Investments in and Advances to Unconsolidated Entities (Details 3) (USD $)	Apr. 30, 2015	Oct. 31, 2014
Condensed Balance Sheets:
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 88,851,000	$ 110,291,000
Inventory	873,459,000	723,236,000
Non-performing loan portfolio	41,522,000	57,641,000
Rental properties	245,087,000	140,238,000
Rental properties under development	330,394,000	327,315,000
Real estate owned ("REO")	162,843,000	184,753,000
Other assets	215,660,000	197,649,000
Total assets	1,957,816,000	1,741,123,000
Debt	708,340,000	521,833,000
Other liabilities	118,105,000	123,784,000
Member's equity	1,000,735,000	936,089,000
Non-controlling interest	130,636,000	159,417,000
Total liabilities and equity	1,957,816,000	1,741,123,000
Investments in and advances to unconsolidated entities	467,259,000	447,078,000
Restricted cash	17,962,000	18,342,000
Structured Asset Joint Venture [Member]
Condensed Balance Sheets:
Cash and cash equivalents	13,347,000	23,462,000
Inventory
Non-performing loan portfolio	41,522,000	57,641,000
Rental properties
Rental properties under development
Real estate owned ("REO")	162,843,000	184,753,000
Other assets	77,990,000	77,986,000
Total assets	295,702,000	343,842,000
Debt	77,950,000	77,950,000
Other liabilities	5,000	177,000
Member's equity	87,111,000	106,298,000
Non-controlling interest	130,636,000	159,417,000
Total liabilities and equity	295,702,000	343,842,000
Investments in and advances to unconsolidated entities	16,964,000	19,995,000
Restricted cash	78,000,000	78,000,000
Rental Joint Ventures, including Trusts i and II [Member]
Condensed Balance Sheets:
Cash and cash equivalents	32,607,000	33,040,000
Inventory
Non-performing loan portfolio
Rental properties	245,087,000	140,238,000
Rental properties under development	330,394,000	327,315,000
Real estate owned ("REO")
Other assets	12,773,000	14,333,000
Total assets	620,861,000	514,926,000
Debt	431,584,000	333,128,000
Other liabilities	29,922,000	43,088,000
Member's equity	159,355,000	138,710,000
Non-controlling interest
Total liabilities and equity	620,861,000	514,926,000
Investments in and advances to unconsolidated entities	100,939,000	97,353,000
Home Building Joint Ventures, Total [Member]
Condensed Balance Sheets:
Cash and cash equivalents	13,378,000	21,821,000
Inventory	627,461,000	465,144,000
Non-performing loan portfolio
Rental properties
Rental properties under development
Real estate owned ("REO")
Other assets	69,551,000	75,164,000
Total assets	710,390,000	562,129,000
Debt	86,186,000	8,713,000
Other liabilities	56,870,000	56,665,000
Member's equity	567,334,000	496,751,000
Non-controlling interest
Total liabilities and equity	710,390,000	562,129,000
Investments in and advances to unconsolidated entities	205,253,000	189,509,000
Land Development Joint Venture [Member]
Condensed Balance Sheets:
Cash and cash equivalents	29,519,000	31,968,000
Inventory	245,998,000	258,092,000
Non-performing loan portfolio
Rental properties
Rental properties under development
Real estate owned ("REO")
Other assets	55,346,000	30,166,000
Total assets	330,863,000	320,226,000
Debt	112,620,000	102,042,000
Other liabilities	31,308,000	23,854,000
Member's equity	186,935,000	194,330,000
Non-controlling interest
Total liabilities and equity	330,863,000	320,226,000
Investments in and advances to unconsolidated entities	$ 144,103,000	$ 140,221,000