DEBT (Details)	12 Months Ended						12 Months Ended		12 Months Ended												12 Months Ended				12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2011 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2010 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2011 Northstar USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2011 Swiss Bank Loan Facility loan	Dec. 31, 2011 Swiss Bank Loan Facility Subsidiaries USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2011 Swiss Bank Loan Facility Subsidiaries CHF	Dec. 31, 2010 Mortgages USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2011 Mortgages USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2011 Construction Loans USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2011 Construction Loans Northstar USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2011 Construction Loans ING Capital, LLC USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2011 4.4% Loan Due in 2011 Swiss Bank Loan Facility Subsidiaries	Dec. 31, 2011 4.4% Loan Due in 2011 Swiss Bank Loan Facility Northstar USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2010 4.4% Loan Due in 2011 Swiss Bank Loan Facility Northstar USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2011 3.7% Loan Due in 2014 Swiss Bank Loan Facility Subsidiaries	Dec. 31, 2011 3.7% Loan Due in 2014 Swiss Bank Loan Facility Northstar USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2010 3.7% Loan Due in 2014 Swiss Bank Loan Facility Northstar USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2011 3.8% Loan Due in 2014 Swiss Bank Loan Facility Subsidiaries	Dec. 31, 2011 3.8% Loan Due in 2014 Swiss Bank Loan Facility Northstar USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2010 3.8% Loan Due in 2014 Swiss Bank Loan Facility Northstar USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2011 4% to 4.50% Loan Mortgages USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2010 4% to 4.50% Loan Mortgages USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2011 5% Loan Mortgages USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2010 5% Loan Mortgages USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2011 6% to 6.50% Loan Mortgages USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2010 6% to 6.50% Loan Mortgages USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2011 8% Loan Mortgages USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2010 8% Loan Mortgages USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2011 10% Loan Mortgages USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2010 10% Loan Mortgages USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2011 12% Loan Mortgages USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2010 12% Loan Mortgages USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2011 Standby Debt Purchase Agreement Construction Loans ING Capital, LLC USD ($)	May 31, 2011 Standby Debt Purchase Agreement Construction Loans ING Capital, LLC USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2011 CANADA USD ($)
Number of loan facilities				3
Line of credit facility, maximum borrowing capacity					$ 21,800,000	20,500,000				$ 89,500,000	$ 100,000,000
Weighted average interest rate					3.74%	3.74%	9.60%	5.44%
Mortgage incurred to purchase and develop land							5,400,000
Credit facility dedicated to working capital, max borrowing capacity										10,500,000
Line of credit facility, interest rate at period end										5.00%
Loan facility, amount outstanding										46,000,000				4,821,000		13,309,000	13,392,000		3,194,000	3,214,000
Debt to adjusted capitalization ratio required for compliance									0.60
Maximum development expenses allowed for compliance									8,400,000
Debt service coverage ratio									1.75
Minimum net worth required for compliance									60,000,000
Guarantor obligations for debt purchase, maximum exposure																																		50,000,000
Loan facility, syndicated amount											83,300,000
Guarantor obligations for debt purchase, current carrying value																																	0	16,700,000
Use of proceeds for inventory, maximum allowed for compliance																																			1,000,000
Minimum liquidity required for compliance			3,000,000
Interest costs capitalized related to construction and real estate development costs	2,066,360	670,000
Debt Instruments [Abstract]
Total mortgage debt	93,431,000	45,743,000						30,928,000													8,721,000	8,849,000	5,276,000		10,432,000	4,982,000	893,000	1,291,000	5,606,000	7,590,000		1,604,000
Stated interest rate												4.40%			3.70%			3.80%									8.00%		10.00%		12.00%
Stated interest rate, minimum																					4.00%				6.00%
Stated interest rate, maximum																					4.50%				6.50%
Long-term Debt, by Maturity [Abstract]
2012	8,897,000
2013	17,586,000
2014	29,362,000
2015	5,979,000
2016	5,979,000
Thereafter	25,628,000
Total	$ 93,431,000