Consolidated Statements of Operations (USD $) In Thousands, except Share data, unless otherwise specified	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2012		Dec. 31, 2011		Dec. 31, 2010
Homebuilding:
Home sale revenues	$ 1,190,252		$ 882,094		$ 908,562
Land sale revenues	46,706		899		3,856
Total revenues	1,236,958		882,993		912,418
Cost of home sales	(946,630)		(719,893)		(707,006)
Cost of land sales	(46,654)		(903)		(3,568)
Total cost of sales	(993,284)		(720,796)		(710,574)
Gross margin	243,674	[1]	162,197	[1]	201,844
Selling, general and administrative expenses	(172,207)		(154,375)		(150,542)
Income (loss) from unconsolidated joint ventures	(2,090)		207		1,166
Interest expense	(6,396)		(25,168)		(40,174)
Loss on early extinguishment of debt					(30,028)
Other income (expense)	4,664		(1,017)		3,733
Homebuilding pretax income (loss)	67,645		(18,156)		(14,001)
Financial Services:
Revenues	21,300		10,907		12,456
Expenses	(11,062)		(9,401)		(10,878)
Other income	304		177		142
Financial services pretax income	10,542		1,683		1,720
Income (loss) before income taxes	78,187		(16,473)		(12,281)
Benefit for income taxes	453,234		56		557
Net income (loss)	531,421	[1]	(16,417)	[1]	(11,724)
Less: Net (income) loss allocated to preferred shareholder	(224,408)		7,101		6,849
Less: Net (income) loss allocated to unvested restricted stock	(410)
Net income (loss) available to common stockholders	$ 306,603		$ (9,316)		$ (4,875)
Income (Loss) per common share:
Basic (in Dollars per share)	$ 1.52	[1]	$ (0.05)	[1]	$ (0.05)
Diluted (in Dollars per share)	$ 1.44	[1]	$ (0.05)	[1]	$ (0.05)
Weighted average common shares outstanding:
Basic (in Shares)	201,953,799		193,909,714		105,202,857
Diluted (in Shares)	220,518,897		193,909,714		105,202,857
Weighted average additional common shares outstanding if preferred shares converted to common shares (in Shares)	147,812,786		147,812,786		147,812,786
Total weighted average diluted common shares outstanding if preferred shares converted to common shares (in Shares)	368,331,683		341,722,500		253,015,643

[1] Some amounts do not add across due to rounding differences in quarterly amounts and due to the impact of differences between the quarterly and annual weighted average share calculations.