Housing Inventories (Details) (USD $)	9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2011	Sep. 30, 2010	Dec. 31, 2010
Housing Inventories
Discount rate, low end of the range (as a percent)	19.00%
Discount rate, high end of the range (as a percent)	30.00%
Valuation reserves related to impaired inventories	$ 303,900,000		$ 336,900,000
Carrying value of impaired inventories	218,000,000		220,200,000
Summary of activity related to capitalized interest
Capitalized interest, balance at the beginning of the period	79,911,000	89,828,000
Interest capitalized	29,564,000	24,210,000
Interest amortized to cost of sales	(23,158,000)	(34,835,000)
Capitalized interest, balance at the end of the period	$ 86,317,000	$ 79,203,000
North \| Total continuing operations
Lots
LOTS OWNED (in lots)	4,934		4,997
LOTS OPTIONED (in lots)	3,415		3,782
TOTAL (in lots)	8,349		8,779
Southeast \| Total continuing operations
Lots
LOTS OWNED (in lots)	5,260		5,376
LOTS OPTIONED (in lots)	1,687		749
TOTAL (in lots)	6,947		6,125
Texas \| Total continuing operations
Lots
LOTS OWNED (in lots)	2,681		2,787
LOTS OPTIONED (in lots)	1,042		1,068
TOTAL (in lots)	3,723		3,855
West \| Total continuing operations
Lots
LOTS OWNED (in lots)	1,910		1,982
LOTS OPTIONED (in lots)	997		568
TOTAL (in lots)	2,907		2,550
Total continuing operations \| Segment total
Lots
LOTS OWNED (in lots)	14,785		15,142
LOTS OPTIONED (in lots)	7,141		6,167
TOTAL (in lots)	21,926		21,309
Discontinued operations
Lots
LOTS OWNED (in lots)	1,708		1,414
LOTS OPTIONED (in lots)	189		492
TOTAL (in lots)	1,897		1,906

The high end of the range of the discount rate that is used in the computation of discounted cash flows to determine fair value and new cost basis. The discount rate is dependent on market risk, the size or life of a community and development risk.

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The low end of the range of the discount rate that is used in the computation of discounted cash flows to determine fair value and new cost basis. The discount rate is dependent on market risk, the size or life of a community and development risk.

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The net carrying value of impaired inventory.

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The total number of lots owned and lots controlled under option agreements.

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The number of real estate lots owned as of the balance sheet date.

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The number of lots that are controlled under real estate option agreements as of the balance sheet date. A real estate option contract is a legal agreement between the potential buyer of a real estate property and the owner of that property. The real estate option contract gives the potential buyer the exclusive right to buy the property at a specific price within a specific time period. The potential buyer typically pays the property owner a deposit for the right granted in the option contract.

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Carrying amount as of the balance sheet date of interest costs that were capitalized to properties under development during the land development and construction period of a project, and which are included in inventory.

+ References

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The amount of interest costs that had been capitalized to inventory which were charged to cost of sales during the period.

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The amount of interest capitalized to an operative builder's inventory during the period.

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A roll forward is a reconciliation of a concept from the beginning of a period to the end of a period.

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The valuation allowance loss on real estate owned or any impairment losses taken against real estate investments held for use or resale.

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-Section 03

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