Inventory - Inventory Impairments and Lot Option Abandonment Charges, by Reportable Segment (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011
Real Estate, Write-down or Reserve [Line Items]
Inventory impairments and option contract abandonments	$ 204,000	$ 3,503,000
Inventory impairments and option contract abandonments	221,000	3,535,000
Continuing Operations
Real Estate, Write-down or Reserve [Line Items]
Development projects and homes in process (Held for Development)	59,000	2,284,000
Land Held for Sale	0	208,000
Lot option abandonments	145,000	1,011,000
Inventory impairments and option contract abandonments	204,000	3,503,000
Continuing Operations | West Segment
Real Estate, Write-down or Reserve [Line Items]
Development projects and homes in process (Held for Development)	46,000	1,996,000
Land Held for Sale	0	0
Lot option abandonments	74,000	2,000
Continuing Operations | East Segment
Real Estate, Write-down or Reserve [Line Items]
Development projects and homes in process (Held for Development)	13,000	122,000
Land Held for Sale	0	0
Lot option abandonments	22,000	474,000
Continuing Operations | Southeast Segment
Real Estate, Write-down or Reserve [Line Items]
Development projects and homes in process (Held for Development)	0	118,000
Land Held for Sale	0	208,000
Lot option abandonments	49,000	534,000
Continuing Operations | Unallocated
Real Estate, Write-down or Reserve [Line Items]
Development projects and homes in process (Held for Development)	0	48,000
Lot option abandonments	0	1,000
Discontinued Operations
Real Estate, Write-down or Reserve [Line Items]
Development projects and homes in process (Held for Development)	0	16,000
Land Held for Sale	17,000	0
Lot option abandonments	0	16,000
Inventory impairments and option contract abandonments	$ 17,000	$ 32,000