Supplemental Guarantor Information Supplemental Guarantor Information - Balance Sheet (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Sep. 30, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013	Sep. 30, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012
ASSETS:
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 17,168	$ 128,725	$ 142,475	$ 145,498
Restricted cash	8,898	13,902
Mortgage loans held for sale	76,983	81,810
Inventory	893,964	690,934
Property and equipment - net	11,430	10,536
Investments in unconsolidated joint ventures	40,769	35,266
Deferred Tax Assets, Net of Valuation Allowance	102,882	110,911
Investment in subsidiaries	0	0
Intercompany	0	0
Other assets	41,060	38,092
TOTAL ASSETS	1,193,154	1,110,176
LIABILITIES:
Accounts payable	97,873	70,226
Customer deposits	14,202	11,262
Intercompany liabilities	0	0
Other liabilities	74,203	71,341
Community development district (“CDD”) obligations	3,056	3,130
Obligation for consolidated inventory not owned	1,700	1,775
Long-term Line of Credit	14,400	0
Warehouse Agreement Borrowings	73,778	80,029
Notes payable - other	8,530	7,790
2017 Convertible Subordianted Debt	57,500	57,500
2018 Convertible Subordinated Debt	86,250	86,250
Senior notes	228,369	228,070
TOTAL LIABILITIES	659,861	617,373
TOTAL SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY	533,293	492,803
TOTAL LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY	1,193,154	1,110,176
Parent [Member]
ASSETS:
Cash and cash equivalents	0	0	0	0
Restricted cash	0	0
Mortgage loans held for sale	0	0
Inventory	0	0
Property and equipment - net	0	0
Investments in unconsolidated joint ventures	0	0
Deferred Tax Assets, Net of Valuation Allowance	0	0
Investment in subsidiaries	567,407	535,879
Intercompany	330,075	318,852
Other assets	7,930	9,892
TOTAL ASSETS	905,412	864,623
LIABILITIES:
Accounts payable	0	0
Customer deposits	0	0
Intercompany liabilities	0	0
Other liabilities	0	0
Community development district (“CDD”) obligations	0	0
Obligation for consolidated inventory not owned	0	0
Long-term Line of Credit	0
Warehouse Agreement Borrowings	0	0
Notes payable - other	0	0
2017 Convertible Subordianted Debt	57,500	57,500
2018 Convertible Subordinated Debt	86,250	86,250
Senior notes	228,369	228,070
TOTAL LIABILITIES	372,119	371,820
TOTAL SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY	533,293	492,803
TOTAL LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY	905,412	864,623
Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
ASSETS:
Cash and cash equivalents	3,811	113,407	126,254	126,334
Restricted cash	8,898	13,902
Mortgage loans held for sale	0	0
Inventory	893,964	690,934
Property and equipment - net	11,119	10,267
Investments in unconsolidated joint ventures	22,286	13,525
Deferred Tax Assets, Net of Valuation Allowance	101,849	109,763
Investment in subsidiaries	0	0
Intercompany	0	0
Other assets	23,576	17,180
TOTAL ASSETS	1,065,503	968,978
LIABILITIES:
Accounts payable	97,302	69,887
Customer deposits	14,202	11,262
Intercompany liabilities	309,906	296,229
Other liabilities	68,711	64,413
Community development district (“CDD”) obligations	3,056	3,130
Obligation for consolidated inventory not owned	1,700	1,775
Long-term Line of Credit	14,400
Warehouse Agreement Borrowings	0	0
Notes payable - other	8,530	7,790
2017 Convertible Subordianted Debt	0	0
2018 Convertible Subordinated Debt	0	0
Senior notes	0	0
TOTAL LIABILITIES	517,807	454,486
TOTAL SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY	547,696	514,492
TOTAL LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY	1,065,503	968,978
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
ASSETS:
Cash and cash equivalents	13,357	15,318	16,221	19,164
Restricted cash	0	0
Mortgage loans held for sale	76,983	81,810
Inventory	0	0
Property and equipment - net	311	269
Investments in unconsolidated joint ventures	18,483	21,741
Deferred Tax Assets, Net of Valuation Allowance	1,033	1,148
Investment in subsidiaries	0	0
Intercompany	0	0
Other assets	9,554	11,020
TOTAL ASSETS	119,721	131,306
LIABILITIES:
Accounts payable	571	339
Customer deposits	0	0
Intercompany liabilities	20,169	22,623
Other liabilities	5,492	6,928
Community development district (“CDD”) obligations	0	0
Obligation for consolidated inventory not owned	0	0
Long-term Line of Credit	0
Warehouse Agreement Borrowings	73,778	80,029
Notes payable - other	0	0
2017 Convertible Subordianted Debt	0	0
2018 Convertible Subordinated Debt	0	0
Senior notes	0	0
TOTAL LIABILITIES	100,010	109,919
TOTAL SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY	19,711	21,387
TOTAL LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY	119,721	131,306
Corporate Elimination [Member]
ASSETS:
Cash and cash equivalents	0	0	0	0
Restricted cash	0	0
Mortgage loans held for sale	0	0
Inventory	0	0
Property and equipment - net	0	0
Investments in unconsolidated joint ventures	0	0
Deferred Tax Assets, Net of Valuation Allowance	0	0
Investment in subsidiaries	(567,407)	(535,879)
Intercompany	(330,075)	(318,852)
Other assets	0	0
TOTAL ASSETS	(897,482)	(854,731)
LIABILITIES:
Accounts payable	0	0
Customer deposits	0	0
Intercompany liabilities	(330,075)	(318,852)
Other liabilities	0	0
Community development district (“CDD”) obligations	0	0
Obligation for consolidated inventory not owned	0	0
Long-term Line of Credit	0
Warehouse Agreement Borrowings	0	0
Notes payable - other	0	0
2017 Convertible Subordianted Debt	0	0
2018 Convertible Subordinated Debt	0	0
Senior notes	0	0
TOTAL LIABILITIES	(330,075)	(318,852)
TOTAL SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY	(567,407)	(535,879)
TOTAL LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY	$ (897,482)	$ (854,731)