Inventory - Results of Discounted Cash Flow Analysis (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	12 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2014 Community lot		Sep. 30, 2012 lot Community
Real Estate, Write-down or Reserve [Line Items]
Number of Communities Impaired	2	[1]	5
Number of Lots Impaired	180	[1]	246
Inventory Impairment, Results of Discounted Cash Flow Analysis	$ 5,321	[1]	$ 9,547
Estimated Fair Value of Impaired Inventory at Period End	14,379		20,857
Continuing Operations
Real Estate, Write-down or Reserve [Line Items]
Number of Communities Impaired	2	[1]	5
Number of Lots Impaired	180	[1]	246
Inventory Impairment, Results of Discounted Cash Flow Analysis	5,321	[1]	9,487
Estimated Fair Value of Impaired Inventory at Period End	14,379	[1]	20,857
Continuing Operations | West
Real Estate, Write-down or Reserve [Line Items]
Number of Communities Impaired	2		2
Number of Lots Impaired	180		116
Inventory Impairment, Results of Discounted Cash Flow Analysis	4,948		3,902
Estimated Fair Value of Impaired Inventory at Period End	14,379		11,058
Continuing Operations | East
Real Estate, Write-down or Reserve [Line Items]
Number of Communities Impaired	0	[1]	2
Number of Lots Impaired	0	[1]	93
Inventory Impairment, Results of Discounted Cash Flow Analysis	0	[1]	4,316
Estimated Fair Value of Impaired Inventory at Period End	0	[1]	7,342
Continuing Operations | Southeast
Real Estate, Write-down or Reserve [Line Items]
Number of Communities Impaired	0		1
Number of Lots Impaired	0		37
Inventory Impairment, Results of Discounted Cash Flow Analysis	0		796
Estimated Fair Value of Impaired Inventory at Period End	0		2,457
Continuing Operations | Unallocated
Real Estate, Write-down or Reserve [Line Items]
Number of Communities Impaired	0		0
Number of Lots Impaired	0		0
Inventory Impairment, Results of Discounted Cash Flow Analysis	373		473
Estimated Fair Value of Impaired Inventory at Period End	0		0
Discontinued Operations
Real Estate, Write-down or Reserve [Line Items]
Number of Communities Impaired	0		0
Number of Lots Impaired	0		0
Inventory Impairment, Results of Discounted Cash Flow Analysis	0		60
Estimated Fair Value of Impaired Inventory at Period End	$ 0		$ 0

[1] During the year ended September 30, 2014, we recorded an impairment charge of $0.1 million in our East segment. The community had less than 10 lots remaining to close at the time of the analysis and therefore, consistent with our policy, we did not prepare an undiscounted or discounted cash flow analysis related to this community.