Financial Services (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Nov. 30, 2016	Aug. 31, 2016	May 31, 2016	Feb. 29, 2016	Nov. 30, 2015	Aug. 31, 2015	May 31, 2015	Feb. 28, 2015	Nov. 30, 2016	Nov. 30, 2015	Nov. 30, 2014	Nov. 30, 2013
Financial services:
Insurance commissions									$ 6,728	$ 7,137	$ 6,566
Title services									4,975	3,905	3,593
Marketing services fees									0	0	1,147
Interest income									0	1	0
Total									11,703	11,043	11,306
Expenses
Expenses									(3,817)	(3,711)	(3,446)
Operating income (loss)									152,401	138,621	115,969
Equity in income (loss) of unconsolidated joint ventures									(5,601)	2,488	1,427
Pretax income (loss)	$ 55,028	$ 53,463	$ 24,797	$ 16,027	$ 69,917	$ 33,954	$ 12,673	$ 10,499	149,315	127,043	94,949
Assets
Cash and cash equivalents	593,000				560,341				593,000	560,341	358,768	$ 532,523
Receivables	231,665				247,998				231,665	247,998
Investments in unconsolidated joint ventures	64,016				71,558				64,016	71,558
Other assets	91,145				88,992				91,145	88,992
Total assets	5,131,624				5,086,905				5,131,624	5,086,905
Liabilities
Accounts payable and accrued expenses	766,327				792,500				766,327	792,500
Total liabilities	2,003				1,817				2,003	1,817
Financial services [Member]
Expenses
Operating income (loss)									7,886	7,332	7,860
Equity in income (loss) of unconsolidated joint ventures									(3,420)	4,292	686
Pretax income (loss)									4,466	11,624	8,546
Assets
Cash and cash equivalents	914				1,299				914	1,299	$ 2,402
Receivables	1,764				2,245				1,764	2,245
Investments in unconsolidated joint ventures	7,771				10,440				7,771	10,440
Other assets	50				44				50	44
Total assets	10,499				14,028				10,499	14,028
Liabilities
Accounts payable and accrued expenses	$ 2,003				$ 1,817				$ 2,003	$ 1,817