Other Income - Net (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended	6 Months Ended
Apr. 30, 2013	Apr. 30, 2012	Apr. 30, 2013	Apr. 30, 2012
Component of Other Income, Nonoperating [Line Items]
Interest income	$ 1,202	$ 1,270	$ 2,677	$ 2,184
Income from Ancillary Businesses	2,154	1,645	3,432	2,728
Gibraltar	961	3,726	1,112	5,864
Management fee income	804	789	1,131	1,476
Retained customer deposits	445	594	1,123	1,248
Land sales, net	110	1,246	255	1,246
Income recognized due to settlement of litigation	13,229		13,229
Other misc income	629	786	1,201	1,505
Total other income - net	19,534	10,056	24,160	16,251
Revenues and expenses of non-core ancillary businesses
Revenue	22,785	18,724	39,426	32,536
Expense	$ 20,631	$ 17,079	$ 35,994	$ 29,808

Income generated by the Company's non-core ancillary businesses.

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Earnings generated by the Company's Gibraltar operations.

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No definition available.

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- Definition

IncomeRecognizedDueToSettlementOfLitigation

+ References

No definition available.

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- Definition

Other misc income earned by the Company not separately disclosed.

+ References

No definition available.

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- Definition

Customer deposits which were forfeited by the customer and recorded as income by the Company.

+ References

No definition available.

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- Definition

Income derived from investments in debt securities and on cash and cash equivalents the earnings of which reflect the time value of money or transactions in which the payments are for the use or forbearance of money.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)

-Number 115

-Paragraph 14

-LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy.

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher SEC

-Name Regulation S-X (SX)

-Number 210

-Section 03

-Paragraph 7

-Article 5

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 225

-SubTopic 10

-Section S99

-Paragraph 2

-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-03.7(b))

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6880815&loc=d3e20235-122688

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- Definition

Revenue from the sale of land in the reporting period.

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Revenue, comprised of base and incentive revenue derived from the management of joint ventures, managing third-party properties, or another entity's operations.

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The aggregate amount of other expense amounts, the components of which are not separately disclosed on the income statement, resulting from ancillary business-related activities (that is, excluding major activities considered part of the normal operations of the business) also known as other nonoperating expense recognized during the period. Such amounts may include: (a) unusual costs, (b) loss on foreign exchange transactions, (c) losses on securities (net of profits), and (d) miscellaneous other expense items.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher SEC

-Name Regulation S-X (SX)

-Number 210

-Section 03

-Paragraph 9

-Article 5

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 225

-SubTopic 10

-Section S99

-Paragraph 2

-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-03.9)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6880815&loc=d3e20235-122688

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- Definition

The aggregate amount of other income amounts, the components of which are not separately disclosed on the income statement, resulting from ancillary business-related activities (that is, excluding major activities considered part of the normal operations of the business) also known as other nonoperating income recognized for the period. Such amounts may include: (a) dividends, (b) interest on securities, (c) profits on securities (net of losses), and (d) miscellaneous other income items.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 225

-SubTopic 10

-Section S99

-Paragraph 2

-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-03.7)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6880815&loc=d3e20235-122688

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher SEC

-Name Regulation S-X (SX)

-Number 210

-Section 03

-Paragraph 7

-Article 5

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher AICPA

-Name Audit and Accounting Guide (AAG)

-Number AAG-BRD

-Paragraph 80

-Subparagraph Exhibit 4-4

-IssueDate 2006-05-01

-Chapter 4

-LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy.

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The net amount of other income and expense amounts, the components of which are not separately disclosed on the income statement, resulting from ancillary business-related activities (that is, excluding major activities considered part of the normal operations of the business) also known as other nonoperating income (expense) recognized for the period. Such amounts may include: (a) dividends, (b) interest on securities, (c) net gains or losses on securities, (d) unusual costs, (e) gains or losses on foreign exchange transactions, and (f) miscellaneous other income and expense items.

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