Variable Interest Entities ("VIEs")

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2021

Variable Interest Entity, Reporting Entity Involvement, Maximum Loss Exposure [Abstract]

Fixed Price Finished Lot Purchase Agreements (“LPAs”)

We generally do not engage in the land development business. Instead, we typically acquire finished building lots at market prices from various development entities under LPAs. The LPAs require deposits that may be forfeited if we fail to perform under the LPAs. The deposits required under the LPAs are in the form of cash or letters of credit in varying amounts, and typically range up to 10% of the aggregate purchase price of the finished lots.

The deposit placed by us pursuant to the LPA is deemed to be a variable interest in the respective development entities. Those development entities are deemed to be VIEs. Therefore, the development entities with which we enter into LPAs, including the joint venture limited liability corporations discussed below, are evaluated for possible consolidation by us. We have concluded that we are not the primary beneficiary of the development entities with which we enter into LPAs, and therefore, we do not consolidate any of these VIEs.

As of March 31, 2021, we controlled approximately 106,100 lots under LPAs with third parties through deposits in cash and letters of credit totaling approximately $436,000 and $7,300, respectively. Our sole legal obligation and economic loss for failure to perform under these LPAs is limited to the amount of the deposit pursuant to the liquidated damage provisions contained in the LPAs. For the three month period ended March 31, 2021, we recorded a net reversal of approximately $6,200 related to previously impaired lot deposits as market conditions have improved. For the three months ended March 31, 2020, we recorded pre-tax charges of approximately $36,400 related to impairments of lot deposits due to deteriorating market conditions in certain of our markets related to the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. Our contract land deposit is shown net of a $46,008 and $52,205 impairment reserve at March 31, 2021 and December 31, 2020, respectively.

In addition, we have certain properties under contract with land owners that are expected to yield approximately 9,000 lots, which are not included in the number of total lots controlled. Some of these properties may require rezoning or other approvals to achieve the expected yield. These properties are controlled with deposits in cash and letters of credit totaling approximately $7,000 and $100, respectively, as of March 31, 2021, of which approximately $2,000 is refundable if certain contractual conditions are not met. We generally expect to assign the raw land contracts to a land developer and simultaneously enter into an LPA with the assignee if the project is determined to be feasible.

Our total risk of loss related to contract land deposits is limited to the amount of the deposits pursuant to the liquidated damages provision of the LPAs. As of March 31, 2021 and December 31, 2020, our total risk of loss was as follows:


	March 31, 2021		December 31, 2020
Contract land deposits	$	442,911	$	439,833
Loss reserve on contract land deposits	(46,008)		(52,205)
Contract land deposits, net	396,903		387,628
Contingent obligations in the form of letters of credit	7,414		8,249
Total risk of loss	$	404,317	$	395,877