Note 16 - Supplemental Guarantor Information (Detail) - Condensed Consolidating Statements of Operations (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2012		Dec. 31, 2011		Dec. 31, 2010
Homebuilding:
Revenues	$ 1,236,958		$ 882,993		$ 912,418
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)
Other income (expense)	4,664		(1,017)		3,733
Homebuilding pretax income (loss)	67,645		(18,156)		(14,001)
Financial Services:
Financial services pretax income (loss)	10,542		1,683		1,720
Income (loss) before income taxes	78,187		(16,473)		(12,281)
(Provision) benefit for income taxes	453,234		56		557
Net income (loss)	531,421	[1]	(16,417)	[1]	(11,724)
Homebuilding:
Loss on early extinguishment of debt					(30,028)
Parent Company [Member]
Homebuilding:
Revenues	518,040		346,645		401,476
Cost of sales	(408,569)		(277,248)		(295,214)
Gross margin	109,471		69,397		106,262
Selling, general and administrative expenses	(78,335)		(79,469)		(80,942)
Income (loss) from unconsolidated joint ventures	(166)		653		1,089
Equity income (loss) of subsidiaries	13,618		756		(622)
Interest expense	17,319		(3,036)		(16,468)
Other income (expense)	4,695		(802)		(536)
Homebuilding pretax income (loss)	66,602		(12,501)		(21,245)
Financial Services:
Financial services pretax income (loss)	(304)		(177)		(142)
Income (loss) before income taxes	66,298		(12,678)		(21,387)
(Provision) benefit for income taxes	465,123		(3,739)		9,663
Net income (loss)	531,421		(16,417)		(11,724)
Homebuilding:
Loss on early extinguishment of debt					(30,028)
Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Homebuilding:
Revenues	580,419		483,396		444,773
Cost of sales	(463,566)		(400,150)		(361,464)
Gross margin	116,853		83,246		83,309
Selling, general and administrative expenses	(81,490)		(69,148)		(65,113)
Income (loss) from unconsolidated joint ventures	(659)		(192)		(319)
Interest expense	(17,052)		(19,603)		(21,997)
Other income (expense)	194		(1,387)		(493)
Homebuilding pretax income (loss)	17,846		(7,084)		(4,613)
Financial Services:
Financial services pretax income (loss)	304		177		142
Income (loss) before income taxes	18,150		(6,907)		(4,471)
(Provision) benefit for income taxes	(6,668)		4,757		(1,893)
Net income (loss)	11,482		(2,150)		(6,364)
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Homebuilding:
Revenues	138,499		52,952		66,169
Cost of sales	(121,149)		(43,398)		(53,896)
Gross margin	17,350		9,554		12,273
Selling, general and administrative expenses	(12,382)		(5,758)		(4,487)
Income (loss) from unconsolidated joint ventures	(1,265)		(254)		396
Interest expense	(6,663)		(2,529)		(1,709)
Other income (expense)	(225)		1,172		4,762
Homebuilding pretax income (loss)	(3,185)		2,185		11,235
Financial Services:
Financial services pretax income (loss)	10,542		1,683		1,720
Income (loss) before income taxes	7,357		3,868		12,955
(Provision) benefit for income taxes	(5,221)		(962)		(7,213)
Net income (loss)	2,136		2,906		5,742
Consolidation, Eliminations [Member]
Homebuilding:
Equity income (loss) of subsidiaries	(13,618)		(756)		622
Homebuilding pretax income (loss)	(13,618)		(756)		622
Financial Services:
Income (loss) before income taxes	(13,618)		(756)		622
Net income (loss)	$ (13,618)		$ (756)		$ 622

[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.