Investments in and Advances to Unconsolidated Entities (Details Textual) (USD $)	9 Months Ended					9 Months Ended					9 Months Ended	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended									9 Months Ended
	Jul. 31, 2013	Jul. 31, 2012	Oct. 31, 2012	Jul. 31, 2013 Development Joint Ventures, Total [Member]	Oct. 31, 2012 Development Joint Ventures, Total [Member]	Jul. 31, 2013 Development Joint Venture (two) [Member]	Jul. 31, 2013 Baker Ranch [Member]	Jul. 31, 2013 Homebuilding Joint Ventures, Total [Member]	Oct. 31, 2012 Homebuilding Joint Ventures, Total [Member]	Jul. 31, 2013 Rental Joint Ventures, Total [Member]	Jul. 31, 2013 Retail Joint Venture, one [Member]	Jul. 31, 2013 Trust I [Member]	Jul. 31, 2012 Trust I [Member]	Jul. 31, 2013 Trust I [Member]	Jul. 31, 2012 Trust I [Member]	Jul. 31, 2013 Trust II [Member]	Jul. 31, 2013 Structured Asset Joint Venture [Member]	Oct. 31, 2012 Structured Asset Joint Venture [Member]	Jul. 31, 2013 Joint Ventures, variable interest entities [Member]	Oct. 31, 2012 Joint Ventures, variable interest entities [Member]	Jul. 31, 2013 Phase one [Member] Baker Ranch [Member]	Jul. 31, 2013 Future phases [Member] Baker Ranch [Member]	Jul. 31, 2013 Minimum [Member]	Jul. 31, 2013 Maximum [Member]
Investments in and Advances to Unconsolidated Entities (Textual) [Abstract]
Investments in and advances to unconsolidated entities	$ 356,837,000		$ 330,617,000	$ 126,412,000	$ 116,452,000	$ 16,300,000		$ 147,500,000	$ 135,688,000	$ 48,400,000	$ 20,900,000	$ 500,000		$ 500,000		$ 3,600,000	$ 30,483,000	$ 37,343,000	$ 18,200,000	$ 26,500,000
Funding Commitments	110,629,000			29,700,000		16,200,000	10,000,000	49,600,000		31,300,000	9,100,000								45,800,000	47,700,000
Number of joint venture with funding commitments				3				3
Number of joint ventures with loan commitments										2
Number of floors in apartment building											38
Number of joint ventures expected to get project financing								1
Aggregate Loan Commitments						25,000,000	80,000,000.00			139,800,000	120,000,000
Maximum amount of line of credit commitment						40,000,000
Borrowed against Loan Commitments	71,300,000					21,500,000	35,900,000			13,900,000	0
Guarantor Obligations, Term																							28 months	45 months
Guarantor Obligations, Maximum Exposure, Undiscounted	227,500,000
Owned by Third Party														33.30%		50.00%
Percentage ownership held by company						50.00%	50.00%				50.00%			33.30%		50.00%
Percent owned by Company's Management														33.30%
Noncash contribution to joint venture											28,800,000
Proceeds from Equity Method Investment, Dividends or Distributions	50,453,000	33,231,000									10,200,000
Venture payment to align capital accounts											1,150,000
Contribution of cash to joint venture						15,500,000
unimproved lots controlled by JV						2,900	2,000
Number of lots to be acquired from joint venture																					266	545
Development finance and management services recognized during period												600,000	600,000	1,700,000	1,700,000
Joint Venture Description																	is a 20% participant with two unrelated parties that purchased a 40% interest in an entity that owns and controls a portfolio of loans and real estate
Maxiumum guarantor obigation for borrowings by JVs	59,900,000
Ground lease and other, guarantee	11,821,000																		12,271,000	9,838,000
Number of JVs, ground lease and other	3
Total joint venture loan commitments subject to guarantees	244,800,000
Guarantees, Fair Value Disclosure	$ 1,460,000
variable interest entity, number of entities, not primary beneficiary																			3