Note 23 - Financial Information of Subsidiary Issuer and Subsidiary Guarantors (Details) - Consolidating Condensed Financial Statements - Balance Sheets (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Oct. 31, 2014	Oct. 31, 2013
Condensed Balance Sheet Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Assets	$ 2,289,930	$ 1,759,130
Liability	2,407,729	2,191,929
Notes payable	1,689,779	1,557,706
Income taxes payable (receivable)		3,301
Stockholders’ (deficit) equity	(117,799)	(433,226)
Non-controlling interest in consolidated joint ventures		427
Total liabilities and equity	2,289,930	1,759,130
Income taxes receivable	284,543
Investments in and advances to unconsolidated joint ventures	63,883	51,438
Homebuilding [Member] | Reportable Legal Entities [Member] | Parent Company [Member]
Condensed Balance Sheet Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Liability	2,842	3,798
Homebuilding [Member] | Reportable Legal Entities [Member] | Subsidiary Issuer [Member]
Condensed Balance Sheet Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Assets	195,177	277,800
Liability	160	491
Homebuilding [Member] | Reportable Legal Entities [Member] | Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Condensed Balance Sheet Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Assets	1,336,716	1,020,435
Liability	544,088	437,767
Homebuilding [Member] | Reportable Legal Entities [Member] | Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Condensed Balance Sheet Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Assets	353,151	312,042
Liability	71,663	64,329
Homebuilding [Member]
Condensed Balance Sheet Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Assets	1,885,044	1,610,277
Liability	618,753	506,385
Investments in and advances to unconsolidated joint ventures	63,883	51,438
Financial Services [Member] | Reportable Legal Entities [Member] | Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Condensed Balance Sheet Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Assets	11,407	14,570
Liability	11,210	14,789
Financial Services [Member] | Reportable Legal Entities [Member] | Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Condensed Balance Sheet Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Assets	108,936	134,283
Liability	87,987	109,748
Financial Services [Member]
Condensed Balance Sheet Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Assets	120,343	148,853
Liability	99,197	124,537
Reportable Legal Entities [Member] | Parent Company [Member]
Condensed Balance Sheet Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Assets	244,391	(62,298)
Intercompany payable (receivable)	308,700	326,262
Income taxes payable (receivable)		40,868
Amounts due to consolidated subsidiaries	50,648
Stockholders’ (deficit) equity	(117,799)	(433,226)
Total liabilities and equity	244,391	(62,298)
Income taxes receivable	244,391
Investments in and advances to unconsolidated joint ventures		(62,298)
Reportable Legal Entities [Member] | Subsidiary Issuer [Member]
Condensed Balance Sheet Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Assets	1,470,630	1,373,981
Notes payable	1,685,892	1,555,336
Amounts due to consolidated subsidiaries	11,902
Stockholders’ (deficit) equity	(227,324)	(181,846)
Total liabilities and equity	1,470,630	1,373,981
Intercompany receivable (payable)	1,275,453	1,093,906
Investments in and advances to unconsolidated joint ventures		2,275
Reportable Legal Entities [Member] | Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Condensed Balance Sheet Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Assets	1,726,319	1,321,221
Notes payable	3,336	2,276
Intercompany payable (receivable)	1,002,914	805,774
Income taxes payable (receivable)		(37,567)
Stockholders’ (deficit) equity	164,771	98,182
Total liabilities and equity	1,726,319	1,321,221
Income taxes receivable	40,152
Investments in and advances to unconsolidated joint ventures	338,044	286,216
Reportable Legal Entities [Member] | Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Condensed Balance Sheet Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Assets	498,248	460,814
Notes payable	551	94
Stockholders’ (deficit) equity	338,047	286,216
Non-controlling interest in consolidated joint ventures		427
Total liabilities and equity	498,248	460,814
Intercompany receivable (payable)	36,161	14,489
Consolidation, Eliminations [Member]
Condensed Balance Sheet Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Assets	(1,649,658)	(1,334,588)
Intercompany payable (receivable)	(1,311,614)	(1,132,036)
Amounts due to consolidated subsidiaries	(62,550)
Stockholders’ (deficit) equity	(275,494)	(202,552)
Total liabilities and equity	(1,649,658)	(1,334,588)
Intercompany receivable (payable)	(1,311,614)	(1,108,395)
Investments in and advances to unconsolidated joint ventures	$ (338,044)	$ (226,193)