Note 21 - Financial Information of Subsidiary Issuer and Subsidiary Guarantors (Details) - Consolidating Condensed Financial Statements - Balance Sheets - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Jul. 31, 2015	Oct. 31, 2014
ASSETS:
Assets	$ 2,549,344	$ 2,289,930	[1]
Income taxes receivable	303,790	284,543
LIABILITIES AND EQUITY:
Liability	2,700,851	2,407,729	[1]
Notes payable	1,938,292	1,689,779	[1]
Stockholders’ (deficit) equity	(151,507)	(117,799)
Total liabilities and equity	2,549,344	2,289,930	[1]
Homebuilding [Member]
ASSETS:
Assets	2,109,464	1,885,044	[1]
Investments in and amounts due from consolidated subsidiaries	66,535	63,883	[1]
LIABILITIES AND EQUITY:
Liability	649,009	618,753	[1]
Financial Services [Member]
ASSETS:
Assets	136,090	120,343	[1]
LIABILITIES AND EQUITY:
Liability	113,550	99,197	[1]
Reportable Legal Entities [Member] | Parent Company [Member]
ASSETS:
Assets	255,664	244,391
Income taxes receivable	255,664	244,391
LIABILITIES AND EQUITY:
Intercompany payable	303,173	308,700
Amounts due to consolidated subsidiaries	100,922	50,648
Stockholders’ (deficit) equity	(151,507)	(117,799)
Total liabilities and equity	255,664	244,391
Reportable Legal Entities [Member] | Parent Company [Member] | Homebuilding [Member]
LIABILITIES AND EQUITY:
Liability	3,076	2,842
Reportable Legal Entities [Member] | Subsidiary Issuer [Member]
ASSETS:
Assets	1,697,916	1,470,630
Intercompany receivable	1,505,551	1,275,453
LIABILITIES AND EQUITY:
Notes payable	1,936,130	1,685,892
Amounts due to consolidated subsidiaries	52,121	11,902
Stockholders’ (deficit) equity	(290,411)	(227,324)
Total liabilities and equity	1,697,916	1,470,630
Reportable Legal Entities [Member] | Subsidiary Issuer [Member] | Homebuilding [Member]
ASSETS:
Assets	192,365	195,177
LIABILITIES AND EQUITY:
Liability	76	160
Reportable Legal Entities [Member] | Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
ASSETS:
Assets	1,986,503	1,726,319
Income taxes receivable	48,126	40,152
Investments in and amounts due from consolidated subsidiaries	380,721	338,044
LIABILITIES AND EQUITY:
Notes payable	1,805	3,336
Intercompany payable	1,250,713	1,002,914
Stockholders’ (deficit) equity	137,368	164,771
Total liabilities and equity	1,986,503	1,726,319
Reportable Legal Entities [Member] | Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member] | Homebuilding [Member]
ASSETS:
Assets	1,545,467	1,336,716
LIABILITIES AND EQUITY:
Liability	584,370	544,088
Reportable Legal Entities [Member] | Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member] | Financial Services [Member]
ASSETS:
Assets	12,189	11,407
LIABILITIES AND EQUITY:
Liability	12,247	11,210
Reportable Legal Entities [Member] | Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
ASSETS:
Assets	543,868	498,248
Intercompany receivable	48,335	36,161
LIABILITIES AND EQUITY:
Notes payable	357	551
Stockholders’ (deficit) equity	380,721	338,047
Total liabilities and equity	543,868	498,248
Reportable Legal Entities [Member] | Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member] | Homebuilding [Member]
ASSETS:
Assets	371,632	353,151
LIABILITIES AND EQUITY:
Liability	61,487	71,663
Reportable Legal Entities [Member] | Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member] | Financial Services [Member]
ASSETS:
Assets	123,901	108,936
LIABILITIES AND EQUITY:
Liability	101,303	87,987
Consolidation, Eliminations [Member]
ASSETS:
Assets	(1,934,607)	(1,649,658)
Intercompany receivable	(1,553,886)	(1,311,614)
Investments in and amounts due from consolidated subsidiaries	(380,721)	(338,044)
LIABILITIES AND EQUITY:
Intercompany payable	(1,553,886)	(1,311,614)
Amounts due to consolidated subsidiaries	(153,043)	(62,550)
Stockholders’ (deficit) equity	(227,678)	(275,494)
Total liabilities and equity	$ (1,934,607)	$ (1,649,658)

[1] Derived from the audited balance sheet as of October 31, 2014.