Supplemental Guarantor Information Supplemental Guarantor Information - Income Statement (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2016	Sep. 30, 2015	Sep. 30, 2016	Sep. 30, 2015
Revenue	$ 442,464	$ 363,457	$ 1,168,081	$ 949,472
Land and housing	363,635	285,416	943,515	744,194
General and administrative	29,160	23,651	78,249	64,690
Selling	27,663	24,270	75,462	64,891
Equity in income of unconsolidated joint ventures	(24)	(36)	(413)	(248)
Interest	3,587	3,658	13,160	11,870
Total costs and expenses	424,021	336,959	1,109,973	885,397
Income before income taxes	18,443	26,498	58,108	64,075
Provision for income taxes	7,501	10,928	22,061	25,587
Equity In subsidiaries	0	0	0	0
Net income	10,942	15,570	36,047	38,488
Preferred Dividends	1,218	1,218	3,656	3,656
Net income to common shareholders	9,724	14,352	32,391	34,832
Parent [Member]
Revenue	0	0	0	0
Land and housing	0	0	0	0
General and administrative	0	0	0	0
Selling	0	0	0	0
Equity in income of unconsolidated joint ventures	0	0	0	0
Interest	0	0	0	0
Total costs and expenses	0	0	0	0
Income before income taxes	0	0	0	0
Provision for income taxes	0	0	0	0
Equity In subsidiaries	10,942	15,570	36,047	38,488
Net income	10,942	15,570	36,047	38,488
Preferred Dividends	1,218	1,218	3,656	3,656
Net income to common shareholders	9,724	14,352	32,391	34,832
Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Revenue	431,903	354,181	1,137,517	923,164
Land and housing	363,635	285,416	943,515	744,194
General and administrative	24,340	19,080	64,727	53,334
Selling	27,663	24,270	75,462	64,891
Equity in income of unconsolidated joint ventures	0	0	0	0
Interest	3,036	3,246	11,715	10,732
Total costs and expenses	418,674	332,012	1,095,419	873,151
Income before income taxes	13,229	22,169	42,098	50,013
Provision for income taxes	5,601	9,531	16,487	20,690
Equity In subsidiaries	0	0	0	0
Net income	7,628	12,638	25,611	29,323
Preferred Dividends	0	0	0	0
Net income to common shareholders	7,628	12,638	25,611	29,323
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Revenue	10,561	9,276	30,564	26,308
Land and housing	0	0	0	0
General and administrative	4,820	4,571	13,522	11,356
Selling	0	0	0	0
Equity in income of unconsolidated joint ventures	(24)	(36)	(413)	(248)
Interest	551	412	1,445	1,138
Total costs and expenses	5,347	4,947	14,554	12,246
Income before income taxes	5,214	4,329	16,010	14,062
Provision for income taxes	1,900	1,397	5,574	4,897
Equity In subsidiaries	0	0	0	0
Net income	3,314	2,932	10,436	9,165
Preferred Dividends	0	0	0	0
Net income to common shareholders	3,314	2,932	10,436	9,165
Corporate Elimination [Member]
Revenue	0	0	0	0
Land and housing	0	0	0	0
General and administrative	0	0	0	0
Selling	0	0	0	0
Equity in income of unconsolidated joint ventures	0	0	0	0
Interest	0	0	0	0
Total costs and expenses	0	0	0	0
Income before income taxes	0	0	0	0
Provision for income taxes	0	0	0	0
Equity In subsidiaries	(10,942)	(15,570)	(36,047)	(38,488)
Net income	(10,942)	(15,570)	(36,047)	(38,488)
Preferred Dividends	0	0	0	0
Net income to common shareholders	$ (10,942)	$ (15,570)	$ (36,047)	$ (38,488)