Discontinued Operations - Results of Discontinued Operations (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended				9 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2012		Jun. 30, 2011		Jun. 30, 2012		Jun. 30, 2011
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Home construction and land sales expenses	$ 227,505,000		$ 152,124,000		$ 560,564,000		$ 358,413,000
Inventory impairments and option contract abandonments	5,819,000		6,870,000		10,492,000		25,331,000
Gross profit	21,231,000		13,835,000		63,690,000		23,753,000
Commissions	10,776,000		7,843,000		27,522,000		18,066,000
General and administrative expenses	27,867,000		38,571,000		82,380,000		107,142,000
Depreciation and amortization	3,743,000		2,660,000		9,336,000		6,627,000
Operating income/(loss)	(21,155,000)		(35,239,000)		(55,548,000)		(108,082,000)
Other (expense) income, net	(16,804,000)	[1]	(17,085,000)	[1]	(53,342,000)	[1]	(46,616,000)	[1]
(Benefit from) provisions for income taxes	145,000		3,589,000		(36,438,000)		570,000
Loss from discontinued operations, net of tax	(1,828,000)		(3,365,000)		(3,869,000)		(3,878,000)
Discontinued Operations
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Total revenue	2,207,000		4,717,000		5,681,000		14,627,000
Home construction and land sales expenses	2,509,000		4,002,000		5,444,000		11,236,000
Inventory impairments and option contract abandonments	545,000		2,494,000		579,000		2,814,000
Gross profit	(847,000)		(1,779,000)		(342,000)		577,000
Commissions	46,000		229,000		217,000		901,000
General and administrative expenses	919,000		908,000		3,636,000		2,652,000
Depreciation and amortization	10,000		282,000		35,000		406,000
Operating income/(loss)	(1,822,000)		(3,198,000)		(4,230,000)		(3,382,000)
Equity in loss of unconsolidated entities	(1,000)		(164,000)		(37,000)		(513,000)
Other (expense) income, net	0		0		(10,000)		26,000
(Loss) income from discontinued operations before income taxes	(1,823,000)		(3,362,000)		(4,277,000)		(3,869,000)
(Benefit from) provisions for income taxes	5,000		3,000		(408,000)		9,000
Loss from discontinued operations, net of tax	(1,828,000)		(3,365,000)		(3,869,000)		(3,878,000)
Legal fees					$ 2,900,000

[1] The nine months ended June 30, 2011, includes a $6.8 million benefit related to the cash reimbursement from our former CEO in connection with his consent agreement with the Securities and Exchange Commission.