Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations (Unaudited) - USD ($) shares in Thousands, $ in Thousands		3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
		Jul. 31, 2015	Jul. 31, 2014	Jul. 31, 2015	Jul. 31, 2014
Homebuilding:
Total revenues		$ 540,613	$ 551,009	$ 1,455,276	$ 1,364,986
Homebuilding:
Inventory impairment loss and land option write-offs				7,618	1,927
Corporate general and administrative		15,874	15,804	49,275	46,837
Other interest	[1],[2]	22,493	19,880	70,594	66,685
Other operations		1,532	1,089	4,864	3,349
Total expenses		550,166	535,848	1,516,908	1,383,496
Loss on extinguishment of debt					(1,155)
(Loss) income from unconsolidated joint ventures		(448)	211	2,470	3,849
(Loss) income before income taxes		(10,001)	15,372	(59,162)	(15,816)
State and federal income tax (benefit) provision:
Tax provision (benefit)		(2,317)	(1,733)	(17,543)	(496)
Net (loss) income		$ (7,684)	$ 17,105	$ (41,619)	$ (15,320)
Basic:
(Loss) income per common share (in Dollars per share)		$ (0.05)	$ 0.11	$ (0.28)	$ (0.10)
Weighted-average number of common shares outstanding (in Shares)		147,010	146,365	146,846	146,223
Assuming dilution:
(Loss) income per common share (in Dollars per share)		$ (0.05)	$ 0.11	$ (0.28)	$ (0.10)
Weighted-average number of common shares outstanding (in Shares)		147,010	162,278	146,846	146,223
Homebuilding [Member]
Homebuilding:
Sale of homes		$ 526,156	$ 538,007	$ 1,414,799	$ 1,331,490
Land sales and other revenues		97	1,896	2,538	4,884
Total homebuilding		526,253	539,903	1,417,337	1,336,374
Total revenues		526,284	539,953	1,417,443	1,336,499
Homebuilding:
Cost of sales, excluding interest		432,625	424,145	1,169,576	1,063,465
Cost of sales interest		16,323	15,827	39,654	37,724
Inventory impairment loss and land option write-offs		1,077	741	7,618	1,927
Total cost of sales		450,025	440,713	1,216,848	1,103,116
Selling, general and administrative		51,998	51,150	152,258	142,918
Total homebuilding expenses		502,023	491,863	1,369,106	1,246,034
Total expenses		541,922	528,636	1,493,839	1,362,905
(Loss) income before income taxes		16,524	43,910	31,132	77,746
Financial Services [Member]
Homebuilding:
Financial services		14,360	11,106	37,939	28,612
Total revenues		14,360	11,106	37,939	28,612
Homebuilding:
Financial services		8,244	7,212	23,069	20,591
(Loss) income before income taxes		6,116	3,894	14,870	8,021
Internal Revenue Service (IRS) [Member]
State and federal income tax (benefit) provision:
Tax provision (benefit)		(3,316)	(1,980)	(21,260)	(1,980)
State and Local Jurisdiction [Member]
State and federal income tax (benefit) provision:
Tax provision (benefit)		$ 999	$ 247	$ 3,717	$ 1,484

[1] Cash paid for interest, net of capitalized interest, is the sum of other interest expensed, as defined above, and interest paid by our mortgage and finance subsidiaries adjusted for the change in accrued interest on notes payable, which is calculated as follows:

[2] Other interest expensed includes interest that does not qualify for interest capitalization because our assets that qualify for interest capitalization (inventory under development) do not exceed our debt. Also includes interest on completed homes and land in planning, which does not qualify for capitalization, and therefore, is expensed.