Consolidated Balance Sheets (Unaudited) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Feb. 28, 2015	Nov. 30, 2014
Assets
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period	$ 548,079	$ 358,768
Restricted cash	27,984	27,235
Receivables	143,697us-gaap_AccountsAndNotesReceivableNet	125,488us-gaap_AccountsAndNotesReceivableNet
Inventories	3,246,383us-gaap_InventoryOperativeBuilders	3,218,387us-gaap_InventoryOperativeBuilders
Investments in unconsolidated joint ventures	73,502	79,441
Deferred tax assets, net	822,632us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsLiabilitiesNet	825,232us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsLiabilitiesNet
Other assets	119,873us-gaap_OtherAssets	114,915us-gaap_OtherAssets
Total assets	4,989,857us-gaap_Assets	4,757,550us-gaap_Assets
Liabilities and stockholders' equity
Accounts payable	161,902	172,716
Accrued expenses and other liabilities	397,245	409,882
Mortgages and notes payable	2,824,170us-gaap_NotesAndLoansPayable	2,576,525us-gaap_NotesAndLoansPayable
Financial services	1,970us-gaap_FinancialServicesLiabilities	2,517us-gaap_FinancialServicesLiabilities
Common stock	115,387us-gaap_CommonStockValue	115,387us-gaap_CommonStockValue
Paid-in capital	672,038	668,857
Retained earnings	1,396,756	1,391,256
Accumulated other comprehensive loss	(21,008)	(21,008)
Grantor stock ownership trust, at cost	(112,106)	(112,106)
Treasury stock, at cost	(446,497)us-gaap_TreasuryStockValue	(446,476)us-gaap_TreasuryStockValue
Total stockholders’ equity	1,604,570us-gaap_StockholdersEquity	1,595,910us-gaap_StockholdersEquity
Total liabilities and stockholders’ equity	4,989,857	4,757,550
Homebuilding [Member]
Assets
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period	545,641	356,366
Total assets	4,979,712	4,747,064
Liabilities and stockholders' equity
Total Liabilities Homebuilding	3,383,317	3,159,123
Financial services [Member]
Assets
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period	2,438	2,402
Receivables	1,024	1,738
Investments in unconsolidated joint ventures	6,563	6,149
Other assets	120	197
Total assets	$ 10,145	$ 10,486

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