Notes Payable (Narratives) (Details) - USD ($)		3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Feb. 17, 2015	May. 31, 2015	May. 31, 2014	May. 31, 2015	May. 31, 2014	Nov. 30, 2014
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Line of Credit Facility, Current Borrowing Capacity		$ 200,000,000		$ 200,000,000
Letters of credit outstanding		$ 27,000,000		27,000,000		$ 26,700,000
Proceeds from Issuance of Senior Long-term Debt				$ 250,000,000	$ 400,000,000
Incremental Common Shares Attributable to Dilutive Effect of Conversion of Debt Securities		8,402,000	8,402,000	8,402,000	8,402,000
Long-term Debt, Maturities, Repayments of Principal in Next Twelve Months		$ 213,500,000		$ 213,500,000
Long-term Debt, Maturities, Repayments of Principal in Year Two		16,900,000		16,900,000
Long-term Debt, Maturities, Repayments of Principal in Year Three		265,000,000		265,000,000
Long-term Debt, Maturities, Repayments of Principal in Year Four		300,000,000		300,000,000
Long-term Debt, Maturities, Repayments of Principal in Year Five		630,000,000		630,000,000
Long-term Debt, Maturities, Repayments of Principal after Year Five		1,400,000,000		1,400,000,000
Inventories pledged to collateralize mortgages and land contracts, carrying value		125,400,000		125,400,000
Notes and Loans Payable		2,819,510,000		2,819,510,000		2,576,525,000
Letter of Credit [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Unsecured revolving credit facility, maximum borrowing capacity		100,000,000		100,000,000
Line of Credit Facility, Amount Outstanding		160,000.000		160,000.000
Letters of credit outstanding		26,800,000		26,800,000		26,700,000
Unsecured revolving credit facility, remaining borrowing capacity		99,800,000		$ 99,800,000
Revolving Credit Facility [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Unsecured revolving credit facility, expiration date				Mar. 12, 2016
Unsecured revolving credit facility, maximum borrowing capacity		300,000,000		$ 300,000,000
Line of Credit Facility, Amount Outstanding		0		0
Unsecured revolving credit facility, remaining borrowing capacity		$ 199,800,000		$ 199,800,000
Revolving Credit Facility [Member] | Minimum [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Line of credit facility, unused capacity, commitment fee percentage				0.50%
Revolving Credit Facility [Member] | Maximum [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Line of credit facility, unused capacity, commitment fee percentage				0.75%
Convertible Senior Notes Due Two Thousand Nineteen At One Point Three Seven Five Percent [Member] [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Senior notes, rate		1.375%		1.375%
Mortgages and Land Contracts Due to Land Sellers and Other Loans [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Notes and Loans Payable		$ 30,493,000		$ 30,493,000		$ 38,250,000
Convertible Notes Payable [Member] | Convertible Senior Notes Due Two Thousand Nineteen At One Point Three Seven Five Percent [Member] [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Senior notes, rate		1.375%		1.375%		1.375%
Debt Conversion, Converted Instrument, Shares Issued				36.5297
Debt instrument, convertible, conversion price		$ 27.37		$ 27.37
Incremental Common Shares Attributable to Dilutive Effect of Conversion of Debt Securities				8,401,831
Notes and Loans Payable		$ 230,000,000		$ 230,000,000		$ 230,000,000
Senior Notes [Member] | Senior Notes Due Two Thousand Fifteen at Six Point Two Five Percent [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Senior notes, rate		6.25%		6.25%		6.25%
Notes and Loans Payable						$ 199,891,000
Senior Notes [Member] | Senior notes due September 15, 2017 at 9.10%
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Senior notes, rate		9.10%		9.10%		9.10%
Notes and Loans Payable		$ 263,093,000		$ 263,093,000		$ 262,729,000
Senior Notes [Member] | Senior Notes Due Two Thousand Nineteen at Four Point Seven Five Percent [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Senior notes, rate		4.75%		4.75%		4.75%
Notes and Loans Payable		$ 400,000,000		$ 400,000,000		$ 400,000,000
Senior Notes [Member] | Senior notes due March 15, 2020 at 8.00%
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Senior notes, rate		8.00%		8.00%		8.00%
Notes and Loans Payable		$ 346,542,000		$ 346,542,000		$ 346,253,000
Senior Notes [Member] | Senior notes due September 15, 2022 at 7.50%
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Senior notes, rate		7.50%		7.50%		7.50%
Notes and Loans Payable		$ 350,000,000		$ 350,000,000		$ 350,000,000
Senior Notes [Member] | Senior Notes Due Two Thousand Twenty Three At Seven Point Six Two Five Percent [Domain]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, Face Amount	$ 250,000,000
Proceeds from Issuance of Senior Long-term Debt	$ 247,000,000
Senior notes, rate		7.625%		7.625%
Notes and Loans Payable		$ 250,000,000		$ 250,000,000		$ 0