joint ventures	38,418				38,418				38,405
Southwest
Revenues:
Total homebuilding revenues	35,634		39,479		95,127		91,411
Pretax income (loss):
Total homebuilding pretax loss	(3,434)		3,201		(10,616)		(113,620)
Equity in income (loss) of unconsolidated joint ventures:
Equity in income (loss) of unconsolidated joint ventures	(241)		0		(458)		(55,902)
Inventory impairments:
Total inventory impairments	0		0		2,135		18,715
Land option contract abandonments:
Total land option contract abandonments	0		0		0		296
Joint venture impairments:
Total joint venture impairments	0		0		0		53,727
Assets:
Total homebuilding assets	307,363				307,363				338,586
Investments in unconsolidated joint ventures:
Total investments in unconsolidated joint ventures	74,458				74,458				80,194
Central
Revenues:
Total homebuilding revenues	117,099		102,702		285,129		247,492
Pretax income (loss):
Total homebuilding pretax loss	986		(2,187)		(3,152)		(12,389)
Equity in income (loss) of unconsolidated joint ventures:
Equity in income (loss) of unconsolidated joint ventures	0		0		0		0
Inventory impairments:
Total inventory impairments	0		0		1,267		51
Land option contract abandonments:
Total land option contract abandonments	0		834		0		1,074
Joint venture impairments:
Total joint venture impairments	0		0		0		0
Assets:
Total homebuilding assets	351,804				351,804				336,553
Investments in unconsolidated joint ventures:
Total investments in unconsolidated joint ventures	0				0				0
Southeast
Revenues:
Total homebuilding revenues	61,583		46,917		148,676		136,565
Pretax income (loss):
Total homebuilding pretax loss	5,174		(7,156)		5,494		(30,177)
Equity in income (loss) of unconsolidated joint ventures:
Equity in income (loss) of unconsolidated joint ventures	571		(3)		550		(13)
Inventory impairments:
Total inventory impairments	5,470		0		5,470		969
Land option contract abandonments:
Total land option contract abandonments	0		0		0		611
Joint venture impairments:
Total joint venture impairments	0		0		0		0
Assets:
Total homebuilding assets	336,515				336,515				317,308
Investments in unconsolidated joint ventures:
Total investments in unconsolidated joint ventures	9,279				9,279				9,327
Corporate and Other
Pretax income (loss):
Total homebuilding pretax loss	(18,959)	[2]	(7,910)	[2]	(52,014)	[2]	(49,641)	[2]
Assets:
Total homebuilding assets	$ 531,821				$ 531,821				$ 492,034

[1] The Company’s investments in unconsolidated joint ventures as of August 31, 2012 and November 30, 2011 include Inspirada Builders, LLC, an unconsolidated joint venture that was formed in 2011 in connection with the South Edge Plan (as defined below) and in which a wholly owned subsidiary of the Company is a member. As part of the South Edge Plan, land previously owned by South Edge was transferred to Inspirada Builders, LLC in November 2011. The Company anticipates that it will acquire its share of the land from Inspirada Builders, LLC through a future distribution.

[2] Corporate and other includes corporate general and administrative expenses.