Segment Information (Details) $ in Thousands		3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
		Jun. 30, 2015 USD ($) state	Jun. 30, 2014 USD ($)	Jun. 30, 2015 USD ($) state segment	Jun. 30, 2014 USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2014 USD ($)
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Number of homebuilding segments | segment				3
Number of states in which home building segments operate | state		15		15
Total revenue		$ 429,438	$ 354,671	$ 994,561	$ 917,862
Total operating income		17,696	15,088	14,642	32,237
Depreciation and amortization		3,497	3,400	8,619	9,138
Capital Expenditures				11,756	8,984
Total Capital Expenditure, cash and noncash				12,430	8,984
Assets		2,090,172		2,090,172		$ 2,066,220
Operating Segments
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total operating income		45,972	37,427	77,285	88,546
Depreciation and amortization		2,960	2,838	7,210	7,521
West Segment
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total revenue		149,129	136,906	351,975	381,368
Total operating income		16,246	18,754	33,628	48,854
Depreciation and amortization		1,267	1,427	3,299	4,113
Capital Expenditures				4,959	3,891
Assets		884,235		884,235		756,575
East Segment
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total revenue		155,160	128,358	363,152	319,313
Total operating income		15,344	10,438	28,457	21,667
Depreciation and amortization		900	890	2,094	2,138
Capital Expenditures				2,996	1,827
Assets		470,189		470,189		433,032
Southeast Segment
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total revenue		125,149	89,407	279,434	217,181
Total operating income		14,382	8,235	15,200	18,025
Depreciation and amortization		793	521	1,817	1,270
Capital Expenditures				2,653	1,498
Assets		355,729		355,729		299,215
Corporate and unallocated
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total operating income		(28,276)	(22,339)	(62,643)	(56,309)
Depreciation and amortization	[1]	537	$ 562	1,409	1,617
Capital Expenditures				1,822	$ 1,768
Assets	[2]	$ 380,019		$ 380,019		$ 577,398

[1] Corporate and unallocated operating loss includes amortization of capitalized interest and expenses related to numerous shared services functions including information technology, treasury, corporate finance, legal, branding and other national marketing costs that benefit all segments, the costs of which are not allocated to the operating segments reported above. Corporate and unallocated depreciation and amortization represents depreciation and amortization related to assets held by corporate functions that benefit all segments.

[2] Primarily consists of cash and cash equivalents, restricted cash, consolidated inventory not owned, deferred taxes, capitalized interest and other items that are not allocated to the segments.