Note 17 - Operating and Reporting Segments - Financial Information Relating to Segment Operations (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands		3 Months Ended
		Jan. 31, 2020	Jan. 31, 2019
Revenues, Total		$ 494,056	$ 380,594
Income (loss) before income taxes		(7,436)	(17,106)
Corporate, Non-Segment [Member]
Revenues, Total		269	603
Income (loss) before income taxes	[1]	(24,172)	(34,425)
Homebuilding [Member]
Revenues, Total		480,042	370,986
Homebuilding [Member] | Operating Segments [Member]
Revenues, Total		479,773	370,383
Income (loss) before income taxes		12,276	16,185
Homebuilding [Member] | Northeast [Member] | Operating Segments [Member]
Revenues, Total		45,276	19,941
Income (loss) before income taxes		5,741	5,879
Homebuilding [Member] | Mid-Atlantic [Member] | Operating Segments [Member]
Revenues, Total		87,759	53,430
Income (loss) before income taxes		4,058	(7)
Homebuilding [Member] | Midwest [Member] | Operating Segments [Member]
Revenues, Total		46,444	44,921
Income (loss) before income taxes		(3,443)	(849)
Homebuilding [Member] | Southeast [Member] | Operating Segments [Member]
Revenues, Total		36,774	43,991
Income (loss) before income taxes		(4,311)	(2,929)
Homebuilding [Member] | Southwest [Member] | Operating Segments [Member]
Revenues, Total		163,899	118,199
Income (loss) before income taxes		8,620	2,386
Homebuilding [Member] | West [Member] | Operating Segments [Member]
Revenues, Total		99,621	89,901
Income (loss) before income taxes		1,611	11,705
Financial Services [Member]
Revenues, Total		14,014	9,608
Financial Services [Member] | Operating Segments [Member]
Revenues, Total		14,014	9,608
Income (loss) before income taxes		$ 4,460	$ 1,134

[1] Corporate and unallocated for the three months ended January 31, 2020 included corporate general and administrative costs of $19.7 million, interest expense of $14.9 million (a component of Other interest on our Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations), $(9.5) million of gain on extinguishment of debt and $(0.9) million of other income and expenses primarily related to interest income and stock compensation. Corporate and unallocated for the three months ended January 31, 2019 included corporate general and administrative costs of $17.7 million, interest expense of $17.5 million (a component of Other interest on our Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations) and $(0.8) million of other income and expenses primarily related to interest income, gain on the sale of our corporate headquarters building and stock compensation.