Investments in and Advances to Unconsolidated Entities (Details Textual) (USD $)	12 Months Ended						3 Months Ended		12 Months Ended				12 Months Ended			3 Months Ended		3 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
	Oct. 31, 2012	Oct. 31, 2011	Oct. 31, 2010	Oct. 31, 2012 Development Joint Venture [Member]	Oct. 31, 2011 Development Joint Venture [Member]	Oct. 31, 2010 Development Joint Venture [Member]	Jul. 31, 2012 Baker Ranch [Member]	Oct. 31, 2012 Baker Ranch [Member]	Oct. 31, 2012 Planned Community Joint Venture [Member]	Oct. 31, 2011 Planned Community Joint Venture [Member]	Oct. 31, 2010 Planned Community Joint Venture [Member]	Oct. 31, 2012 Other Joint Ventures [Member] [Member]	Oct. 31, 2012 Condominium JV Metro NY market [Member]	Oct. 31, 2012 Condominium hotel joint venture [Member]	Oct. 31, 2012 Multi-family residential apartment Joint Venture [Member]	Oct. 31, 2012 Structured Asset Joint Venture [Member]	Oct. 31, 2011 Structured Asset Joint Venture [Member]	Oct. 31, 2012 Trust II [Member]	Oct. 31, 2012 Trust I [Member]	Oct. 31, 2011 Trust I [Member]	Oct. 31, 2010 Trust I [Member]
Statement of Investments in and Advances to Unconsolidated Entities [Line Items]
Restricted Cash Held in Defeasance Account Used to Repay Debt																$ 237,476,000	$ 152,600,000
Investments in and Advances to Unconsolidated Entities (Textual) [Abstract]
Impairment Charges	(2,311,000)	40,870,000	0	(2,300,000)	25,700,000	0			0	15,200,000	0
Investments in and Advance to Affiliates, Subsidiaries, Associates, and Joint Ventures	330,617,000	126,355,000		116,452,000	17,098,000				31,300,000			142,200,000	87,300,000	5,400,000	15,400,000	37,343,000	34,651,000	3,200,000	100,000
Funding Commitments to Joint Ventures	97,000,000			3,500,000				10,000,000	8,300,000			85,200,000	37,500,000	47,700,000	0	0
Number of floors to be acquired from JV													18
Owned by Third Party																		50.00%	33.30%
Percentage ownership held by company							50.00%						50.00%	50.00%	50.00%	20.00%		50.00%	33.30%
Number of Units in Real Estate Property								2,000							398
Percentage ownership held by JV																40.00%
Percent owned by Company's Management																			33.30%
Number of lots to be acquired from joint venture								800
Payments to Acquire Interest in Joint Venture	217,160,000	132,000	58,286,000				110,000,000
Development finance and management services recognized during period																			2,700,000	2,900,000	3,100,000
Cumulative impairment charges in connection with joint ventures				95,200,000								63,900,000
Aggregate exposure with respect to its estimated obligations	2,135,000	60,205,000
Guarantor Obligations, Maximum Exposure, Undiscounted	$ 9,800,000													$ 9,800,000		$ 0
variable interest entity, number of entities, not primary beneficiary	2