Accrued Expenses

6 Months Ended

Apr. 30, 2013

Accrued expenses at April 30, 2013 and October 31, 2012 consisted of the following (amounts in thousands):



	April 30, 2013		October 31, 2012
Land, land development and construction	$	132,718	$	126,866
Compensation and employee benefits	97,072		111,243
Insurance and litigation	96,443		101,908
Warranty	41,109		41,706
Interest	26,821		28,204
Other	75,070		66,423
	$	469,233	$	476,350

The Company accrues for expected warranty costs at the time each home is closed and title and possession are transferred to the home buyer. Warranty costs are accrued based upon historical experience. The table below provides, for the periods indicated, a reconciliation of the changes in the Company’s warranty accrual (amounts in thousands):



	Six months ended April 30,						Three months ended April 30,
	2013			2012			2013			2012
Balance, beginning of period	$	41,706		$	42,474		$	41,241		$	43,109
Additions – homes closed during the period	5,223			3,944			2,934			2,073
Addition – liabilities acquired				731
(Decrease) increase in accruals for homes closed in prior periods	(478		)	1,765			(212		)	(18		)
Charges incurred	(5,342		)	(5,917		)	(2,854		)	(2,167		)
Balance, end of period	$	41,109		$	42,997		$	41,109		$	42,997