Supplemental Guarantor Information (Level 4 CF) (Details 3) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	9 Months Ended		12 Months Ended
	Jul. 31, 2017	Jul. 31, 2016	Oct. 31, 2016
Cash flow (used in) provided by operating activities:
Net Cash (Used in) Provided by Operating Activities, Continuing Operations	$ 424,862	$ (325,253)	$ 148,771
Cash flow (used in) provided by investing activities:
Purchase of property and equipment - net	(22,401)	(23,280)	(28,426)
Sale and redemption of marketable securities		10,000	10,000
Investment in and advances to unconsolidated entities	(119,714)	(40,627)	(69,655)
Return of investments in unconsolidated entities	139,346	34,769	47,806
Investment in distressed loans and foreclosed real estate	(688)	(964)	(1,133)
Return of investments in distressed loans and foreclosed real estate	12,429	34,601	49,619
Acquisition of a business, net of cash acquired	(85,183)
Proceeds from Dividends Received		0	0
Investments paid intercompany	0		0
Intercompany investing advances (to) from consolidated entities	0	0	0
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities	(76,211)	14,499	8,211
Cash flow (used in) provided by financing activities:
Proceeds from issuance of senior notes	455,483
Payments of Debt Issuance Costs Senior Long Term Debt	(4,446)	(35)	(35)
Proceeds from Notes Payable	1,083,472	1,756,528	2,443,496
Payments of Debt Issuance Costs Notes Payable		(3,936)	(4,868)
Principal payments of loans payable	(1,513,078)	(1,688,087)	(2,497,585)
Proceeds from stock-based benefit plans	57,958	5,336	6,986
Excess Tax Benefit from Share-based Compensation, Financing Activities	1,172	1,131	2,114
Purchase of treasury stock	(90,716)	(327,612)	(392,772)
Dividends paid	(26,016)
Proceeds from (Payments to) Noncontrolling Interests		290	404
Cash Dividends Paid to Parent Company		0	0
Investment received intercompany	0		0
Intercompany financing advances (to) from consolidated entities	0	0	0
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities	(36,171)	(256,385)	(442,260)
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents	312,480	(567,139)	(285,278)
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period	633,715	918,993	918,993
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period	946,195	351,854	633,715
Parent Company [Member]
Cash flow (used in) provided by operating activities:
Net Cash (Used in) Provided by Operating Activities, Continuing Operations	140,483	71,539	60,465
Cash flow (used in) provided by investing activities:
Purchase of property and equipment - net
Sale and redemption of marketable securities
Investment in and advances to unconsolidated entities
Return of investments in unconsolidated entities
Investment in distressed loans and foreclosed real estate
Return of investments in distressed loans and foreclosed real estate
Acquisition of a business, net of cash acquired
Proceeds from Dividends Received
Investments paid intercompany
Intercompany investing advances (to) from consolidated entities	(82,881)	249,606	323,207
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities	(82,881)	249,606	323,207
Cash flow (used in) provided by financing activities:
Proceeds from issuance of senior notes
Payments of Debt Issuance Costs Senior Long Term Debt
Proceeds from Notes Payable
Payments of Debt Issuance Costs Notes Payable
Principal payments of loans payable
Proceeds from stock-based benefit plans	57,958	5,336	6,986
Excess Tax Benefit from Share-based Compensation, Financing Activities	1,172	1,131	2,114
Purchase of treasury stock	(90,716)	(327,612)	(392,772)
Dividends paid	(26,016)
Proceeds from (Payments to) Noncontrolling Interests
Cash Dividends Paid to Parent Company
Investment received intercompany
Intercompany financing advances (to) from consolidated entities
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities	(57,602)	(321,145)	(383,672)
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents	0	0	0
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period	0	0	0
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period	0	0	0
Subsidiary Issuer [Member]
Cash flow (used in) provided by operating activities:
Net Cash (Used in) Provided by Operating Activities, Continuing Operations	19,726	17,333	14,768
Cash flow (used in) provided by investing activities:
Purchase of property and equipment - net
Sale and redemption of marketable securities
Investment in and advances to unconsolidated entities
Return of investments in unconsolidated entities
Investment in distressed loans and foreclosed real estate
Return of investments in distressed loans and foreclosed real estate
Acquisition of a business, net of cash acquired
Proceeds from Dividends Received
Investments paid intercompany
Intercompany investing advances (to) from consolidated entities	(470,763)	(17,298)	(14,733)
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities	(470,763)	(17,298)	(14,733)
Cash flow (used in) provided by financing activities:
Proceeds from issuance of senior notes	455,483
Payments of Debt Issuance Costs Senior Long Term Debt	(4,446)	(35)	(35)
Proceeds from Notes Payable
Payments of Debt Issuance Costs Notes Payable
Principal payments of loans payable
Proceeds from stock-based benefit plans
Excess Tax Benefit from Share-based Compensation, Financing Activities
Purchase of treasury stock
Dividends paid
Proceeds from (Payments to) Noncontrolling Interests
Cash Dividends Paid to Parent Company
Investment received intercompany
Intercompany financing advances (to) from consolidated entities
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities	451,037	(35)	(35)
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents	0	0	0
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period	0	0	0
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period	0	0	0
Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Cash flow (used in) provided by operating activities:
Net Cash (Used in) Provided by Operating Activities, Continuing Operations	(165,502)	(461,637)	105,709
Cash flow (used in) provided by investing activities:
Purchase of property and equipment - net	(22,797)	(22,623)	(27,835)
Sale and redemption of marketable securities
Investment in and advances to unconsolidated entities	(3,471)	(2,057)	(2,637)
Return of investments in unconsolidated entities	57,068	26,486	32,857
Investment in distressed loans and foreclosed real estate
Return of investments in distressed loans and foreclosed real estate
Acquisition of a business, net of cash acquired	(85,183)
Proceeds from Dividends Received		5,000	5,000
Investments paid intercompany	(45,000)		(5,000)
Intercompany investing advances (to) from consolidated entities
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities	(99,383)	6,806	2,385
Cash flow (used in) provided by financing activities:
Proceeds from issuance of senior notes
Payments of Debt Issuance Costs Senior Long Term Debt
Proceeds from Notes Payable	125,068	550,000	550,000
Payments of Debt Issuance Costs Notes Payable		(3,936)	(4,868)
Principal payments of loans payable	(402,596)	(506,559)	(714,089)
Proceeds from stock-based benefit plans
Excess Tax Benefit from Share-based Compensation, Financing Activities
Purchase of treasury stock
Dividends paid
Proceeds from (Payments to) Noncontrolling Interests
Cash Dividends Paid to Parent Company
Investment received intercompany
Intercompany financing advances (to) from consolidated entities	743,500	(66,039)	(139,296)
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities	465,972	(26,534)	(308,253)
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents	201,087	(481,365)	(200,159)
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period	583,440	783,599	783,599
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period	784,527	302,234	583,440
Nonguarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Cash flow (used in) provided by operating activities:
Net Cash (Used in) Provided by Operating Activities, Continuing Operations	439,059	61,008	(64,386)
Cash flow (used in) provided by investing activities:
Purchase of property and equipment - net	396	(657)	(591)
Sale and redemption of marketable securities		10,000	10,000
Investment in and advances to unconsolidated entities	(116,243)	(38,570)	(67,018)
Return of investments in unconsolidated entities	82,278	8,283	14,949
Investment in distressed loans and foreclosed real estate	(688)	(964)	(1,133)
Return of investments in distressed loans and foreclosed real estate	12,429	34,601	49,619
Acquisition of a business, net of cash acquired
Proceeds from Dividends Received
Investments paid intercompany
Intercompany investing advances (to) from consolidated entities
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities	(21,828)	12,693	5,826
Cash flow (used in) provided by financing activities:
Proceeds from issuance of senior notes
Payments of Debt Issuance Costs Senior Long Term Debt
Proceeds from Notes Payable	958,404	1,206,528	1,893,496
Payments of Debt Issuance Costs Notes Payable
Principal payments of loans payable	(1,110,482)	(1,181,528)	(1,783,496)
Proceeds from stock-based benefit plans
Excess Tax Benefit from Share-based Compensation, Financing Activities
Purchase of treasury stock
Dividends paid
Proceeds from (Payments to) Noncontrolling Interests		290	404
Cash Dividends Paid to Parent Company		(5,000)	(5,000)
Investment received intercompany	45,000		5,000
Intercompany financing advances (to) from consolidated entities	(198,760)	(179,765)	(136,963)
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities	(305,838)	(159,475)	(26,559)
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents	111,393	(85,774)	(85,119)
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period	50,275	135,394	135,394
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period	161,668	49,620	50,275
Eliminations [Member]
Cash flow (used in) provided by operating activities:
Net Cash (Used in) Provided by Operating Activities, Continuing Operations	(8,904)	(13,496)	32,215
Cash flow (used in) provided by investing activities:
Purchase of property and equipment - net
Sale and redemption of marketable securities
Investment in and advances to unconsolidated entities
Return of investments in unconsolidated entities
Investment in distressed loans and foreclosed real estate
Return of investments in distressed loans and foreclosed real estate
Acquisition of a business, net of cash acquired
Proceeds from Dividends Received		(5,000)	(5,000)
Investments paid intercompany	45,000		5,000
Intercompany investing advances (to) from consolidated entities	553,644	(232,308)	(308,474)
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities	598,644	(237,308)	(308,474)
Cash flow (used in) provided by financing activities:
Proceeds from issuance of senior notes
Payments of Debt Issuance Costs Senior Long Term Debt
Proceeds from Notes Payable
Payments of Debt Issuance Costs Notes Payable
Principal payments of loans payable
Proceeds from stock-based benefit plans
Excess Tax Benefit from Share-based Compensation, Financing Activities
Purchase of treasury stock
Dividends paid
Proceeds from (Payments to) Noncontrolling Interests
Cash Dividends Paid to Parent Company		5,000	5,000
Investment received intercompany	(45,000)		(5,000)
Intercompany financing advances (to) from consolidated entities	(544,740)	245,804	276,259
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities	(589,740)	250,804	276,259
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents	0	0	0
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period	0	0	0
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period	$ 0	$ 0	$ 0