Unaudited Summarized Quarterly Financial Information - Summarized Unaudited Quarterly Financial Information (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015	Sep. 30, 2015	Jun. 30, 2015	Mar. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Sep. 30, 2014	Jun. 30, 2014	Mar. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
Quarterly Financial Information Disclosure [Abstract]
Home, lots, land, and other sales	$ 397,162	$ 246,811	$ 247,740	$ 189,715	$ 352,479	$ 196,305	$ 169,868	$ 140,299	$ 1,106,552	$ 896,679	$ 572,535
Cost of homes, lots, land and other sales	(324,338)	(202,057)	(200,248)	(154,081)	(285,448)	(157,774)	(129,626)	(106,212)
Gross profit	72,824	44,754	47,492	35,634	67,031	38,531	40,242	34,087
Other income, costs and expenses, net	(45,696)	(32,477)	(34,242)	(28,028)	(46,221)	(30,909)	(25,490)	(22,745)
Net income	27,128	12,277	13,250	7,606	20,810	7,622	14,752	11,342	60,261	54,526	135,603
Net (loss) income available to common stockholders	$ 26,295	$ 12,082	$ 12,277	$ 6,682	$ 18,005	$ 5,638	$ 12,285	$ 8,697	$ 57,336	$ 44,625	$ 127,604
Income per common share:
Basic (in USD per share)	$ 0.72	$ 0.33	$ 0.34	$ 0.18	$ 0.54	$ 0.18	$ 0.39	$ 0.28	$ 1.57	$ 1.41	$ 5.16
Diluted (in USD per share)	$ 0.68	$ 0.31	$ 0.32	$ 0.18	$ 0.52	$ 0.17	$ 0.38	$ 0.27	$ 1.48	$ 1.34	$ 4.95