CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS - USD ($) shares in Thousands	12 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2020	Sep. 30, 2019	Sep. 30, 2018
Income Statement [Abstract]
Total revenue	$ 2,127,077,000	$ 2,087,739,000	$ 2,107,133,000
Home construction and land sales expenses	1,776,534,000	1,773,085,000	1,755,619,000
Inventory impairments and abandonments	2,903,000	148,618,000	6,499,000
Gross profit	347,640,000	166,036,000	345,015,000
Commissions	82,507,000	79,802,000	81,002,000
General and administrative expenses	170,386,000	161,371,000	168,658,000
Depreciation and amortization	15,640,000	14,759,000	13,807,000
Operating income (loss)	79,107,000	(89,896,000)	81,548,000
Equity in income of unconsolidated entities	347,000	404,000	34,000
Loss on extinguishment of debt, net	0	(24,920,000)	(27,839,000)
Other expense, net	(8,165,000)	(2,226,000)	(4,305,000)
Income (loss) from continuing operations before income taxes	71,289,000	(116,638,000)	49,438,000
Expense (benefit) from income taxes	17,973,000	(37,217,000)	94,484,000
Income (loss) from continuing operations	53,316,000	(79,421,000)	(45,046,000)
Loss from discontinued operations, net of tax	(1,090,000)	(99,000)	(329,000)
Net income (loss)	$ 52,226,000	$ (79,520,000)	$ (45,375,000)
Weighted-average number of shares:
Basic (in shares)	29,704	30,617	32,141
Diluted (in shares)	29,948	30,617	32,141
Basic income (loss) per share:
Continuing operations (in dollars per share)	$ 1.80	$ (2.59)	$ (1.40)
Discontinued operations (in dollars per share)	(0.04)	(0.01)	(0.01)
Total (in dollars per share)	1.76	(2.60)	(1.41)
Diluted income (loss) per share:
Continuing operations (in dollars per share)	1.78	(2.59)	(1.40)
Discontinued operations (in dollars per share)	(0.04)	(0.01)	(0.01)
Total (in dollars per share)	$ 1.74	$ (2.60)	$ (1.41)