Note 21 - Financial Information of Subsidiary Issuer and Subsidiary Guarantors (Details) - Consolidating Condensed Financial Statements - Statements of Cash Flows - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Jul. 31, 2015	Jul. 31, 2014	Jul. 31, 2015	Jul. 31, 2014
Cash flows from operating activities:
Net (loss) income	$ (7,684)	$ 17,105	$ (41,619)	$ (15,320)
Adjustments to reconcile net (loss) income to net cash (used in) provided by operating activities			(291,061)	(244,223)
Net cash (used in) provided by operating activities			(332,680)	(259,543)
Cash flows from investing activities:
Proceeds from sale of property and assets			1,143	346
Purchase of property, equipment and other fixed assets and acquisitions			(1,653)	(1,985)
Decrease in restricted cash related to mortgage company			1,466	471
Investments in and advances to unconsolidated joint ventures			(17,001)	(15,356)
Distributions of capital from unconsolidated joint ventures			10,721	7,209
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities			(5,324)	(9,315)
Cash flows from financing activities:
Net proceeds from mortgages and notes			30,785
Net proceeds from model sale leaseback financing programs			19,764
Net payments related to land bank financing programs			(10,376)
Net proceeds related to mortgage warehouse lines of credit			11,635	(37,700)
Deferred financing costs from land bank financing programs and note issuances			(7,527)	(6,322)
Principal payments and debt repurchases			(4,238)	(5,960)
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities			290,043	123,375
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents			(47,961)	(145,483)
Cash and cash equivalents balance, beginning of period			261,898	329,204
Cash and cash equivalents balance, end of period	213,937	183,721	213,937	183,721
Reportable Legal Entities [Member] | Parent Company [Member]
Cash flows from operating activities:
Net (loss) income	(7,684)	17,105	(41,619)	(15,320)
Adjustments to reconcile net (loss) income to net cash (used in) provided by operating activities			(3,128)	2,080
Net cash (used in) provided by operating activities			(44,747)	(13,240)
Cash flows from financing activities:
Intercompany financing activities			44,747
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities			44,747
Intercompany investing and financing activities – net				13,240
Reportable Legal Entities [Member] | Subsidiary Issuer [Member]
Cash flows from operating activities:
Net (loss) income	(20,893)	(18,976)	(63,087)	(61,695)
Adjustments to reconcile net (loss) income to net cash (used in) provided by operating activities			12,191	6,913
Net cash (used in) provided by operating activities			(50,896)	(54,782)
Cash flows from investing activities:
Investments in and advances to unconsolidated joint ventures			81
Distributions of capital from unconsolidated joint ventures			315
Intercompany investing activities			(189,879)
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities			(189,483)
Cash flows from financing activities:
Deferred financing costs from land bank financing programs and note issuances			(4,689)
Principal payments and debt repurchases			(4,238)
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities			241,073	118,599
Intercompany investing and financing activities – net				(207,001)
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents			694	(143,184)
Cash and cash equivalents balance, beginning of period			159,508	243,470
Cash and cash equivalents balance, end of period	160,202	100,286	160,202	100,286
Reportable Legal Entities [Member] | Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Cash flows from operating activities:
Net (loss) income	2,010	20,061	(27,406)	1,959
Adjustments to reconcile net (loss) income to net cash (used in) provided by operating activities			(154,619)	(251,746)
Net cash (used in) provided by operating activities			(182,025)	(249,787)
Cash flows from investing activities:
Proceeds from sale of property and assets			1,112
Purchase of property, equipment and other fixed assets and acquisitions			(1,653)
Investments in and advances to unconsolidated joint ventures			184
Distributions of capital from unconsolidated joint ventures			646
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities			289	(1,009)
Cash flows from financing activities:
Net proceeds from mortgages and notes			18,682
Net proceeds from model sale leaseback financing programs			17,918
Net payments related to land bank financing programs			(10,065)
Deferred financing costs from land bank financing programs and note issuances			(1,781)
Intercompany financing activities			157,306
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities			182,060	45,442
Intercompany investing and financing activities – net				206,190
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents			324	836
Cash and cash equivalents balance, beginning of period			(4,726)	(6,479)
Cash and cash equivalents balance, end of period	(4,402)	(5,643)	(4,402)	(5,643)
Reportable Legal Entities [Member] | Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Cash flows from operating activities:
Net (loss) income	15,474	20,338	42,677	46,420
Adjustments to reconcile net (loss) income to net cash (used in) provided by operating activities			(97,689)	11,846
Net cash (used in) provided by operating activities			(55,012)	58,266
Cash flows from investing activities:
Proceeds from sale of property and assets			31
Decrease in restricted cash related to mortgage company			1,466
Investments in and advances to unconsolidated joint ventures			(17,266)
Distributions of capital from unconsolidated joint ventures			9,760
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities			(6,009)	(8,306)
Cash flows from financing activities:
Net proceeds from mortgages and notes			12,103
Net proceeds from model sale leaseback financing programs			1,846
Net payments related to land bank financing programs			(311)
Net proceeds related to mortgage warehouse lines of credit			11,635
Deferred financing costs from land bank financing programs and note issuances			(1,057)
Intercompany financing activities			(12,174)
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities			12,042	(40,666)
Intercompany investing and financing activities – net				(12,429)
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents			(48,979)	(3,135)
Cash and cash equivalents balance, beginning of period			107,116	92,213
Cash and cash equivalents balance, end of period	58,137	89,078	58,137	89,078
Consolidation, Eliminations [Member]
Cash flows from operating activities:
Net (loss) income	$ 3,409	$ (21,423)	47,816	13,316
Adjustments to reconcile net (loss) income to net cash (used in) provided by operating activities			(47,816)	(13,316)
Cash flows from investing activities:
Intercompany investing activities			189,879
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities			189,879
Cash flows from financing activities:
Intercompany financing activities			(189,879)
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities			(189,879)
Unsecured Senior Notes Excluding Senior Amortizing Notes And Senior Exchangeable Notes [Member]
Cash flows from financing activities:
Proceeds from senior notes			250,000	$ 150,000
Unsecured Senior Notes Excluding Senior Amortizing Notes And Senior Exchangeable Notes [Member] | Reportable Legal Entities [Member] | Subsidiary Issuer [Member]
Cash flows from financing activities:
Proceeds from senior notes			$ 250,000