Debt (Details) - USD ($)	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended		8 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2015	Jun. 30, 2014	Jun. 30, 2015	Jun. 30, 2014	Jun. 30, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt	$ 159,457,000		$ 159,457,000		$ 159,457,000	$ 135,451,000
Interest costs capitalized	2,800,000	$ 5,400,000	467,000	$ 877,000
Line of Credit | Real estate operations
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Unused borrowing capacity	86,100,000		86,100,000		86,100,000	87,300,000
3% to 4.75% payments through 2017 | Mortgage debt
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Mortgages	$ 78,552,000		$ 78,552,000		$ 78,552,000	52,379,000
3% to 4.75% payments through 2017 | Mortgage debt | Minimum
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Stated interest rate (percent)	3.00%		3.00%		3.00%
3% to 4.75% payments through 2017 | Mortgage debt | Maximum
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Stated interest rate (percent)	4.75%		4.75%		4.75%
5% to 5.5% payments through 2016 | Mortgage debt
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Mortgages	$ 4,671,000		$ 4,671,000		$ 4,671,000	6,918,000
5% to 5.5% payments through 2016 | Mortgage debt | Minimum
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Stated interest rate (percent)	5.00%		5.00%		5.00%
5% to 5.5% payments through 2016 | Mortgage debt | Maximum
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Stated interest rate (percent)	5.50%		5.50%		5.50%
8.5% Senior Notes Due in 2017 | Senior Notes
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt issued						75,000,000
8.5% Senior Notes Due in 2017 | Mortgage debt
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Stated interest rate (percent)	8.50%		8.50%		8.50%
Mortgages	$ 74,630,000		$ 74,630,000		$ 74,630,000	74,550,000
8.5% Senior Notes Due in 2017 | UCP | Senior Notes
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Maximum debt to tangible assets ratio allowed per covenant (percent)			45.00%
Maximum secured debt allowed per covenant			$ 75,000,000
Maximum secured debt to tangible assets ratio allowed per covenant (percent)			30.00%
Maximum annual acquisition of unimproved real property allowed per covenant			$ 75,000,000
Maximum acquisition of unimproved real property allowed per covenant over the term of debt agreement			150,000,000
Minimum tangible assets not subject to debt-secured liens required per covenant			50,000,000
Actual tangible assets not subject to debt-secured liens	178,500,000		178,500,000		178,500,000
Minimum net worth required per covenant			175,000,000
Net worth	228,100,000		228,100,000		228,100,000
Minimum cash and cash equivalents required per covenants			15,000,000
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 38,000,000		38,000,000		38,000,000
Maximum annual decrease in tangible assets allowed per covenant			25,000,000
Actual annual increase in tangible assets			23,900,000
Maximum decrease in tangible assets allowed per covenant over term of debt agreement			$ 50,000,000
Actual increase (decrease) in tangible assets over term of agreement					$ 93,800,000
10% payments through 2017 | Mortgage debt
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Stated interest rate (percent)	10.00%		10.00%		10.00%
Mortgages	$ 1,604,000		$ 1,604,000		$ 1,604,000	$ 1,604,000