Discontinued Operations - Results of Discontinued Operations (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2012		Dec. 31, 2011
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Home construction and land sales expenses	$ 210,614,000		$ 162,776,000
Inventory impairments and option contract abandonments	204,000		3,503,000
Gross profit	36,084,000		22,269,000
Commissions	10,642,000		8,371,000
General and administrative expenses	26,328,000		28,194,000
Depreciation and amortization	2,715,000		2,403,000
Operating loss	(3,601,000)		(16,699,000)
Other (expense) income, net	(15,627,000)		(18,273,000)
Benefit from income taxes	(253,000)		(35,747,000)
(Loss) income from discontinued operations, net of tax	(1,449,000)		41,000
Discontinued Operations
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Total revenue	96,000		3,196,000
Home construction and land sales expenses	94,000		2,788,000
Inventory impairments and option contract abandonments	17,000		32,000
Gross profit	(15,000)		376,000
Commissions	0		158,000
General and administrative expenses	1,525,000	[1]	517,000	[1]
Depreciation and amortization	0		21,000
Operating loss	(1,540,000)		(320,000)
Equity in loss of unconsolidated entities	0		(29,000)
Other (expense) income, net	69,000		(9,000)
Loss from discontinued operations before income taxes	(1,471,000)		(358,000)
Benefit from income taxes	(22,000)		(399,000)
(Loss) income from discontinued operations, net of tax	(1,449,000)		41,000
Legal fees	$ 1,500,000

[1] The three months ended December 31, 2012, includes approximately $1.5 million of expense for legal fees and potential liability related to outstanding matters in Denver, Colorado.