Investment in Unconsolidated Ventures - Summarized Balance Sheet Information (Detail) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Sep. 30, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Venture Assets	$ 210,527	$ 172,637
Venture Borrowings	91,206	71,476
Venture Equity	89,566	68,515
Investment in venture	53,709	41,147
Unrecognized basis difference on equity method investment	1,648
242, LLC [Member]
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Venture Assets	26,139	23,751
Venture Borrowings	2,934	921
Venture Equity	19,286	19,838
Investment in venture	8,819	9,084
Cjuf Three Rh Holdings Lp [Member]
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Venture Assets	0	36,320
Venture Borrowings	0	18,492
Venture Equity	0	15,415
Investment in venture	0	3,235
CL Ashton Woods [Member]
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Venture Assets	11,671	10,473
Venture Borrowings	0	0
Venture Equity	10,277	9,704
Investment in venture	4,370	3,544
CL Realty [Member]
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Venture Assets	8,085	8,298
Venture Borrowings	0	0
Venture Equity	7,916	8,070
Investment in venture	3,958	4,035
CREA FMF [Member]
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Venture Assets	28,962	0
Venture Borrowings	20,289	0
Venture Equity	6,126	0
Investment in venture	5,655	0
FMF Littleton [Member]
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Venture Assets	21,599	0
Venture Borrowings	0	0
Venture Equity	21,148	0
Investment in venture	5,465	0
FMF Peakview [Member]
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Venture Assets	40,137	30,673
Venture Borrowings	21,088	12,533
Venture Equity	17,617	16,620
Investment in venture	3,605	3,406
HM Stonewall Estates [Member]
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Venture Assets	3,367	3,781
Venture Borrowings	286	63
Venture Equity	3,081	3,718
Investment in venture	1,751	2,128
LM Land Holdings [Member]
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Venture Assets	32,824	33,298
Venture Borrowings	9,502	9,768
Venture Equity	19,349	13,347
Investment in venture	9,843	8,283
PSW Communities [Member]
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Venture Assets	12,604	0
Venture Borrowings	7,377	0
Venture Equity	4,270	0
Investment in venture	3,795	0
Temco [Member]
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Venture Assets	12,756	13,320
Venture Borrowings	0	0
Venture Equity	12,518	13,160
Investment in venture	6,259	6,580
Other ventures [Member]
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Venture Assets	12,383	12,723
Venture Borrowings	29,730	29,699
Venture Equity	(32,022)	(31,357)
Investment in venture	$ 189	$ 852