Note 10 - Mortgages (Details Textual) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	9 Months Ended
Jul. 31, 2019	Oct. 31, 2018
JP Morgan Chase Bank [Member]
Line of Credit Facility, Maximum Borrowing Capacity	$ 50,000
Warehouse Agreement Borrowings, Total	$ 25,000	$ 40,300
JP Morgan Chase Bank [Member] \| London Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR) [Member]
Debt Instrument Variable Rate Basis Adjusted London Interbank Offered Rate LIBOR	2.22%
JP Morgan Chase Bank [Member] \| London Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR) [Member] \| Minimum [Member]
Debt Instrument, Basis Spread on Variable Rate	2.50%
JP Morgan Chase Bank [Member] \| London Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR) [Member] \| Maximum [Member]
Debt Instrument, Basis Spread on Variable Rate	2.625%
Customers Bank [Member]
Line of Credit Facility, Maximum Borrowing Capacity	$ 50,000
Warehouse Agreement Borrowings, Total	$ 25,900	40,200
Customers Bank [Member] \| London Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR) [Member] \| Minimum [Member]
Debt Instrument, Basis Spread on Variable Rate	2.25%
Customers Bank [Member] \| London Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR) [Member] \| Maximum [Member]
Debt Instrument, Basis Spread on Variable Rate	5.00%
Nonrecourse Mortgages Secured By Inventory [Member] \| Mortgages [Member] \| Homebuilding [Member]
Secured Debt, Total	$ 207,172	95,557
Debt Instrument, Collateral Amount	$ 409,300	$ 241,900
Debt, Weighted Average Interest Rate	8.10%	6.10%
Comerica Master Repurchase Agreement [Member]
Line of Credit Facility, Maximum Borrowing Capacity	$ 50,000
Warehouse Agreement Borrowings, Total	$ 16,000	$ 32,700
Comerica Master Repurchase Agreement [Member] \| London Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR) [Member]
Debt Instrument Variable Rate Basis Floor Rate	0.25%
Comerica Master Repurchase Agreement [Member] \| London Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR) [Member] \| Minimum [Member]
Debt Instrument, Basis Spread on Variable Rate	2.00%
Comerica Master Repurchase Agreement [Member] \| London Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR) [Member] \| Maximum [Member]
Debt Instrument, Basis Spread on Variable Rate	3.25%

Debt instrument variable rate basis adjusted london interbank offered rate LIBOR.

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- Definition

Debt instrument variable rate basis floor rat

+ References

No definition available.

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- Definition

Percentage points added to the reference rate to compute the variable rate on the debt instrument.

+ References

No definition available.

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- Definition

Amount of assets pledged to secure a debt instrument.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 942
-SubTopic 470
-Section 50
-Paragraph 3
-Subparagraph (d)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=75038535&loc=d3e64711-112823

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- Definition

Weighted average interest rate of debt outstanding.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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- Definition

Maximum borrowing capacity under the credit facility without consideration of any current restrictions on the amount that could be borrowed or the amounts currently outstanding under the facility.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.19(b),22(b))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682

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- Definition

Carrying value as of the balance sheet date, including the current and noncurrent portions, of collateralized debt obligations (with maturities initially due after one year or beyond the operating cycle, if longer). Such obligations include mortgage loans, chattel loans, and any other borrowings secured by assets of the borrower.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
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-SubTopic 210
-Section S99
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-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682

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- Definition

Carrying value as of the balance sheet date of the outstanding short-term borrowings under a revolving line of credit used by mortgage bankers to finance the origination or purchase of loans.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 942
-SubTopic 210
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
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