Fair Value Disclosures (Details 4) (USD $)	12 Months Ended
	Oct. 31, 2011	Oct. 31, 2010
Book value and estimated fair value of the Company's debt
Loans payable	$ 106,556,000	$ 94,491,000
Issued Senior Notes	1,490,972,000	1,544,110,000
Mortgage company warehouse loan	57,409,000	72,367,000
Fair Value Disclosures (Textual) [Abstract]
Marketable securities debt maturity date range low	1 month
Marketable securities debt maturity date range high	12 months
Book value [Member]
Book value and estimated fair value of the Company's debt
Loans payable	106,556,000	94,491,000
Issued Senior Notes	1,499,371,000	1,554,460,000
Mortgage company warehouse loan	57,409,000	72,367,000
Total debt	1,663,336,000	1,721,318,000
Fair Value Disclosures (Textual) [Abstract]
Investments in non performing loan portfolio	63,200,000
Estimate fair value [Member]
Book value and estimated fair value of the Company's debt
Loans payable	98,950,000	87,751,000
Issued Senior Notes	1,614,010,000	1,679,052,000
Mortgage company warehouse loan	57,409,000	72,367,000
Total debt	1,770,369,000	1,839,170,000
Fair Value Disclosures (Textual) [Abstract]
Investments in non performing loan portfolio	$ 65,800,000