Variable Interest Entities

12 Months Ended

Nov. 30, 2015

Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract]

We participate in joint ventures from time to time that conduct land acquisition, land development and/or other homebuilding activities in various markets where our homebuilding operations are located. Our investments in these joint ventures may create a variable interest in a VIE, depending on the contractual terms of the arrangement. We analyze our joint ventures to determine whether they are VIEs and, if so, whether we are the primary beneficiary. None of our joint ventures at November 30, 2015 and 2014 were determined to be VIEs. All of our joint ventures were unconsolidated and accounted for under the equity method because we did not have a controlling financial interest.

In the ordinary course of our business, we enter into land option contracts and other similar contracts to acquire rights to land for the construction of homes. The use of these contracts generally allows us to reduce the market risks associated with direct land ownership and development, and to reduce our capital and financial commitments, including interest and other carrying costs. Under these contracts, we typically pay a specified option or earnest money deposit in consideration for the right to purchase land in the future, usually at a predetermined price.

We analyze each of our land option contracts and other similar contracts to determine whether the land seller is a VIE and, if so, whether we are the primary beneficiary. Although we do not have legal title to the underlying land, we are required to consolidate a VIE if we are the primary beneficiary. In determining whether we are the primary beneficiary, we consider, among other things, whether we have the power to direct the activities of the VIE that most significantly impact the VIE’s economic performance. Such activities would include, among other things, determining or limiting the scope or purpose of the VIE, selling or transferring property owned or controlled by the VIE, or arranging financing for the VIE. As a result of our analyses, we determined that as of November 30, 2015 and 2014 we were not the primary beneficiary of any VIEs from which we have acquired rights to land under land option contracts and other similar contracts. We perform ongoing reassessments of whether we are the primary beneficiary of a VIE.

The following table presents a summary of our interests in land option contracts and other similar contracts (in thousands):



	November 30, 2015				November 30, 2014
	Cash Deposits		Aggregate Purchase Price		Cash Deposits		Aggregate Purchase Price
Unconsolidated VIEs	$	32,436	$	611,567	$	10,633	$	520,628
Other land option contracts and other similar contracts	22,101		576,140		22,426		437,842
Total	$	54,537	$	1,187,707	$	33,059	$	958,470

In addition to the cash deposits presented in the table above, our exposure to loss related to our land option contracts and other similar contracts with third parties and unconsolidated entities consisted of pre-acquisition costs of $65.6 million at November 30, 2015 and $48.0 million at November 30, 2014. These pre-acquisition costs and cash deposits were included in inventories in our consolidated balance sheets. We also had outstanding letters of credit of $.1 million at November 30, 2014 in lieu of cash deposits under certain land option contracts and other similar contracts. There were no such outstanding letters of credit at November 30, 2015.

We also evaluate our land option contracts and other similar contracts for financing arrangements, and, as a result of our evaluations, increased inventories, with a corresponding increase to accrued expenses and other liabilities, in our consolidated balance sheets by $110.0 million at November 30, 2015 and $3.1 million at November 30, 2014.

- Definition

Disclosure of accounting policy for consolidation to describe the significant judgments and assumptions made in determining whether a variable interest held by the entity requires the variable interest entity to be consolidated and (or) disclose information about its involvement with the variable interest entity; the methodology used by the entity for determining whether or not it is the primary beneficiary of the variable interest entity; and the significant factors considered and judgments made in determining that the power to direct the activities that significantly impact the economic performance of the variable interest entity are shared (as defined).

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