Inventory Impairments and Land Option Contract Abandonments (Details) (USD $)	0 Months Ended	3 Months Ended							12 Months Ended
	Mar. 12, 2013	Nov. 30, 2013 community	Aug. 31, 2013	May 31, 2013	Nov. 30, 2012 community	Aug. 31, 2012	May 31, 2012	Feb. 29, 2012	Nov. 30, 2013 property lot community		Nov. 30, 2012 property lot community		Nov. 30, 2011 lot property
Inventory Impairments and Land Option Contract Abandonments (Textual) [Abstract]
Impairment of Long-Lived Assets Held-for-use		$ 400,000			$ 5,200,000	$ 6,400,000	$ 9,900,000	$ 6,600,000	$ 391,000		$ 28,107,000		$ 22,730,000
Number of land parcels or communities evaluated for recoverability									67		135		138
Number of land parcels or communities associated with non cash inventory impairment charges									1		14		12
Post impairment fair value of land parcels or communities									1,100,000		39,900,000
Charges related to adjustment to the fair value of real estate													18,100,000
Aggregate carrying value of inventory impacted by pretax, noncash inventory impairment charges		293,100,000			307,200,000				293,100,000		307,200,000
Number of communities and various other land parcels impacted by pretax, noncash inventory impairment charges		42			46				42		46
Land option contract abandonment charges	0	2,900,000	0	300,000	400,000				3,190,000		426,000		3,061,000
Number of Lots on which abandonment charges are recognized									295		446		830
Remaining useful life in addition to specified useful lives									1 year
Specified period of remaining useful lives									10 years
Expected realization period of inventory maximum									5 years
Estimated Fair Value
Inventory Impairments and Land Option Contract Abandonments (Textual) [Abstract]
Post impairment fair value of land parcels or communities									1,100,000		39,900,000		34,000,000
Minimum
Discount Rate Used in Estimating Discounted Cash Flow [Line Items]
Fair Value Estimate Input at Average Selling Price									339,700	[1]	115,200	[1]	142,900	[1]
Fair Value Estimate Input at Sales for Period									1	[1]	1	[1]	1	[1]
Fair Value Inputs, Discount Rate									17.00%	[1]	17.00%	[1]	17.00%	[1]
Maximum
Discount Rate Used in Estimating Discounted Cash Flow [Line Items]
Fair Value Estimate Input at Average Selling Price									$ 339,700	[1]	$ 556,300	[1]	$ 391,900	[1]
Fair Value Estimate Input at Sales for Period									1	[1]	6	[1]	10	[1]
Fair Value Inputs, Discount Rate									17.00%	[1]	20.00%	[1]	20.00%	[1]

[1] (a)The ranges of inputs used in each period primarily reflect the underlying variability among the housing markets where each of the impacted communities or land parcels are located, rather than fluctuations in prevailing market conditions.