Segment Information (Segment Financial Information) (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended
	Feb. 28, 2013		Feb. 29, 2012		Nov. 30, 2012
Revenues:
Total homebuilding revenues	$ 402,816		$ 251,895
Financial services	2,403		2,663
Total revenues	405,219		254,558
Pretax income (loss):
Total homebuilding pretax loss	(15,017)		(47,372)
Financial services	2,659		1,970
Total pretax income (loss)	(12,358)		(45,402)
Equity in income (loss) of unconsolidated joint ventures:
Equity in loss of unconsolidated joint ventures	(435)		(72)
Inventory impairments:
Pretax, noncash inventory impairment charges	0		6,572
Land option contract abandonments:
Total land option contract abandonments	0		0
Assets:
Total homebuilding assets	2,897,855				2,557,243
Financial services	2,782				4,455
Total assets	2,900,637				2,561,698
Investments in unconsolidated joint ventures:
Investments in unconsolidated joint ventures	123,210				123,674
West Coast
Revenues:
Total homebuilding revenues	206,104		105,233
Pretax income (loss):
Total homebuilding pretax loss	9,842		(18,760)
Equity in income (loss) of unconsolidated joint ventures:
Equity in loss of unconsolidated joint ventures	(33)		(45)
Inventory impairments:
Pretax, noncash inventory impairment charges	0		6,572
Assets:
Total homebuilding assets	1,117,506				930,450
Investments in unconsolidated joint ventures:
Investments in unconsolidated joint ventures	38,543				38,372
Southwest
Revenues:
Total homebuilding revenues	31,831		31,584
Pretax income (loss):
Total homebuilding pretax loss	(749)		(5,043)
Equity in income (loss) of unconsolidated joint ventures:
Equity in loss of unconsolidated joint ventures	(525)		(8)
Inventory impairments:
Pretax, noncash inventory impairment charges	0		0
Assets:
Total homebuilding assets	324,546				319,863
Investments in unconsolidated joint ventures:
Investments in unconsolidated joint ventures	75,505				75,920
Central
Revenues:
Total homebuilding revenues	106,492		80,274
Pretax income (loss):
Total homebuilding pretax loss	136		(3,507)
Equity in income (loss) of unconsolidated joint ventures:
Equity in loss of unconsolidated joint ventures	0		0
Inventory impairments:
Pretax, noncash inventory impairment charges	0		0
Assets:
Total homebuilding assets	382,642				369,294
Investments in unconsolidated joint ventures:
Investments in unconsolidated joint ventures	0				0
Southeast
Revenues:
Total homebuilding revenues	58,389		34,804
Pretax income (loss):
Total homebuilding pretax loss	(8,324)		(4,259)
Equity in income (loss) of unconsolidated joint ventures:
Equity in loss of unconsolidated joint ventures	123		(19)
Inventory impairments:
Pretax, noncash inventory impairment charges	0		0
Assets:
Total homebuilding assets	372,033				341,460
Investments in unconsolidated joint ventures:
Investments in unconsolidated joint ventures	9,162				9,382
Corporate and Other
Pretax income (loss):
Total homebuilding pretax loss	(15,922)	[1]	(15,803)	[1]
Assets:
Total homebuilding assets	$ 701,128				$ 596,176

[1] Corporate and other includes corporate general and administrative expenses.