Information on Operating Segments (Details 1) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Jan. 31, 2016	Oct. 31, 2015
Segment Reporting, Inventory [Line items]
Inventory	$ 7,180,050	$ 6,997,516
Land controlled for future communities [Member]
Segment Reporting, Inventory [Line items]
Inventory	78,191	75,214
Land Owned for Future Communities [Member]
Segment Reporting, Inventory [Line items]
Inventory	1,913,008	2,033,447
Operating communities [Member]
Segment Reporting, Inventory [Line items]
Inventory	5,188,851	4,888,855
North [Member]
Segment Reporting, Inventory [Line items]
Inventory	1,075,547	1,024,474
North [Member] | Land controlled for future communities [Member]
Segment Reporting, Inventory [Line items]
Inventory	18,073	12,858
North [Member] | Land Owned for Future Communities [Member]
Segment Reporting, Inventory [Line items]
Inventory	149,220	146,063
North [Member] | Operating communities [Member]
Segment Reporting, Inventory [Line items]
Inventory	908,254	865,553
Mid-Atlantic [Member]
Segment Reporting, Inventory [Line items]
Inventory	1,185,277	1,184,003
Mid-Atlantic [Member] | Land controlled for future communities [Member]
Segment Reporting, Inventory [Line items]
Inventory	34,612	33,196
Mid-Atlantic [Member] | Land Owned for Future Communities [Member]
Segment Reporting, Inventory [Line items]
Inventory	190,805	194,058
Mid-Atlantic [Member] | Operating communities [Member]
Segment Reporting, Inventory [Line items]
Inventory	959,860	956,749
South [Member]
Segment Reporting, Inventory [Line items]
Inventory	1,070,565	1,016,936
South [Member] | Land controlled for future communities [Member]
Segment Reporting, Inventory [Line items]
Inventory	4,389	4,861
South [Member] | Land Owned for Future Communities [Member]
Segment Reporting, Inventory [Line items]
Inventory	97,072	205,562
South [Member] | Operating communities [Member]
Segment Reporting, Inventory [Line items]
Inventory	969,104	806,513
West [Member]
Segment Reporting, Inventory [Line items]
Inventory	1,010,553	933,362
West [Member] | Land controlled for future communities [Member]
Segment Reporting, Inventory [Line items]
Inventory	3,308	8,417
West [Member] | Land Owned for Future Communities [Member]
Segment Reporting, Inventory [Line items]
Inventory	231,142	198,689
West [Member] | Operating communities [Member]
Segment Reporting, Inventory [Line items]
Inventory	776,103	726,256
California [Member]
Segment Reporting, Inventory [Line items]
Inventory	2,091,554	2,063,173
California [Member] | Land controlled for future communities [Member]
Segment Reporting, Inventory [Line items]
Inventory	17,056	14,386
California [Member] | Land Owned for Future Communities [Member]
Segment Reporting, Inventory [Line items]
Inventory	828,158	899,675
California [Member] | Operating communities [Member]
Segment Reporting, Inventory [Line items]
Inventory	1,246,340	1,149,112
Traditional Homebuilding [Member]
Segment Reporting, Inventory [Line items]
Inventory	6,433,496	6,221,948
Traditional Homebuilding [Member] | Land controlled for future communities [Member]
Segment Reporting, Inventory [Line items]
Inventory	77,438	73,718
Traditional Homebuilding [Member] | Land Owned for Future Communities [Member]
Segment Reporting, Inventory [Line items]
Inventory	1,496,397	1,644,047
Traditional Homebuilding [Member] | Operating communities [Member]
Segment Reporting, Inventory [Line items]
Inventory	4,859,661	4,504,183
City Living [Member]
Segment Reporting, Inventory [Line items]
Inventory	746,554	775,568
City Living [Member] | Land controlled for future communities [Member]
Segment Reporting, Inventory [Line items]
Inventory	753	1,496
City Living [Member] | Land Owned for Future Communities [Member]
Segment Reporting, Inventory [Line items]
Inventory	416,611	389,400
City Living [Member] | Operating communities [Member]
Segment Reporting, Inventory [Line items]
Inventory	$ 329,190	$ 384,672