Accrued Expenses (Tables)

6 Months Ended

Apr. 30, 2014

Payables and Accruals [Abstract]

Accrued expenses

Accrued expenses at April 30, 2014 and October 31, 2013 consisted of the following (amounts in thousands):

	April 30, 2014		October 31, 2013
Land, land development and construction	$	136,781	$	152,674
Compensation and employee benefit	111,664		111,561
Insurance and litigation	92,814		89,104
Warranty	52,579		43,819
Interest	37,444		25,675
Commitments to unconsolidated entities	4,259		3,804
Other	104,132		96,350
	$	539,673	$	522,987

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,
	2014			2013			2014			2013
Balance, beginning of year	$	43,819		$	41,706		$	42,688		$	41,241
Additions - homes closed during the year	7,302			5,223			4,205			2,934
Addition - Shapell liabilities acquired	9,244						9,244
Increase (decrease) in accruals for homes closed in prior years	1,421			(478		)	1,077			(212		)
Charges incurred	(9,207		)	(5,342		)	(4,635		)	(2,854		)
Balance, end of year	$	52,579		$	41,109		$	52,579		$	41,109