Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Details 4) (USD $)	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2011 jointventure	Dec. 31, 2010	Dec. 31, 2009
Summary of Significant Accounting Policies
Number of active homebuilding joint ventures	5
Unconsolidated Joint Ventures
Investments in unconsolidated joint ventures	$ 10,000,000	$ 13,300,000
Equity in earnings (loss) of subsidiaries	(976,000)	(3,700,000)	308,000
Joint ventures
Real Estate JVs
Impairment related to a joint venture	$ 1,900,000	$ 4,100,000
Segment total \| Joint ventures
Real Estate JVs
JV LOTS OWNED	342	370
JV LOTS OPTIONED	0	1,209
TOTAL (in lots)	342	1,579
North \| Joint ventures
Real Estate JVs
JV LOTS OWNED	150	150
JV LOTS OPTIONED	0	0
TOTAL (in lots)	150	150
Southeast \| Joint ventures
Real Estate JVs
JV LOTS OWNED	0	0
JV LOTS OPTIONED	0	0
TOTAL (in lots)	0	0
Texas \| Joint ventures
Real Estate JVs
JV LOTS OWNED	20	54
JV LOTS OPTIONED	0	0
TOTAL (in lots)	20	54
Texas \| Joint ventures \| Discontinued operations
Real Estate JVs
JV LOTS OWNED	0	14
TOTAL (in lots)	0	14
West \| Joint ventures
Real Estate JVs
JV LOTS OWNED	172	166
JV LOTS OPTIONED	0	1,209
TOTAL (in lots)	172	1,375
Denver \| Joint ventures
Real Estate JVs
Number of investments in joint ventures against which the Company has recorded an impairment		2

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This element represents the number of active homebuilding joint ventures of the entity as of the reporting date.

+ References

No definition available.

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The number of investments in joint ventures against which the entity has recorded an impairment.

+ References

No definition available.

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- Definition

The total number of lots owned and lots controlled under option agreements through its joint ventures.

+ References

No definition available.

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- Definition

The number of real estate lots owned by the entity through its joint ventures as of the balance sheet date.

+ References

No definition available.

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The number of lots that are controlled by the entity through its joint ventures under real estate option agreements as of the balance sheet date.

+ References

No definition available.

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This item represents an other than temporary decline in value that has been recognized against an investment accounted for under the equity method of accounting. The excess of the carrying amount over the fair value of the investment represents the amount of the write down which is or was reflected in earnings. The written down value is a new cost basis with the adjusted value of the investment becoming its new carrying value subject to the equity accounting method. Evidence of a loss in value might include, but would not necessarily be limited to, absence of an ability to recover the carrying amount of the investment or inability of the investee to sustain an earnings capacity which would justify the carrying amount of the investment.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher AICPA

-Name Accounting Principles Board Opinion (APB)

-Number 18

-Paragraph 19

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This item represents the entity's proportionate share for the period of the net income (loss) of its investee (such as unconsolidated subsidiaries and joint ventures) to which the equity method of accounting is applied. This item includes income or expense related to stock-based compensation based on the investor's grant of stock to employees of an equity method investee.

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The carrying amount of investments in unconsolidated real estate and other joint ventures not separately presented. This includes direct and indirect investments.

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-Name Accounting Standards Codification

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