Inventories (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended			12 Months Ended
	Aug. 31, 2012	Feb. 29, 2012		Nov. 30, 2012		Nov. 30, 2011		Nov. 30, 2010		Nov. 30, 2009
Inventories
Homes under construction				$ 454,108,000		$ 417,304,000
Land under development				567,470,000		572,660,000
Land held for future development				684,993,000		741,665,000
Total				1,706,571,000		1,731,629,000
Interest Costs
Capitalized interest at beginning of year		233,461,000	[1]	233,461,000	[1]	249,966,000	[1]	291,279,000
Capitalized interest related to consolidation of previously unconsolidated joint ventures				0		0		9,914,000
Interest incurred				132,657,000	[2]	112,037,000	[2]	122,230,000	[2]
Interest expensed				(69,804,000)	[2]	(49,204,000)	[2]	(68,307,000)	[2]
Interest amortized to construction and land costs				(78,630,000)		79,338,000		105,150,000
Capitalized interest at end of year				217,684,000	[1]	233,461,000	[1]	249,966,000	[1]
Inventories (Textual)
Gain (loss) on early extinguishment of debt	8,300,000	2,000,000		10,300,000		(3,600,000)
Write-off of debt issuance costs								1,800,000
Aggregate commitment under the credit facility								$ 200,000,000		$ 650,000,000

[1] Inventory impairment charges are recognized against all inventory costs of a community, such as land acquisition, land development, cost of home construction and capitalized interest. Capitalized interest amounts presented in the table reflect the gross amount of capitalized interest as impairment charges recognized are not generally allocated to specific components of inventory.

[2] Amounts for the year ended November 30, 2012 include a $10.3 million loss on the early extinguishment of debt. Amounts for the year ended November 30, 2011 include a $3.6 million gain on the early extinguishment of secured debt. Amounts for the year ended November 30, 2010 include a total of $1.8 million of debt issuance costs written off in connection with our voluntary reduction of the aggregate commitment under the Credit Facility from $650.0 million to $200.0 million and the voluntary termination of the Credit Facility effective March 31, 2010.