Segment Information (Segment Financial Information) (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended				6 Months Ended
	May 31, 2013		May 31, 2012		May 31, 2013		May 31, 2012		Nov. 30, 2012
Revenues:
Total revenues	$ 524,406		$ 302,852		$ 929,625		$ 557,410
Pretax income (loss):
Total pretax income (loss)	(4,173)		(28,636)		(16,531)		(74,038)
Equity in income (loss) of unconsolidated joint ventures:
Equity in income (loss) of unconsolidated joint ventures					85		(226)
Land option contract abandonments:
Land Option Contract Abandonment Charges	284		0		284		0
Assets:
Total assets	2,912,121				2,912,121				2,561,698
Investments in unconsolidated joint ventures:
Investments in unconsolidated joint ventures	122,800				122,800				123,674
West Coast [Member]
Land option contract abandonments:
Land Option Contract Abandonment Charges	284		0		284		0
Southwest [Member]
Land option contract abandonments:
Land Option Contract Abandonment Charges	0		0		0		0
Central [Member]
Land option contract abandonments:
Land Option Contract Abandonment Charges	0		0		0		0
Southeast [Member]
Land option contract abandonments:
Land Option Contract Abandonment Charges	0		0		0		0
Homebuilding [Member]
Revenues:
Total revenues	521,788		300,605		924,604		552,500
Pretax income (loss):
Total pretax income (loss)	(6,151)		(30,137)		(21,168)		(77,509)
Equity in income (loss) of unconsolidated joint ventures:
Equity in income (loss) of unconsolidated joint ventures	(567)		(243)		(1,002)		(315)
Inventory impairments:
Pretax, noncash inventory impairment charges	0		9,937		0		16,509
Assets:
Total assets	2,903,001				2,903,001				2,557,243
Investments in unconsolidated joint ventures:
Investments in unconsolidated joint ventures	122,800				122,800				123,674
Financial services [Member]
Revenues:
Total revenues	2,618		2,247		5,021		4,910
Pretax income (loss):
Total pretax income (loss)	1,978		1,501		4,637		3,471
Equity in income (loss) of unconsolidated joint ventures:
Equity in income (loss) of unconsolidated joint ventures	(4)		(53)		1,087		89
Assets:
Total assets	9,120				9,120				4,455
Investments in unconsolidated joint ventures:
Investments in unconsolidated joint ventures	5,503				5,503				1,630
West Coast [Member] | Homebuilding [Member]
Revenues:
Total revenues	273,490		132,651		479,594		237,884
Pretax income (loss):
Total pretax income (loss)	28,020		(14,694)		37,862		(33,454)
Equity in income (loss) of unconsolidated joint ventures:
Equity in income (loss) of unconsolidated joint ventures	(40)		(32)		(73)		(77)
Inventory impairments:
Pretax, noncash inventory impairment charges	0		6,535		0		13,107
Assets:
Total assets	1,109,993				1,109,993				930,450
Investments in unconsolidated joint ventures:
Investments in unconsolidated joint ventures	38,763				38,763				38,372
Southwest [Member] | Homebuilding [Member]
Revenues:
Total revenues	47,247		27,909		79,078		59,493
Pretax income (loss):
Total pretax income (loss)	1,590		(2,139)		841		(7,182)
Equity in income (loss) of unconsolidated joint ventures:
Equity in income (loss) of unconsolidated joint ventures	(639)		(209)		(1,164)		(217)
Inventory impairments:
Pretax, noncash inventory impairment charges	0		2,135		0		2,135
Assets:
Total assets	351,149				351,149				319,863
Investments in unconsolidated joint ventures:
Investments in unconsolidated joint ventures	74,919				74,919				75,920
Central [Member] | Homebuilding [Member]
Revenues:
Total revenues	120,305		87,756		226,797		168,030
Pretax income (loss):
Total pretax income (loss)	2,348		(631)		2,484		(4,138)
Equity in income (loss) of unconsolidated joint ventures:
Equity in income (loss) of unconsolidated joint ventures	0		0		0		0
Inventory impairments:
Pretax, noncash inventory impairment charges	0		1,267		0		1,267
Assets:
Total assets	417,172				417,172				369,294
Investments in unconsolidated joint ventures:
Investments in unconsolidated joint ventures	0				0				0
Southeast [Member] | Homebuilding [Member]
Revenues:
Total revenues	80,746		52,289		139,135		87,093
Pretax income (loss):
Total pretax income (loss)	(16,768)		4,579		(25,092)		320
Equity in income (loss) of unconsolidated joint ventures:
Equity in income (loss) of unconsolidated joint ventures	112		(2)		235		(21)
Inventory impairments:
Pretax, noncash inventory impairment charges	0		0		0		0
Assets:
Total assets	401,058				401,058				341,460
Investments in unconsolidated joint ventures:
Investments in unconsolidated joint ventures	9,118				9,118				9,382
Corporate and Other [Member] | Homebuilding [Member]
Pretax income (loss):
Total pretax income (loss)	(21,341)	[1]	(17,252)	[1]	(37,263)	[1]	(33,055)	[1]
Assets:
Total assets	$ 623,629				$ 623,629				$ 596,176

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