CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF INCOME (LOSS) AND COMPREHENSIVE INCOME (LOSS) - USD ($) shares in Thousands, $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2015	Sep. 30, 2014	Sep. 30, 2013
Income Statement [Abstract]
Total revenue	$ 1,627,413	$ 1,463,767	$ 1,287,577
Home construction and land sales expenses	1,351,860	1,192,001	1,070,814
Inventory impairments and option contract abandonments	3,109	8,307	2,633
Gross profit	272,444	263,459	214,130
Commissions	65,023	58,028	52,922
General and administrative expenses	142,496	136,463	121,163
Depreciation and amortization	13,338	13,279	12,784
Operating income	51,587	55,689	27,261
Equity in income (loss) of unconsolidated entities	536	6,545	(113)
Loss on extinguishment of debt	(80)	(19,917)	(4,636)
Other expense, net	(30,013)	(49,191)	(58,165)
Income (loss) from continuing operations before income taxes	22,030	(6,874)	(35,653)
Benefit from income taxes	(324,569)	(41,797)	(3,489)
Income (loss) from continuing operations	346,599	34,923	(32,164)
Loss from discontinued operations, net of tax	(2,505)	(540)	(1,704)
Net income (loss)	$ 344,094	$ 34,383	$ (33,868)
Weighted average number of shares:
Basic (in shares)	27,628	25,795	24,651
Diluted (in shares)	31,772	31,795	24,651
Basic income (loss) per share:
Continuing operations (in dollars per share)	$ 12.54	$ 1.35	$ (1.30)
Discontinued operations (in dollars per share)	(0.09)	(0.02)	(0.07)
Total (in dollars per share)	12.45	1.33	(1.37)
Continuing operations (in dollars per share)	10.91	1.10	(1.30)
Discontinued operations (in dollars per share)	(0.08)	(0.02)	(0.07)
Total (in dollars per share)	$ 10.83	$ 1.08	$ (1.37)
Net income (loss)	$ 344,094	$ 34,383	$ (33,868)
Other comprehensive income (loss), net of income tax:
Change in unrealized loss related to available-for-sale securities	1,276	(1,276)	0
Comprehensive income (loss)	$ 345,370	$ 33,107	$ (33,868)