Note 20 - Supplemental Guarantor Information - Condensed Consolidating Balance Sheet (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Mar. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016	Mar. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015
Cash and Cash Equivalents, at Carrying Value	$ 181,993	$ 208,127	$ 193,219	$ 186,594
Owned	6,556,275	6,438,792
Assets	8,693,770	8,709,044
Long-term Line of Credit
Total liabilities	4,398,654	4,501,458
Total Stockholders' Equity	4,287,373	4,207,586
Noncontrolling interest	7,743
Total Equity	4,295,116	4,207,586
Total Liabilities and Equity	8,693,770	8,709,044
Consolidation, Eliminations [Member]
Cash and Cash Equivalents, at Carrying Value
Assets	(4,475,090)	(4,343,561)
Total liabilities	(2,464,075)	(2,389,143)
Total Stockholders' Equity	(2,011,015)
Noncontrolling interest
Total Equity	(2,011,015)	(1,954,418)
Total Liabilities and Equity	(4,475,090)	(4,343,561)
Parent Company [Member] | Reportable Legal Entities [Member]
Cash and Cash Equivalents, at Carrying Value	95,956	105,261	86,958	6,387
Assets	8,578,962	8,438,528
Total liabilities	4,291,589	4,230,942
Total Stockholders' Equity	4,287,373
Noncontrolling interest
Total Equity	4,287,373	4,207,586
Total Liabilities and Equity	8,578,962	8,438,528
Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member] | Reportable Legal Entities [Member]
Cash and Cash Equivalents, at Carrying Value	24,153	38,211	35,975	112,852
Assets	2,417,769	2,390,295
Total liabilities	1,390,148	1,380,957
Total Stockholders' Equity	1,027,621
Noncontrolling interest
Total Equity	1,027,621	1,009,338
Total Liabilities and Equity	2,417,769	2,390,295
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member] | Reportable Legal Entities [Member]
Cash and Cash Equivalents, at Carrying Value	61,884	64,655	$ 70,286	$ 67,355
Assets	2,172,129	2,223,782
Total liabilities	1,180,992	1,278,702
Total Stockholders' Equity	983,394
Noncontrolling interest	7,743
Total Equity	991,137	945,080
Total Liabilities and Equity	2,172,129	2,223,782
Homebuilding [Member]
Cash and Cash Equivalents, at Carrying Value	143,881	191,086
Restricted Cash and Cash Equivalents	30,306	28,321
Intercompany receivables
Owned	6,556,275	6,438,792
Not owned	62,772	66,267
Homebuilding investments in unconsolidated joint ventures	120,364	127,127
Investments in subsidiaries
Deferred income taxes, net	325,749	330,378
Goodwill	970,185	970,185
Other assets	221,091	204,489
Assets	8,430,623	8,356,645
Accounts payable	170,545	211,780
Accrued liabilities and intercompany payables	638,165	599,905
Long-term Line of Credit
Secured Debt	27,397	27,579
Senior notes payable	3,390,504	3,392,208
Total liabilities	4,226,611	4,231,472
Homebuilding [Member] | Consolidation, Eliminations [Member]
Cash and Cash Equivalents, at Carrying Value
Restricted Cash and Cash Equivalents
Intercompany receivables	(2,455,631)	(2,380,699)
Owned
Not owned
Homebuilding investments in unconsolidated joint ventures
Investments in subsidiaries	(2,011,015)	(1,954,418)
Deferred income taxes, net	(6,643)	(6,643)
Goodwill
Other assets
Assets	(4,473,289)	(4,341,760)
Accounts payable
Accrued liabilities and intercompany payables	(2,085,511)	(2,054,217)
Long-term Line of Credit
Secured Debt	(378,564)	(334,926)
Senior notes payable
Total liabilities	(2,464,075)	(2,389,143)
Homebuilding [Member] | Parent Company [Member] | Reportable Legal Entities [Member]
Cash and Cash Equivalents, at Carrying Value	95,956	105,261
Restricted Cash and Cash Equivalents
Intercompany receivables	2,077,067	2,045,773
Owned	2,885,973	2,825,234
Not owned	32,880	30,953
Homebuilding investments in unconsolidated joint ventures	4,707	4,469
Investments in subsidiaries	2,011,015	1,954,418
Deferred income taxes, net	332,392	337,021
Goodwill	970,185	970,185
Other assets	168,787	165,214
Assets	8,578,962	8,438,528
Accounts payable	79,553	92,611
Accrued liabilities and intercompany payables	418,880	387,098
Long-term Line of Credit
Secured Debt	402,652	359,025
Senior notes payable	3,390,504	3,392,208
Total liabilities	4,291,589	4,230,942
Homebuilding [Member] | Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member] | Reportable Legal Entities [Member]
Cash and Cash Equivalents, at Carrying Value	24,153	38,211
Restricted Cash and Cash Equivalents
Intercompany receivables
Owned	2,320,920	2,277,840
Not owned	26,996	32,596
Homebuilding investments in unconsolidated joint ventures	4,798	4,923
Investments in subsidiaries
Deferred income taxes, net
Goodwill
Other assets	40,902	36,725
Assets	2,417,769	2,390,295
Accounts payable	66,747	78,729
Accrued liabilities and intercompany payables	1,323,401	1,302,228
Long-term Line of Credit
Secured Debt
Senior notes payable
Total liabilities	1,390,148	1,380,957
Homebuilding [Member] | Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member] | Reportable Legal Entities [Member]
Cash and Cash Equivalents, at Carrying Value	23,772	47,614
Restricted Cash and Cash Equivalents	30,306	28,321
Intercompany receivables	378,564	334,926
Owned	1,349,382	1,335,718
Not owned	2,896	2,718
Homebuilding investments in unconsolidated joint ventures	110,859	117,735
Investments in subsidiaries
Deferred income taxes, net
Goodwill
Other assets	11,402	2,550
Assets	1,907,181	1,869,582
Accounts payable	24,245	40,440
Accrued liabilities and intercompany payables	981,395	964,796
Long-term Line of Credit
Secured Debt	3,309	3,480
Senior notes payable
Total liabilities	1,008,949	1,008,716
Financial Services [Member]
Cash and Cash Equivalents, at Carrying Value	38,112	17,041
Restricted Cash and Cash Equivalents	21,242	21,710
Other assets	20,198	26,666
Assets	263,147	352,399
Mortgage loans held for sale, net	157,851	262,058
Mortgage loans held for investment, net	25,744	24,924
Total liabilities	172,043	269,986
Accounts payable and other liabilities	17,576	22,559
Warehouse Agreement Borrowings	154,467	247,427
Financial Services [Member] | Consolidation, Eliminations [Member]
Cash and Cash Equivalents, at Carrying Value
Restricted Cash and Cash Equivalents
Other assets	(1,801)	(1,801)
Assets	(1,801)	(1,801)
Mortgage loans held for sale, net
Mortgage loans held for investment, net
Total liabilities
Accounts payable and other liabilities
Warehouse Agreement Borrowings
Financial Services [Member] | Parent Company [Member] | Reportable Legal Entities [Member]
Cash and Cash Equivalents, at Carrying Value
Restricted Cash and Cash Equivalents
Other assets
Assets
Mortgage loans held for sale, net
Mortgage loans held for investment, net
Total liabilities
Accounts payable and other liabilities
Warehouse Agreement Borrowings
Financial Services [Member] | Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member] | Reportable Legal Entities [Member]
Cash and Cash Equivalents, at Carrying Value
Restricted Cash and Cash Equivalents
Other assets
Assets
Mortgage loans held for sale, net
Mortgage loans held for investment, net
Total liabilities
Accounts payable and other liabilities
Warehouse Agreement Borrowings
Financial Services [Member] | Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member] | Reportable Legal Entities [Member]
Cash and Cash Equivalents, at Carrying Value	38,112	17,041
Restricted Cash and Cash Equivalents	21,242	21,710
Other assets	21,999	28,467
Assets	264,948	354,200
Mortgage loans held for sale, net	157,851	262,058
Mortgage loans held for investment, net	25,744	24,924
Total liabilities	172,043	269,986
Accounts payable and other liabilities	17,576	22,559
Warehouse Agreement Borrowings	$ 154,467	$ 247,427