Discontinued Operations - Results of Discontinued Operations (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2014		Dec. 31, 2013
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Home construction and land sales expenses	$ 230,546,000		$ 238,469,000
Inventory impairments and option contract abandonments	0		31,000
Gross profit	35,218,000		54,670,000
General and administrative expenses	31,441,000		28,410,000
Operating (loss) income	(9,490,000)		11,532,000
Other (expense) income, net	(9,434,000)		(15,757,000)
(Benefit from) provision for income taxes	(696,000)		42,000
Income (loss) from discontinued operations, net of tax	(4,254,000)		(1,190,000)
Discontinued Operations
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Litigation settlement cost	4,000,000
Total revenue	0		464,000
Home construction and land sales expenses	3,951,000	[1]	1,455,000	[1]
Gross profit	(3,951,000)		(991,000)
General and administrative expenses	304,000		189,000
Operating (loss) income	(4,255,000)		(1,180,000)
Other (expense) income, net	0		0
Loss from discontinued operations before income taxes	(4,255,000)		(1,180,000)
(Benefit from) provision for income taxes	(1,000)		10,000
Income (loss) from discontinued operations, net of tax	$ (4,254,000)		$ (1,190,000)

[1] The three months ended December 31, 2014 includes a $4.0 million accrual related to the probable liability of a case regarding alleged past construction defects in our discontinued operation in Denver, Colorado.