Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations - USD ($) shares in Thousands, $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2019	Mar. 31, 2018	Mar. 31, 2019	Mar. 31, 2018
Income Statement [Abstract]
Total revenue	$ 421,260	$ 455,178	$ 823,300	$ 827,667
Home construction and land sales expenses	356,329	380,101	696,707	691,761
Inventory impairments and abandonments	147,611	0	148,618	0
Gross (loss) profit	(82,680)	75,077	(22,025)	135,906
Commissions	15,998	17,334	31,735	31,690
General and administrative expenses	37,372	40,852	76,014	78,137
Depreciation and amortization	2,900	3,066	5,670	5,573
Operating (loss) income	(138,950)	13,825	(135,444)	20,506
Equity in income of unconsolidated entities	81	256	17	155
Gain (loss) on extinguishment of debt	216	0	216	(25,904)
Other expense, net	(337)	(1,453)	(379)	(4,598)
Loss from continuing operations before income taxes	(138,990)	12,628	(135,590)	(9,841)
(Benefit) expense from income taxes	(38,158)	1,012	(42,080)	109,118
(Loss) income from continuing operations	(100,832)	11,616	(93,510)	(118,959)
Loss from discontinued operations, net of tax	(30)	(58)	(41)	(430)
Net (loss) income	$ (100,862)	$ 11,558	$ (93,551)	$ (119,389)
Weighted average number of shares:
Basic (in shares)	30,714	32,140	31,263	32,097
Diluted (in shares)	30,714	32,721	31,263	32,097
Basic (loss) earnings per share:
Continuing Operations (in dollars per share)	$ (3.28)	$ 0.36	$ (2.99)	$ (3.71)
Discontinued Operations (in dollars per share)	0.00	0.00	0.00	(0.01)
Total (in dollars per share)	(3.28)	0.36	(2.99)	(3.72)
Diluted (loss) earnings per share:
Continuing operations (in dollars per share)	(3.28)	0.36	(2.99)	(3.71)
Discontinued operations (in dollars per share)	0.00	(0.01)	0.00	(0.01)
Total (in dollars per share)	$ (3.28)	$ 0.35	$ (2.99)	$ (3.72)