Note 22 - Condensed Consolidating Statements of Cash Flows (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2016	Jun. 30, 2015
Parent Company [Member]
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities	$ (148,603)	$ (39,876)
Investments in unconsolidated homebuilding joint ventures	(178)
Distributions of capital from unconsolidated homebuilding joint ventures	1,107
Loan to parent and subsidiaries
Other investing activities	279	(1,670)
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities	1,208	(1,670)
Change in restricted cash
Borrowings from revolving credit facility	693,700	158,900
Principal payments on revolving credit facility	(693,700)	(128,900)
Principal payments on secured project debt and other notes payable	(9,974)
Proceeds from Issuance of Senior Long-term Debt	300,000
Payment of debt issue costs	(2,195)
Loan from subsidiary	(41,000)	75,000
Net proceeds from (payments on) mortgage credit facilities
(Contributions to) distributions from Corporate and subsidiaries	8,300	7,973
Repurchases of common stock	(99,829)	(22,073)
Common stock dividend payments	(9,527)
Issuance of common stock under employee stock plans, net of tax withholdings	1,069	(2,322)
Other financing activities
Intercompany advances, net	122,427	(157,917)
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities	269,271	(62,976)
Net increase (decrease) in cash and equivalents	121,876	(104,522)
Cash and equivalents at beginning of period	6,387	133,304
Cash and equivalents at end of period	128,263	28,782
Excess tax benefits from share-based payment arrangements		6,363
Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities	77,589	(21,756)
Investments in unconsolidated homebuilding joint ventures	(78)
Distributions of capital from unconsolidated homebuilding joint ventures	110
Loan to parent and subsidiaries
Other investing activities	(976)	(1,278)
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities	(944)	(1,278)
Change in restricted cash
Borrowings from revolving credit facility
Principal payments on revolving credit facility
Principal payments on secured project debt and other notes payable
Proceeds from Issuance of Senior Long-term Debt
Payment of debt issue costs
Loan from subsidiary
Net proceeds from (payments on) mortgage credit facilities
(Contributions to) distributions from Corporate and subsidiaries		(12,144)
Repurchases of common stock
Common stock dividend payments
Issuance of common stock under employee stock plans, net of tax withholdings
Other financing activities	(199)
Intercompany advances, net	(130,705)	54,743
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities	(130,904)	42,599
Net increase (decrease) in cash and equivalents	(54,259)	19,565
Cash and equivalents at beginning of period	112,852	1,061
Cash and equivalents at end of period	58,593	20,626
Excess tax benefits from share-based payment arrangements
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities	134,628	(49,565)
Investments in unconsolidated homebuilding joint ventures	(22,336)	(20,778)
Distributions of capital from unconsolidated homebuilding joint ventures	6,898	8,760
Loan to parent and subsidiaries	41,000	5,000
Other investing activities	(3,469)	(9,074)
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities	22,093	(16,092)
Change in restricted cash	6,063	(1,242)
Borrowings from revolving credit facility
Principal payments on revolving credit facility
Principal payments on secured project debt and other notes payable	(195)	(497)
Proceeds from Issuance of Senior Long-term Debt
Payment of debt issue costs
Loan from subsidiary
Net proceeds from (payments on) mortgage credit facilities	(128,908)	(79,072)
(Contributions to) distributions from Corporate and subsidiaries	(8,300)	4,171
Repurchases of common stock
Common stock dividend payments
Issuance of common stock under employee stock plans, net of tax withholdings
Other financing activities
Intercompany advances, net	8,278	103,174
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities	(123,062)	26,534
Net increase (decrease) in cash and equivalents	33,659	(39,123)
Cash and equivalents at beginning of period	67,355	78,028
Cash and equivalents at end of period	101,014	38,905
Excess tax benefits from share-based payment arrangements
Consolidation, Eliminations [Member]
Loan to parent and subsidiaries	(41,000)	(5,000)
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities	(41,000)	(5,000)
Loan from subsidiary	41,000	(75,000)
Net proceeds from (payments on) mortgage credit facilities		80,000
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities	41,000	5,000
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities	63,614	(111,197)
Investments in unconsolidated homebuilding joint ventures	(22,592)	(20,778)
Distributions of capital from unconsolidated homebuilding joint ventures	8,115	8,760
Loan to parent and subsidiaries
Other investing activities	(4,166)	(12,022)
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities	(18,643)	(24,040)
Change in restricted cash	6,063	(1,242)
Borrowings from revolving credit facility	693,700	158,900
Principal payments on revolving credit facility	(693,700)	(128,900)
Principal payments on secured project debt and other notes payable	(10,169)	(497)
Proceeds from Issuance of Senior Long-term Debt	300,000
Payment of debt issue costs	(2,195)
Loan from subsidiary
Net proceeds from (payments on) mortgage credit facilities	(128,908)	928
(Contributions to) distributions from Corporate and subsidiaries
Repurchases of common stock	(99,829)	(22,073)
Common stock dividend payments	(9,527)
Issuance of common stock under employee stock plans, net of tax withholdings	1,069	(2,322)
Other financing activities	(199)
Intercompany advances, net
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities	56,305	11,157
Net increase (decrease) in cash and equivalents	101,276	(124,080)
Cash and equivalents at beginning of period	186,594	212,393
Cash and equivalents at end of period	287,870	88,313
Excess tax benefits from share-based payment arrangements		$ 6,363