FAIR VALUE DISCLOSURES (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified																				12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011	Oct. 13, 2008	Dec. 31, 2012 Corporate 7.50 % Senior Convertible Notes [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Corporate 7.50 % Senior Convertible Notes [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Corporate 4.50 % Convertible Senior Notes [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Corporate 4.50 % Convertible Senior Notes [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Carrying Amount [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Carrying Amount [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Carrying Amount [Member] Corporate 7.50 % Senior Convertible Notes [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Carrying Amount [Member] Corporate 7.50 % Senior Convertible Notes [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Carrying Amount [Member] Corporate 4.50 % Convertible Senior Notes [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Carrying Amount [Member] Corporate 4.50 % Convertible Senior Notes [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Fair Value [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Fair Value [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Fair Value [Member] Corporate 7.50 % Senior Convertible Notes [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Fair Value [Member] Corporate 7.50 % Senior Convertible Notes [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Fair Value [Member] Corporate 4.50 % Convertible Senior Notes [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Fair Value [Member] Corporate 4.50 % Convertible Senior Notes [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Fair Value, Measurements, Nonrecurring [Member] Level 2 [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Fair Value, Measurements, Nonrecurring [Member] Level 3 [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Homes completed or under construction																					$ 7,426
Homes completed or under construction gains/(losses)																					(1,635)
Earn-out liability related to the JEN transaction																					0
Earn-out liability related to the JEN transaction gains/(losses)																					(7,659)
Land and other inventories																					873
Land and other inventories gains/(losses)																					(46,887)
Assets held for sale																				25,649
Assets held for sale gains/(losses)																				(2,862)
Estimated cash flows discount rate used in determining fair value minimum (in hundredths)	15.00%
Estimated cash flows discount rate used in determining fair value maximum (in hundredths)	30.00%
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]
Cash and cash equivalents								79,815	124,316					79,815	124,316
Restricted cash								4,682	7,872					4,682	7,872
Receivables, net								6,760	7,729					6,760	7,729
Income tax receivable								1,293	1,293					1,293	1,293
Corporate:
7.50% Notes										100,000	100,000					101,500	90,000
4.50% Notes												$ 5,402	$ 5,402					$ 5,343	$ 5,295
Stated interest rate (in hundredths)	7.50%	4.50%	4.50%	7.50%	7.50%	4.50%	4.50%