Accrued Expenses (Tables)

9 Months Ended

Jul. 31, 2014

Payables and Accruals [Abstract]

Accrued expenses

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

	July 31, 2014		October 31, 2013
Land, land development and construction	$	130,304	$	152,674
Compensation and employee benefits	109,753		111,561
Insurance and litigation	98,503		89,104
Warranty	54,227		43,819
Interest	38,406		25,675
Commitments to unconsolidated entities	2,564		3,804
Other	102,913		96,350
	$	536,670	$	522,987

Changes in the warranty accrual

The table below provides, for the periods indicated, a reconciliation of the changes in our warranty accrual (amounts in thousands):

	Nine months ended July 31,						Three months ended July 31,
	2014			2013			2014			2013
Balance, beginning of period	$	43,819		$	41,706		$	52,579		$	41,109
Additions - homes closed during the year	12,272			9,053			4,970			3,831
Addition - Shapell liabilities acquired	11,044						1,800
Increase (decrease) in accruals for homes closed in prior years	2,003			(342		)	581			136
Charges incurred	(14,911		)	(8,350		)	(5,703		)	(3,009		)
Balance, end of period	$	54,227		$	42,067		$	54,227		$	42,067