Segment Information (Segment Financial Information) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands		3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
		Aug. 31, 2019	Aug. 31, 2018	Aug. 31, 2019	Aug. 31, 2018	Dec. 01, 2018	Nov. 30, 2018
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Inventory impairments and land option contract abandonments				$ 13,143	$ 19,925
Revenues:
Total revenues		$ 1,160,786	$ 1,225,347	2,994,072	3,198,393
Pretax income (loss):
Pretax income (loss)		91,936	114,676	183,208	239,029
Inventories: Homes under Construction		1,587,617		1,587,617			$ 1,125,152
Inventories: Land under development		2,150,088		2,150,088			2,219,936
Inventories: Land held for future development or sale	[1]	181,371		181,371			237,751
Inventories		3,919,076		3,919,076			3,582,839
Assets
Total assets		5,035,170		5,035,170			5,073,571
Land Option Contract Abandonment [Member]
Pretax income (loss):
Land option contract abandonment charges		400	1,300	1,700	2,100
Home Building [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Inventory impairments and land option contract abandonments		5,251	8,414	13,143	19,925
Revenues:
Total revenues		1,156,855	1,221,875	2,984,314	3,189,753
Pretax income (loss):
Pretax income (loss)		85,292	109,564	169,499	228,879
Inventories		3,919,076		3,919,076		$ 3,547,551	3,582,839
Assets
Total assets		5,003,259		5,003,259			5,061,191
Home Building [Member] | West Coast [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Inventory impairments and land option contract abandonments		5,065	4,409	12,148	15,697
Revenues:
Total revenues		497,654	571,880	1,194,728	1,455,272
Pretax income (loss):
Pretax income (loss)		43,775	72,996	86,480	156,472
Assets
Total assets		2,177,265		2,177,265			1,880,516
Home Building [Member] | Southwest [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Inventory impairments and land option contract abandonments		126	432	408	432
Revenues:
Total revenues		180,238	196,056	522,721	528,872
Pretax income (loss):
Pretax income (loss)		26,366	31,065	76,433	66,619
Assets
Total assets		695,741		695,741			631,509
Home Building [Member] | Central [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Inventory impairments and land option contract abandonments		0	1,131	366	1,354
Revenues:
Total revenues		326,058	327,888	874,730	885,875
Pretax income (loss):
Pretax income (loss)		34,417	32,294	80,199	80,464
Assets
Total assets		1,048,958		1,048,958			1,017,490
Home Building [Member] | Southeast [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Inventory impairments and land option contract abandonments		60	2,442	221	2,442
Revenues:
Total revenues		152,905	126,051	392,135	319,734
Pretax income (loss):
Pretax income (loss)		5,272	(702)	5,316	1,405
Assets
Total assets		448,391		448,391			463,224
Home Building [Member] | Corporate and Other [Member]
Pretax income (loss):
Pretax income (loss)		(24,538)	$ (26,089)	(78,929)	$ (76,081)
Assets
Total assets		$ 632,904		$ 632,904			$ 1,068,452

[1] Land held for sale totaled $27.8 million at August 31, 2019 and $9.8 million at November 30, 2018.