Basis of Presentation (Policies)	9 Months Ended
Basis of Presentation (Policies)	Jun. 30, 2015
Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract]
Use of Estimates	Use of Estimates The preparation of financial statements in conformity with GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions. These estimates and assumptions affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements, and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. Actual results could differ materially from those estimates.
Reclassification, Policy [Policy Text Block]	Reclassifications Certain reclassifications have been made in the prior year financial statements to conform to classifications used in the current year. Cash balances of the Company's captive insurance subsidiary, which are expected to be used to fund the subsidiary's operations and pay future anticipated legal claims, have been correctly presented within homebuilding cash and cash equivalents rather than homebuilding other assets. These balances were $42.3 million and $40.9 million at June 30, 2014 and September 30, 2013, respectively. The statement of cash flows for the nine months ended June 30, 2014, including the statement of cash flows of the Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries as reflected in Note N, have been revised to reflect this correction. As other prior period financial information is presented in future filings, the Company will similarly revise its financial statements in such filings. Cash balances of the Company's captive insurance subsidiary, which were $40.2 million and $43.3 million at June 30, 2015 and September 30, 2014, respectively, are included in homebuilding cash and cash equivalents in the consolidated balance sheets.
Consolidation, Variable Interest Entity, Policy [Policy Text Block]	Variable Interests The Company enters into land and lot option purchase contracts to acquire land or lots for the construction of homes. Under these contracts, the Company will fund a stated deposit in consideration for the right, but not the obligation, to purchase land or lots at a future point in time with predetermined terms. Under the terms of many of the option purchase contracts, the option deposits are not refundable in the event the Company elects to terminate the contract. Option purchase contracts can result in the creation of a variable interest in the entity holding the land parcel under option. There were no variable interest entities reported in the consolidated balance sheets at June 30, 2015 and September 30, 2014 because the Company determined it did not control the activities that most significantly impact the variable interest entity’s economic performance and it did not have an obligation to absorb losses of or the right to receive benefits from the entity. The maximum exposure to losses related to the Company’s variable interest entities is limited to the amounts of the Company’s related option deposits. At June 30, 2015 and September 30, 2014, the option deposits related to these contracts totaled $64.2 million and $55.7 million, respectively, and are included in homebuilding other assets in the consolidated balance sheets.
Business Combinations Policy [Policy Text Block]	Business Acquisition In April 2015, the Company acquired the homebuilding operations of Pacific Ridge Homes for $70.9 million in cash, of which $2.0 million was paid subsequent to June 30, 2015. Pacific Ridge Homes operates in Seattle, Washington. The assets acquired included approximately 90 homes in inventory, 350 lots and control of approximately 400 additional lots through option contracts. The Company also acquired a sales order backlog of 42 homes valued at $18.7 million.
New Accounting Pronouncements, Policy [Policy Text Block]	Recent Accounting Pronouncements In January 2014, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) issued ASU 2014-04, “Receivables - Troubled Debt Restructurings by Creditors,” which was revised in August 2014. ASU 2014-04 applies to all creditors who obtain physical possession of residential real estate property collateralizing a consumer mortgage loan in satisfaction of a receivable. The guidance clarifies when an in substance repossession or foreclosure of the property has occurred and helps determine when a creditor should derecognize a loan receivable and recognize real estate property. ASU 2014-14 applies to creditors that hold government-guaranteed mortgage loans and requires that these loans, including those guaranteed by the Federal Housing Administration (FHA) and Veterans Affairs (VA), be derecognized and that a separate other receivable be recognized upon foreclosure if certain conditions are met. Upon foreclosure, the separate other receivable should be measured based on the amount of the loan balance expected to be recovered from the guarantor. The guidance in this ASU is effective for the Company beginning October 1, 2015 and is not expected to have a material impact on its consolidated financial position, results of operations or cash flows. In May 2014, the FASB issued ASU 2014-09, “Revenue from Contracts with Customers,” which is a comprehensive new revenue recognition model that will replace most existing revenue recognition guidance. The core principle of this guidance is that an entity should recognize revenue for the transfer of goods or services equal to the amount that it expects to be entitled to receive for those goods or services. The guidance is effective for the Company beginning October 1, 2018 and allows for full retrospective or modified retrospective methods of adoption. The Company is currently evaluating the impact of this guidance on its consolidated financial position, results of operations and cash flows. In June 2014, the FASB issued ASU 2014-12, “Compensation - Stock Compensation,” which states that a performance target in a share-based payment that affects vesting and that could be achieved after the requisite service period should be accounted for as a performance condition. The guidance is effective for the Company beginning October 1, 2016 and is not expected to have a material impact on its consolidated financial position, results of operations or cash flows. In August 2014, the FASB issued ASU 2014-15, “Presentation of Financial Statements - Going Concern,” which provides guidance about management's responsibility to evaluate whether there is substantial doubt about the entity's ability to continue as a going concern and to provide related footnote disclosures. This guidance is intended to reduce the diversity in the timing and content of footnote disclosures. The guidance is effective for the Company beginning with its fiscal year ending September 30, 2017 and is not expected to have any impact on its consolidated financial position, results of operations or cash flows. In February 2015, the FASB issued ASU 2015-02, “Consolidation,” which changes the analysis that a reporting entity must perform to determine whether it should consolidate certain types of legal entities. The guidance is effective for the Company beginning October 1, 2016 and is not expected to have a material impact on its consolidated financial position, results of operations or cash flows. In April 2015, the FASB issued ASU 2015-03, “Interest - Imputation of Interest,” which requires that debt issuance costs related to a recognized debt liability be presented in the balance sheet as a direct deduction from the carrying amount of that debt liability. This new guidance is a change from the current treatment of recording debt issuance costs as an asset representing a deferred charge, and is consistent with the accounting treatment for debt discounts. The guidance, which requires retrospective application, is effective for the Company beginning October 1, 2016, but early adoption is allowed. The Company is currently evaluating this guidance, and it is not expected to have a material impact on its consolidated financial position, results of operations or cash flows. In July 2015, the FASB issued ASU 2015-11, “Simplifying the Measurement of Inventory,” which simplifies the subsequent measurement of inventory, excluding inventory measured using the last-in, first-out or retail inventory methods. The guidance specifies that inventory currently measured at the lower of cost or market, where market could be determined with different methods, should now be measured at the lower of cost or net realizable value. The guidance will be applied prospectively after the effective date for the Company of October 1, 2017 and is not expected to have a material impact on its consolidated financial position, results of operations or cash flows.

Disclosure of accounting policy for consolidation to describe the significant judgments and assumptions made in determining whether a variable interest held by the entity requires the variable interest entity to be consolidated and (or) disclose information about its involvement with the variable interest entity; the methodology used by the entity for determining whether or not it is the primary beneficiary of the variable interest entity; and the significant factors considered and judgments made in determining that the power to direct the activities that significantly impact the economic performance of the variable interest entity are shared (as defined).