Note 22 - Fair Value of Financial Instruments (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended				0 Months Ended
	Jul. 31, 2014	Jul. 31, 2013	Jul. 31, 2014	Jul. 31, 2013	Oct. 31, 2013	Jul. 31, 2014 Loan Origination Commitments [Member]	Jul. 31, 2014 Loan Origination Commitments [Member] Maximum [Member]	Jul. 31, 2014 Interest Rate Committed [Member]	Jul. 31, 2014 Unsecured Senior Notes Excluding Senior Amortizing Notes And Senior Exchangeable Notes [Member] Fair Value, Inputs, Level 2 [Member]	Oct. 31, 2013 Unsecured Senior Notes Excluding Senior Amortizing Notes And Senior Exchangeable Notes [Member] Fair Value, Inputs, Level 2 [Member]	Jul. 31, 2014 Senior Amortizing Notes [Member] Fair Value, Inputs, Level 2 [Member]	Jul. 31, 2014 Senior Amortizing Notes [Member] Fair Value, Inputs, Level 3 [Member]	Oct. 31, 2013 Senior Amortizing Notes [Member] Fair Value, Inputs, Level 3 [Member]	Oct. 31, 2013 Senior Subordinated Amortizing Notes [Member] Fair Value, Inputs, Level 2 [Member]	Jul. 31, 2014 Seven Percent Senior Note Due Twenty Nineteen [Member] Fair Value, Inputs, Level 3 [Member]	Jul. 31, 2014 Senior Secured Notes [Member] Fair Value, Inputs, Level 3 [Member]	Oct. 31, 2013 Senior Secured Notes [Member] Fair Value, Inputs, Level 3 [Member]	Jul. 31, 2014 Senior Exchangeable Notes [Member] Fair Value, Inputs, Level 3 [Member]	Oct. 31, 2013 Senior Exchangeable Notes [Member] Fair Value, Inputs, Level 3 [Member]
Note 22 - Fair Value of Financial Instruments (Details) [Line Items]
Loans Held for Sale, Mortgages, Unpaid Principal	$ 73,600,000		$ 73,600,000		$ 107,700,000
Loan Applications in Process						497,900,000
Interest Rate Committed Loan Applications								58,200,000
Number of Days in Commitment							60 days
Other Commitment	20,500,000		20,500,000
Impairment of Real Estate	100,000	100,000	200,000	1,600,000
Notes Payable, Fair Value Disclosure									$ 466,600,000	$ 493,400,000	$ 0	$ 17,000,000	$ 20,900,000	$ 2,200,000	$ 150,800,000	$ 1,000,000,000	$ 1,000,000,000	$ 81,500,000	$ 86,800,000