Note 3 - Interest (Details) - Cash Paid for Interest, Net of Capitalized Interest - USD ($) $ in Thousands		3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
		Jul. 31, 2015	Jul. 31, 2014	Jul. 31, 2015	Jul. 31, 2014
Cash Paid for Interest, Net of Capitalized Interest [Abstract]
Other interest expensed	[1],[2]	$ 22,493	$ 19,880	$ 70,594	$ 66,685
Interest paid by our mortgage and finance subsidiaries		618	379	1,294	1,524
Decrease in accrued interest		9,381	5,245	1,665	1,234
Cash paid for interest, net of capitalized interest		$ 32,492	$ 25,504	$ 73,553	$ 69,443

[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.