Accrued Expenses (Tables)

6 Months Ended

Apr. 30, 2013

Payables and Accruals [Abstract]

Accrued expenses

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

Changes in the warranty accrual

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