Note 23 - Financial Information of Subsidiary Issuer and Subsidiary Guarantors (Details) - Consolidating Condensed Financial Statements - Statements of Operations (USD $)
In Thousands, unless otherwise specified

Note 23 - Financial Information of Subsidiary Issuer and Subsidiary Guarantors (Details) - Consolidating Condensed Financial Statements - Statements of Operations (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Oct. 31, 2014	Jul. 31, 2014	Apr. 30, 2014	Jan. 31, 2014	Oct. 31, 2013	Jul. 31, 2013	Apr. 30, 2013	Jan. 31, 2013	Oct. 31, 2014	Oct. 31, 2013	Oct. 31, 2012
Condensed Income Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Total revenues	$ 698,394us-gaap_Revenues	$ 551,009us-gaap_Revenues	$ 449,929us-gaap_Revenues	$ 364,048us-gaap_Revenues	$ 591,687us-gaap_Revenues	$ 478,357us-gaap_Revenues	$ 422,998us-gaap_Revenues	$ 358,211us-gaap_Revenues	$ 2,063,380us-gaap_Revenues	$ 1,851,253us-gaap_Revenues	$ 1,485,353us-gaap_Revenues
Total expenses	663,149us-gaap_CostsAndExpenses	535,107us-gaap_CostsAndExpenses	456,617us-gaap_CostsAndExpenses	389,845us-gaap_CostsAndExpenses	561,061us-gaap_CostsAndExpenses	471,036us-gaap_CostsAndExpenses	422,899us-gaap_CostsAndExpenses	380,637us-gaap_CostsAndExpenses	2,049,942us-gaap_CostsAndExpenses	1,840,598us-gaap_CostsAndExpenses	1,562,936us-gaap_CostsAndExpenses
(Loss) Gain on Extinguishment of Debt			(1,155)		(760)				(1,155)	(760)	(29,066)
Income from unconsolidated joint ventures	4,048	211	1,067	2,571	5,234	3,690	827	2,289	7,897	12,040	5,401
(Loss) income before income taxes	35,996	15,372	(7,298)	(23,890)	33,614	10,388	(1,265)	(20,802)	20,180	21,935	(101,248)
State and federal income tax (benefit) provision	(286,468)us-gaap_IncomeTaxExpenseBenefit	(1,733)us-gaap_IncomeTaxExpenseBenefit	604us-gaap_IncomeTaxExpenseBenefit	633us-gaap_IncomeTaxExpenseBenefit	795us-gaap_IncomeTaxExpenseBenefit	1,922us-gaap_IncomeTaxExpenseBenefit	(2,583)us-gaap_IncomeTaxExpenseBenefit	(9,494)us-gaap_IncomeTaxExpenseBenefit	(286,964)us-gaap_IncomeTaxExpenseBenefit	(9,360)us-gaap_IncomeTaxExpenseBenefit	(35,051)us-gaap_IncomeTaxExpenseBenefit
Equity in (loss) income of consolidated subsidiaries											0
Net (loss) income	322,464us-gaap_NetIncomeLoss	17,105us-gaap_NetIncomeLoss	(7,902)us-gaap_NetIncomeLoss	(24,523)us-gaap_NetIncomeLoss	32,819us-gaap_NetIncomeLoss	8,466us-gaap_NetIncomeLoss	1,318us-gaap_NetIncomeLoss	(11,308)us-gaap_NetIncomeLoss	307,144us-gaap_NetIncomeLoss	31,295us-gaap_NetIncomeLoss	(66,197)us-gaap_NetIncomeLoss
Homebuilding [Member] \| Reportable Legal Entities [Member] \| Parent Company [Member]
Condensed Income Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Homebuilding revenue									25	3	9
Total expenses									3,286	8,608	3,030
Homebuilding [Member] \| Reportable Legal Entities [Member] \| Subsidiary Issuer [Member]
Condensed Income Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Homebuilding revenue										(235)	(270)
Total expenses									131,730	123,511	150,297
Homebuilding [Member] \| Reportable Legal Entities [Member] \| Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Condensed Income Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Homebuilding revenue									1,651,343	1,497,016	1,364,733
Total expenses									1,549,659	1,373,360	1,300,728
Homebuilding [Member] \| Reportable Legal Entities [Member] \| Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Condensed Income Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Homebuilding revenue									369,598	311,730	87,124
Total expenses									336,651	295,390	79,899
Homebuilding [Member] \| Consolidation, Eliminations [Member]
Condensed Income Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Homebuilding revenue										(4,988)	(4,978)
Total expenses										10,670	5,334
Homebuilding [Member]
Condensed Income Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Homebuilding revenue									2,020,966	1,803,526	1,446,618
Total revenues									2,021,128	1,803,657	1,446,591
Total expenses									2,021,326	1,811,539	1,539,288
(Loss) income before income taxes									139,336	135,489	47,005
Financial Services [Member] \| Reportable Legal Entities [Member] \| Parent Company [Member]
Condensed Income Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Financial services									20	17	(28)
Financial Services [Member] \| Reportable Legal Entities [Member] \| Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Condensed Income Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Financial services									9,572	9,386	8,082
Financial services									6,832	6,721	5,737
Financial Services [Member] \| Reportable Legal Entities [Member] \| Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Condensed Income Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Financial services									32,842	38,341	30,653
Financial services									21,764	22,321	17,951
Financial Services [Member] \| Consolidation, Eliminations [Member]
Condensed Income Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Financial services											(12)
Financial Services [Member]
Condensed Income Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Financial services									42,414	47,727	38,735
Total revenues									42,414	47,727	38,735
(Loss) income before income taxes									13,798	18,668	15,087
Financial services									28,616	29,059	23,648
Reportable Legal Entities [Member] \| Parent Company [Member]
Condensed Income Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Total revenues									25	3	9
Total expenses									3,306	8,625	3,002
(Loss) income before income taxes									(3,281)	(8,622)	(2,993)
State and federal income tax (benefit) provision									(298,775)	(21,541)	(17,495)
Equity in (loss) income of consolidated subsidiaries									11,650	18,376	(80,699)
Net (loss) income									307,144	31,295	(66,197)
Reportable Legal Entities [Member] \| Subsidiary Issuer [Member]
Condensed Income Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Intercompany income									100,878
Total revenues									100,878	81,581	98,535
Total expenses									131,730	123,511	150,297
(Loss) Gain on Extinguishment of Debt									(1,155)	(770,769)	(29,066)
(Loss) income before income taxes									(32,007)	(812,699)	(80,828)
State and federal income tax (benefit) provision									(908)
Equity in (loss) income of consolidated subsidiaries									(14,177)	(11,514)	(1,521)
Net (loss) income									(45,276)	(824,213)	(82,349)
Intercompany charges										81,816	98,805
Reportable Legal Entities [Member] \| Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Condensed Income Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Total revenues									1,660,915	1,402,190	1,252,721
Total expenses									1,657,369	1,380,081	1,306,465
(Loss) Gain on Extinguishment of Debt										770,009
Income from unconsolidated joint ventures									94	2,327	561
(Loss) income before income taxes									3,640	794,445	(53,183)
State and federal income tax (benefit) provision									12,719	12,181	(17,580)
Equity in (loss) income of consolidated subsidiaries									51,828	39,748	21,153
Net (loss) income									42,749	822,012	(14,450)
Intercompany charges									100,878	(104,212)	(120,094)
Reportable Legal Entities [Member] \| Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Condensed Income Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Total revenues									402,440	347,746	114,187
Total expenses									358,415	317,711	97,850
Income from unconsolidated joint ventures									7,803	9,713	4,840
(Loss) income before income taxes									51,828	39,748	21,177
State and federal income tax (benefit) provision											24
Net (loss) income									51,828	39,748	21,153
Intercompany charges										(2,325)	(3,590)
Consolidation, Eliminations [Member]
Condensed Income Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Intercompany income									(100,878)
Total revenues									(100,878)	19,733	19,901
Total expenses									(100,878)	10,670	5,322
(Loss) income before income taxes										9,063	14,579
Equity in (loss) income of consolidated subsidiaries									(49,301)	(46,610)	61,067
Net (loss) income									(49,301)	(37,547)	75,646
Intercompany charges									$ (100,878)	$ 24,721	$ 24,879