Supplemental Guarantor Information Supplemental Guarantor Information - Statements of Cash Flows (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
Net Cash Provided by (Used in) Operating Activities [Abstract]
Net cash (used in) provided by operating activities	$ (82,159)	$ (132,675)	$ (73,974)
Net Cash Provided by (Used in) Investing Activities [Abstract]
Change in restricted cash	3,849	7,122	(5,185)
Purchase of property and equipment	(3,659)	(2,946)	(2,382)
Acquisition, net of cash acquired	(23,950)	0	0
Net proceeds from sale of mortgage servicing rights	3,065	2,135	0
Intercompany Investing	0	0
Investment in unconsolidated joint ventures	(18,162)	(20,415)	(29,509)
Return of capital from unconsolidated joint ventures	1,226	1,523	1,522
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities	(37,631)	(12,581)	(35,554)
Net Cash Provided by (Used in) Financing Activities [Abstract]
Repayment of senior notes	(226,874)
Proceeds from issuance of senior notes	300,000
Proceeds from issuance of convertible senior subordinated notes	0	0	86,250
Proceeds from bank borrowings - homebuilding operations	417,300	192,600	0
Repayment of bank borrowings - homebuilding operations	(403,500)	(162,600)	0
Net proceeds from bank borrowings - financial services operations	38,269	5,350	12,072
Principal proceeds from note payable - other and community development district bond obligations	(1,077)	1,728	(3,315)
Redemption of preferred shares	0	0	(50,352)
Dividends paid on preferred shares	(4,875)	(4,875)	(3,656)
Net proceeds from issuance of common shares	0	0	54,617
Intercompany financing	0	0	0
Debt issue costs	(5,818)	(2,081)	(5,501)
Proceeds from exercise of stock options	1,035	1,944	2,640
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities	114,460	32,066	92,755
Net (decrease) increase in cash and cash equivalents	(5,330)	(113,190)	(16,773)
Cash and cash equivalents balance at beginning of period	15,535	128,725	145,498
Cash and cash equivalents balance at end of period	10,205	15,535	128,725
Parent [Member]
Net Cash Provided by (Used in) Operating Activities [Abstract]
Net cash (used in) provided by operating activities	7,178	10,200	7,100
Net Cash Provided by (Used in) Investing Activities [Abstract]
Change in restricted cash	0	0	0
Purchase of property and equipment	0	0	0
Acquisition, net of cash acquired	0
Net proceeds from sale of mortgage servicing rights	0	0
Intercompany Investing	(3,338)	(7,269)
Investment in unconsolidated joint ventures	0	0	0
Return of capital from unconsolidated joint ventures	0	0	0
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities	(3,338)	(7,269)	0
Net Cash Provided by (Used in) Financing Activities [Abstract]
Repayment of senior notes	0
Proceeds from issuance of senior notes	0
Proceeds from issuance of convertible senior subordinated notes			86,250
Proceeds from bank borrowings - homebuilding operations	0	0
Repayment of bank borrowings - homebuilding operations	0	0
Net proceeds from bank borrowings - financial services operations	0	0	0
Principal proceeds from note payable - other and community development district bond obligations	0	0	0
Redemption of preferred shares			(50,352)
Dividends paid on preferred shares	(4,875)	(4,875)	(3,656)
Net proceeds from issuance of common shares			54,617
Intercompany financing	0	0	(96,599)
Debt issue costs	0	0	0
Proceeds from exercise of stock options	1,035	1,944	2,640
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities	(3,840)	(2,931)	(7,100)
Net (decrease) increase in cash and cash equivalents	0	0	0
Cash and cash equivalents balance at beginning of period	0	0	0
Cash and cash equivalents balance at end of period	0	0	0
Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Net Cash Provided by (Used in) Operating Activities [Abstract]
Net cash (used in) provided by operating activities	(58,566)	(143,672)	(72,633)
Net Cash Provided by (Used in) Investing Activities [Abstract]
Change in restricted cash	3,849	7,122	(5,185)
Purchase of property and equipment	(3,156)	(2,793)	(2,146)
Acquisition, net of cash acquired	(23,950)
Net proceeds from sale of mortgage servicing rights	$ 0	0
Intercompany Investing		0
Investment in unconsolidated joint ventures	$ (8,087)	(14,435)	(13,525)
Return of capital from unconsolidated joint ventures	0	275	0
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities	(31,344)	(9,831)	(20,856)
Net Cash Provided by (Used in) Financing Activities [Abstract]
Repayment of senior notes	(226,874)
Proceeds from issuance of senior notes	300,000
Proceeds from issuance of convertible senior subordinated notes			0
Proceeds from bank borrowings - homebuilding operations	417,300	192,600
Repayment of bank borrowings - homebuilding operations	(403,500)	(162,600)
Net proceeds from bank borrowings - financial services operations	0	0	0
Principal proceeds from note payable - other and community development district bond obligations	(1,077)	1,728	(3,315)
Redemption of preferred shares			0
Dividends paid on preferred shares	0	0	0
Net proceeds from issuance of common shares			0
Intercompany financing	5,929	14,244	89,279
Debt issue costs	(5,740)	(2,004)	(5,402)
Proceeds from exercise of stock options	0	0	0
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities	86,038	43,968	80,562
Net (decrease) increase in cash and cash equivalents	(3,872)	(109,535)	(12,927)
Cash and cash equivalents balance at beginning of period	3,872	113,407	126,334
Cash and cash equivalents balance at end of period	0	3,872	113,407
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Net Cash Provided by (Used in) Operating Activities [Abstract]
Net cash (used in) provided by operating activities	(23,593)	10,997	(1,341)
Net Cash Provided by (Used in) Investing Activities [Abstract]
Change in restricted cash	0	0	0
Purchase of property and equipment	(503)	(153)	(236)
Acquisition, net of cash acquired	0
Net proceeds from sale of mortgage servicing rights	$ 3,065	2,135
Intercompany Investing		0
Investment in unconsolidated joint ventures	$ (10,075)	(5,980)	(15,984)
Return of capital from unconsolidated joint ventures	1,226	1,248	1,522
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities	(6,287)	(2,750)	(14,698)
Net Cash Provided by (Used in) Financing Activities [Abstract]
Repayment of senior notes	0
Proceeds from issuance of senior notes	0
Proceeds from issuance of convertible senior subordinated notes			0
Proceeds from bank borrowings - homebuilding operations	0	0
Repayment of bank borrowings - homebuilding operations	0	0
Net proceeds from bank borrowings - financial services operations	38,269	5,350	12,072
Principal proceeds from note payable - other and community development district bond obligations	0	0	0
Redemption of preferred shares			0
Dividends paid on preferred shares	(7,178)	(10,200)	(7,100)
Net proceeds from issuance of common shares			0
Intercompany financing	5,360	(6,975)	7,320
Debt issue costs	(78)	(77)	(99)
Proceeds from exercise of stock options	0	0	0
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities	36,373	(11,902)	12,193
Net (decrease) increase in cash and cash equivalents	6,493	(3,655)	(3,846)
Cash and cash equivalents balance at beginning of period	11,663	15,318	19,164
Cash and cash equivalents balance at end of period	18,156	11,663	15,318
Corporate Elimination [Member]
Net Cash Provided by (Used in) Operating Activities [Abstract]
Net cash (used in) provided by operating activities	(7,178)	(10,200)	(7,100)
Net Cash Provided by (Used in) Investing Activities [Abstract]
Change in restricted cash	0	0	0
Purchase of property and equipment	0	0	0
Acquisition, net of cash acquired	0
Net proceeds from sale of mortgage servicing rights	0	0
Intercompany Investing	3,338	7,269
Investment in unconsolidated joint ventures	0	0	0
Return of capital from unconsolidated joint ventures	0	0	0
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities	3,338	7,269	0
Net Cash Provided by (Used in) Financing Activities [Abstract]
Repayment of senior notes	0
Proceeds from issuance of senior notes	0
Proceeds from issuance of convertible senior subordinated notes			0
Proceeds from bank borrowings - homebuilding operations	0	0
Repayment of bank borrowings - homebuilding operations	0	0
Net proceeds from bank borrowings - financial services operations	0	0	0
Principal proceeds from note payable - other and community development district bond obligations	0	0	0
Redemption of preferred shares			0
Dividends paid on preferred shares	7,178	10,200	7,100
Net proceeds from issuance of common shares			0
Intercompany financing	(11,289)	(7,269)	0
Debt issue costs	0	0	0
Proceeds from exercise of stock options	0	0	0
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities	(4,111)	2,931	7,100
Net (decrease) increase in cash and cash equivalents	(7,951)	0	0
Cash and cash equivalents balance at beginning of period	0	0	0
Cash and cash equivalents balance at end of period	$ (7,951)	$ 0	$ 0