Segment Information (Segment Financial Information) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands		3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
		Aug. 31, 2018	Aug. 31, 2017	Aug. 31, 2018	Aug. 31, 2017	Nov. 30, 2017
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Impairment of Real Estate		$ 7,135	$ 7,094	$ 17,827	$ 14,613
Inventory, Homes under Construction		1,394,895		1,394,895		$ 1,236,848
Inventory, Real Estate, Land and Land Development Costs		2,053,922		2,053,922		1,651,339
Inventory, Land Held for Development and Sale	[1]	240,038		240,038		375,199
Inventory, Operative Builders		3,688,855		3,688,855		3,263,386
Revenues:
Home Building Revenue		1,221,875	1,140,787	3,189,753	2,957,105
Pretax income (loss):
Total pretax income (loss)		114,676	79,208	239,029	152,649
Assets:
Total assets		4,974,689		4,974,689		5,041,515
Homebuilding [Member]
Pretax income (loss):
Total pretax income (loss)		109,564	76,224	228,879	145,288
Assets:
Total assets		4,963,148		4,963,148		5,029,158
Financial services [Member]
Pretax income (loss):
Total pretax income (loss)		5,112	2,984	10,150	7,361
Assets:
Total assets		11,541		11,541		12,357
West Coast [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Impairment of Real Estate		4,190	4,992	14,882	8,136
Inventory, Homes under Construction		700,305		700,305		638,639
Inventory, Real Estate, Land and Land Development Costs		967,099		967,099		723,761
Inventory, Land Held for Development and Sale		146,947		146,947		233,188
Revenues:
Home Building Revenue		571,880	609,598	1,455,272	1,426,030
West Coast [Member] | Homebuilding [Member]
Pretax income (loss):
Total pretax income (loss)		72,996	58,922	156,472	118,271
Assets:
Total assets		1,984,393		1,984,393		1,747,786
Southwest [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Impairment of Real Estate		0	2,102	0	3,445
Inventory, Homes under Construction		183,226		183,226		179,240
Inventory, Real Estate, Land and Land Development Costs		376,413		376,413		309,672
Inventory, Land Held for Development and Sale		21,141		21,141		62,475
Revenues:
Home Building Revenue		196,056	132,307	528,872	376,132
Southwest [Member] | Homebuilding [Member]
Pretax income (loss):
Total pretax income (loss)		31,065	11,648	66,619	30,269
Assets:
Total assets		614,214		614,214		586,666
Central [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Impairment of Real Estate		654	0	654	0
Inventory, Homes under Construction		356,722		356,722		320,205
Inventory, Real Estate, Land and Land Development Costs		502,415		502,415		435,373
Inventory, Land Held for Development and Sale		11,951		11,951		12,654
Revenues:
Home Building Revenue		327,888	291,006	885,875	826,008
Central [Member] | Homebuilding [Member]
Pretax income (loss):
Total pretax income (loss)		32,294	28,921	80,464	75,584
Assets:
Total assets		1,004,464		1,004,464		901,516
Southeast [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Impairment of Real Estate		2,291	0	2,291	3,032
Inventory, Homes under Construction		154,642		154,642		98,764
Inventory, Real Estate, Land and Land Development Costs		207,995		207,995		182,533
Inventory, Land Held for Development and Sale		59,999		59,999		66,882
Revenues:
Home Building Revenue		126,051	107,876	319,734	328,935
Southeast [Member] | Homebuilding [Member]
Pretax income (loss):
Total pretax income (loss)		(702)	1,129	1,405	(605)
Assets:
Total assets		462,427		462,427		359,307
Corporate and Other [Member] | Homebuilding [Member]
Pretax income (loss):
Total pretax income (loss)		(26,089)	(24,396)	(76,081)	(78,231)
Assets:
Total assets		897,650		897,650		$ 1,433,883
Land Option Contract Abandonment [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Loss on Contract Termination		1,279	1,019	2,098	3,509
Land Option Contract Abandonment [Member] | West Coast [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Loss on Contract Termination		219	903	815	2,738
Land Option Contract Abandonment [Member] | Southwest [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Loss on Contract Termination		432	0	432	0
Land Option Contract Abandonment [Member] | Central [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Loss on Contract Termination		477	0	700	518
Land Option Contract Abandonment [Member] | Southeast [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Loss on Contract Termination		$ 151	$ 116	$ 151	$ 253

[1] Land held for sale totaled $13.9 million at August 31, 2018 and $21.8 million at November 30, 2017.