Summary of Significant Accounting Policies Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Policies)

3 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2012

Accounting Policies [Abstract]

Inventory Valuation

Inventory Valuation — We assess our inventory assets no less than quarterly for recoverability in accordance with the policies as described in Notes 1 and 4 to the consolidated financial statements in our 2012 Annual Report. Our homebuilding inventories that are accounted for as held for development include land and home construction assets grouped together as communities. Homebuilding inventories held for development are stated at cost (including direct construction costs, capitalized indirect costs, capitalized interest and real estate taxes) unless facts and circumstances indicate that the carrying value of the assets may not be recoverable. For those communities for which construction and development activities are expected to occur in the future or have been idled (land held for future development), all applicable interest and real estate taxes are expensed as incurred and the inventory is stated at cost unless facts and circumstances indicate that the carrying value of the assets may not be recoverable. We record assets held for sale at the lower of the carrying value or fair value less costs to sell.

Recent Accounting Pronouncements

Recent Accounting Pronouncements. In May 2011, the Financial Accounting Standard Board (FASB) issued ASU 2011-04, Fair Value Measurement (Topic 820): Amendments to Achieve Common Fair Value Measurement and Disclosure Requirements in U.S. GAAP and IFRSs. ASU 2011-04 clarifies some existing concepts, eliminates wording differences between U.S. GAAP and International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS), and in some limited cases, changes some principles to achieve convergence between U.S. GAAP and IFRS. ASU 2011-04 results in a consistent definition of fair value and common requirements for measurement of and disclosure about fair value between U.S. GAAP and IFRS. ASU 2011-04 also expands the disclosures for fair value measurements that are estimated using significant unobservable (Level 3) inputs. The adoption of ASU 2011-04 effective with our second quarter of fiscal 2012 did not have a material effect on our operating results or financial position.