Inventory - Inventory Impairments and Lot Option Abandonment Charges, by Reportable Segment (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2012	Jun. 30, 2011	Jun. 30, 2012	Jun. 30, 2011
Real Estate, Write-down or Reserve [Line Items]
Development projects and homes in process (Held for Development)	$ 5,773,000	$ 6,296,000	$ 8,924,000	$ 24,455,000
Land Held for Sale			700,000	200,000
Inventory impairments and option contract abandonments	5,819,000	6,870,000	10,492,000	25,331,000
Inventory impairments and option contract abandonments	6,364,000	9,364,000	11,071,000	28,145,000
Continuing Operations
Real Estate, Write-down or Reserve [Line Items]
Development projects and homes in process (Held for Development)	5,731,000	6,296,000	8,864,000	24,240,000
Land Held for Sale	0	0	208,000	118,000
Lot option abandonments	88,000	574,000	1,420,000	973,000
Inventory impairments and option contract abandonments	5,819,000	6,870,000	10,492,000	25,331,000
Continuing Operations | West Segment
Real Estate, Write-down or Reserve [Line Items]
Development projects and homes in process (Held for Development)	1,590,000	1,571,000	3,788,000	17,556,000
Land Held for Sale	0	0	0	(51,000)
Lot option abandonments	19,000	32,000	191,000	116,000
Continuing Operations | East Segment
Real Estate, Write-down or Reserve [Line Items]
Development projects and homes in process (Held for Development)	3,122,000	759,000	3,809,000	988,000
Land Held for Sale	0	0	0	0
Lot option abandonments	10,000	462,000	574,000	595,000
Continuing Operations | Southeast Segment
Real Estate, Write-down or Reserve [Line Items]
Development projects and homes in process (Held for Development)	630,000	3,435,000	794,000	3,557,000
Land Held for Sale	0	0	208,000	169,000
Lot option abandonments	59,000	80,000	653,000	262,000
Continuing Operations | Unallocated
Real Estate, Write-down or Reserve [Line Items]
Development projects and homes in process (Held for Development)	389,000	531,000	473,000	2,139,000
Lot option abandonments	0	0	2,000	0
Discontinued Operations
Real Estate, Write-down or Reserve [Line Items]
Development projects and homes in process (Held for Development)	42,000	0	60,000	215,000
Land Held for Sale	503,000	17,000	503,000	74,000
Lot option abandonments	0	2,477,000	16,000	2,525,000
Inventory impairments and option contract abandonments	$ 545,000	$ 2,494,000	$ 579,000	$ 2,814,000