Commitments and Contingencies (Details Textual) (USD $)	3 Months Ended			12 Months Ended							3 Months Ended					12 Months Ended	3 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
	Aug. 31, 2013	May 31, 2012	Aug. 31, 2011	Nov. 30, 2013		Nov. 30, 2012		Nov. 30, 2011		Nov. 30, 2010	Nov. 30, 2013 Water Intrusion [Member] community Home	Aug. 31, 2013 Water Intrusion [Member]	May 31, 2013 Water Intrusion [Member]	Feb. 28, 2013 Water Intrusion [Member]	Nov. 30, 2012 Water Intrusion [Member]	Nov. 30, 2013 Water Intrusion [Member] community Home	May 31, 2013 Damages from Product Defects [Member]	Nov. 30, 2013 Damages from Product Defects [Member]	Nov. 30, 2012 Damages from Product Defects [Member]	Nov. 30, 2011 Damages from Product Defects [Member]	Nov. 30, 2013 FLORIDA Damages from Product Defects [Member] Lawsuit	Nov. 30, 2013 Class Action Lawsuits [Member] Damages from Product Defects [Member] Lawsuit	Nov. 30, 2013 Florida lawsuit [Member] Damages from Product Defects [Member] Lawsuit
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Minimum warranty on electrical and other building systems				2 years
Product Liability Accrual, Component Amount											$ 28,900,000					$ 28,900,000
Number of Affected Homes											1,464					1,464
Accumulated Number of affected homes on which repairs were resolved.											754					754
Number of Affected Homes, Period Increase (Decrease)											687					687
Standard Product Warranty Accrual, Payments				45,338,000		19,701,000		25,024,000								32,700,000		500,000	2,900,000	13,700,000
Cummulative Payments Made as Repair Costs for Affected Homes											36,700,000					36,700,000
Estimated Repair Costs for Affected Homes											65,600,000					65,600,000
Number of Affected Attached Home Communities											2					2
Number of Affected Communities											1					1
Product Liability Contingency, Loss Exposure Not Accrued, Best Estimate				6,000,000
Number of lawsuits in which company is a defendant																					1	1	2
Payments for Legal Settlements																	300,000
Maximum Warranty on Electrical Heating Cooling Plumbing and Other Building Systems				5 years
Commitments and Contingencies (Textual) [Abstract]
Structural warranty provided by the company				10 years
Warranty for other components of a home				1 year
Company's warranty liability				48,704,000		47,822,000		67,693,000		93,988,000
Insurance Recoveries	16,500,000	10,000,000				26,500,000
Company's estimated liabilities for construction defect				92,214,000		93,349,000		94,823,000		95,665,000
Expenses associated with self-insurance				8,239,000	[1]	7,894,000	[1]	7,220,000	[1]
Product Warranty Accrual, Preexisting, Increase (Decrease)		11,200,000	7,400,000	(31,959,000)	[2]	8,586,000	[2]	6,123,000	[2]		(8,500,000)	(5,900,000)	(15,900,000)	(1,600,000)	(2,600,000)
Performance bonds				410,800,000		286,100,000
Letters of Credit Outstanding, Amount				41,500,000		41,900,000
Deposits under Land Option and Other Similar Contracts				41,700,000
Non refundable deposits related to land option and other similar contracts				41,565,000		25,682,000
Letters of credit				100,000		500,000
Aggregate Purchase Price Associated with Land Option and Other Similar Contracts				$ 1,151,496,000		$ 625,335,000

[1] a)These expenses are included in selling, general and administrative expenses and largely offset by contributions from subcontractors participating in the wrap-up policy.

[2] (b)Adjustments in 2013 were comprised of charges associated with water intrusion-related issues in central and southwest Florida, while in 2012, favorable warranty adjustments were partly offset by such water intrusion-related charges. In 2011, favorable warranty adjustments were partly offset by the impact of our consolidation of a previously unconsolidated joint venture.