Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Details 2) (USD $)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012
Housing Inventories
Valuation reserves related to impaired inventories	$ 122,000,000	$ 154,800,000
Carrying value of impaired inventories	137,700,000	155,900,000
Preacquisition feasibility costs written off	2,500,000	1,900,000	996,000
Earnest money deposits written off (recovered)			3,200,000
Inventory valuation adjustments written off			1,900,000
Summary of activity related to capitalized interest
Capitalized interest, balance at the beginning of the period	89,619,000	82,773,000	81,058,000
Interest capitalized	68,788,000	59,208,000	42,327,000
Interest amortized to cost of sales	(50,597,000)	(52,362,000)	(40,612,000)
Capitalized interest, balance at the end of the period	107,810,000	89,619,000	82,773,000
Interest incurred	$ 69,802,000	$ 68,184,000	$ 59,503,000
Total continuing operations
Real Estate JVs
LOTS OWNED	25,303	23,540
LOTS OPTIONED	13,670	14,602
TOTAL	38,973	38,142
Total continuing operations | North
Real Estate JVs
LOTS OWNED	7,396	6,382
LOTS OPTIONED	6,335	7,455
TOTAL	13,731	13,837
Total continuing operations | Southeast
Real Estate JVs
LOTS OWNED	8,646	8,114
LOTS OPTIONED	3,535	2,439
TOTAL	12,181	10,553
Total continuing operations | Texas
Real Estate JVs
LOTS OWNED	3,938	3,886
LOTS OPTIONED	3,083	3,147
TOTAL	7,021	7,033
Total continuing operations | West
Real Estate JVs
LOTS OWNED	5,323	5,158
LOTS OPTIONED	717	1,561
TOTAL	6,040	6,719
Discontinued operations.
Real Estate JVs
LOTS OWNED	5	5
TOTAL	5	5