Segment Information (Details) (USD $)	12 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2012 segment state		Sep. 30, 2011		Sep. 30, 2010
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Number of operating segments	3
Number of states with active operations	16
Revenue
Revenue	$ 1,005,677,000		$ 742,405,000		$ 991,152,000
Operating Income / (Loss)
Total operating loss	(62,058,000)		(132,245,000)		(113,434,000)
Equity in income (loss) of unconsolidated entities	304,000		560,000		(8,807,000)
(Loss) gain on extinguishment of debt	(45,097,000)		(2,909,000)		43,901,000
Other expense, net	(69,119,000)	[1]	(62,224,000)	[1]	(69,585,000)	[1]
Loss from continuing operations before income taxes	(175,970,000)		(196,818,000)		(147,925,000)
Depreciation and amortization
Depreciation and amortization	13,510,000		10,253,000		12,669,000
Capital Expenditures
Capital Expenditures	17,363,000		20,514,000		10,849,000
Assets
Assets	1,982,218,000		1,977,477,000
Previously owned rental homes, net	0		11,347,000
Benefit from cash reimbursement from former Chief Executive Officer			8,300,000
Operating Segments
Operating Income / (Loss)
Total operating loss	38,885,000		(20,259,000)		12,319,000
Depreciation and amortization
Depreciation and amortization	10,556,000		7,226,000		10,322,000
West
Revenue
Revenue	391,648,000		233,133,000		364,530,000
Operating Income / (Loss)
Total operating loss	15,147,000		(28,406,000)		1,120,000
Depreciation and amortization
Depreciation and amortization	4,980,000		3,651,000		5,161,000
Capital Expenditures
Capital Expenditures	3,031,000		4,041,000		3,939,000
Assets
Assets	618,805,000		649,057,000
East
Revenue
Revenue	402,466,000		343,826,000		451,162,000
Operating Income / (Loss)
Total operating loss	9,152,000		11,611,000		11,329,000
Depreciation and amortization
Depreciation and amortization	3,536,000		2,621,000		3,665,000
Capital Expenditures
Capital Expenditures	3,532,000		2,051,000		1,734,000
Assets
Assets	320,404,000		372,984,000
Southeast
Revenue
Revenue	210,449,000		165,107,000		175,460,000
Operating Income / (Loss)
Total operating loss	14,815,000		(2,740,000)		(130,000)
Depreciation and amortization
Depreciation and amortization	1,710,000		885,000		1,496,000
Capital Expenditures
Capital Expenditures	1,814,000		1,631,000		1,184,000
Assets
Assets	160,868,000		162,135,000
Pre-Owned Segment
Revenue
Revenue	1,114,000		339,000		0
Operating Income / (Loss)
Total operating loss	(229,000)		(724,000)		0
Depreciation and amortization
Depreciation and amortization	330,000		69,000		0
Capital Expenditures
Capital Expenditures	7,933,000	[2]	11,415,000	[2]	0	[2]
Assets
Assets	0	[2]	12,315,000	[2]
Previously owned rental homes, net			11,300,000
Number of pre-owned homes			120
Corporate and unallocated
Operating Income / (Loss)
Total operating loss	(100,943,000)	[3]	(111,986,000)	[3]	(125,753,000)	[3]
Depreciation and amortization
Depreciation and amortization	2,954,000	[3]	3,027,000	[3]	2,347,000	[3]
Capital Expenditures
Capital Expenditures	1,053,000		1,376,000		3,992,000
Assets
Assets	882,141,000	[4]	780,986,000	[4]
Recovery related to warranty and legal expenditures	$ 11,000,000

[1] The fiscal year ended September 30, 2011, includes an $8.3 million benefit related to the cash reimbursements from our former CEO and former CFO in connection with their consent agreements with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

[2] Pre-owned assets included the cost of previously owned homes, net of accumulated depreciation, totaling $11.3 million (120 homes) as of September 30, 2011. Capital expenditures represent the purchase of previously owned homes through May 2, 2012 and September 30, 2011, respectively.

[3] Corporate and unallocated includes amortization of capitalized interest and numerous shared services functions that benefit all segments, the costs of which are not allocated to the operating segments reported above including information technology, national sourcing and purchasing, treasury, corporate finance, legal, branding and other national marketing costs. For the fiscal year ended September 30, 2012, corporate and unallocated also includes an $11 million recovery related to old water intrusion warranty and related legal expenditures.

[4] Primarily consists of cash and cash equivalents, consolidated inventory not owned, deferred taxes, capitalized interest and other items that are not allocated to the segments.