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

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- Definition

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

+ Details

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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.

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- Definition

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. A real estate option contract is a legal agreement between the potential buyer of a real estate property and the owner of that property. A 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 an option fee for the right granted in the option contract.

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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

-Subparagraph h

-LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy.

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 323

-SubTopic 10

-Section 35

-Paragraph 32

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6903645&loc=d3e32787-111569

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

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 323

-SubTopic 10

-Section 45

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-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6382870&loc=d3e33749-111570

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-Publisher AICPA

-Name Accounting Principles Board Opinion (APB)

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-LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy.

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher AICPA

-Name Accounting Principles Board Opinion (APB)

-Number 18

-Paragraph 6

-Subparagraph b

-LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy.

Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)

-Number 95

-Paragraph 28

-LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy.

Reference 5: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher SEC

-Name Regulation S-X (SX)

-Number 210

-Section 04

-Paragraph 11

-Article 7

Reference 6: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 230

-SubTopic 10

-Section 45

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-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6943989&loc=d3e3602-108585

Reference 7: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher SEC

-Name Regulation S-X (SX)

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Reference 8: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

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-Section S99

-Paragraph 2

-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-03.12)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6880815&loc=d3e20235-122688

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- Definition

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

+ References

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

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 944

-SubTopic 210

-Section S99

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (SX 210.7-03.1(d))

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6879938&loc=d3e572229-122910

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Investments in Joint Ventures (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended												3 Months Ended
Investments in Joint Ventures (Details) (USD $)	Sep. 30, 2011 Segment State Venture Loan Y M D	Sep. 30, 2010	Sep. 30, 2011 Y Score Segment State Venture Loan M D	Sep. 30, 2010	Dec. 31, 2010	Sep. 30, 2011 Segment total Joint ventures Lot	Dec. 31, 2010 Segment total Joint ventures Lot	Sep. 30, 2011 North Joint ventures Lot	Dec. 31, 2010 North Joint ventures Lot	Dec. 31, 2010 Texas Discontinued operations Joint ventures Lot	Sep. 30, 2011 Texas Joint ventures Lot	Dec. 31, 2010 Texas Joint ventures Lot	Sep. 30, 2011 West Joint ventures Lot	Dec. 31, 2010 West Joint ventures Lot	Jun. 30, 2011 Joint ventures
Investments in Joint Ventures
Number of active homebuilding joint ventures	5		5
Lots
JV Lots Owned (in lots)						342	370	143	150		27	54	172	166
JV Lots Optioned (in lots)						1,300	1,209						1,300	1,209
TOTAL (in lots)						1,642	1,579	143	150	14	27	54	1,472	1,375
Impairment related to a commercial parcel															$ 1,900,000
Unconsolidated Joint Ventures
Investments in unconsolidated joint ventures	10,000,000		10,000,000		13,300,000
Equity in net earnings (loss) of subsidiaries	$ 349,000	$ 62,000	$ (1,302,000)	$ 218,000