Inventory Impairments and Land Option Contract Abandonments (Narratives) (Details)	3 Months Ended		12 Months Ended
	Feb. 28, 2017 USD ($) property lot delivery	Feb. 29, 2016 USD ($) property lot delivery	Nov. 30, 2016 USD ($) property
Fair Value Inputs, Assets, Quantitative Information [Line Items]
Impairment of Real Estate	$ 3,217,000	$ 1,346,000	$ 49,600,000
Number of Land Parcels or Communities Associated with Non Cash Inventory Impairment Charges | property	2
Number of land parcels or communities evaluated for recoverability | property	39	20
Carrying Value of Communities or Land Parcels Evaluated for Impairment	$ 366,400,000	$ 179,400,000
Aggregate carrying value of inventory impacted by pretax, noncash inventory impairment charges	$ 205,500,000		$ 215,300,000
Number of communities and various other land parcels impacted by pretax, noncash inventory impairment charges	27		28
Land Option Contract Abandonment Lots | lot	386	180
Maximum [Member]
Fair Value Inputs, Assets, Quantitative Information [Line Items]
Fair Value Estimate Input at Average Selling Price	$ 307,900	$ 310,000
Fair Value Estimate Input, Delivery For Period | delivery	4	1
Fair Value Inputs, Discount Rate	17.00%	17.00%
Minimum [Member]
Fair Value Inputs, Assets, Quantitative Information [Line Items]
Fair Value Estimate Input at Average Selling Price	$ 299,800	$ 310,000
Fair Value Estimate Input, Delivery For Period | delivery	3	1
Fair Value Inputs, Discount Rate	17.00%	17.00%
Land Option Contract Abandonment [Member]
Fair Value Inputs, Assets, Quantitative Information [Line Items]
Payments to Acquire Land	$ (791,000)	$ (620,000)
West Coast [Member]
Fair Value Inputs, Assets, Quantitative Information [Line Items]
Impairment of Real Estate	0	0
West Coast [Member] | Land Option Contract Abandonment [Member]
Fair Value Inputs, Assets, Quantitative Information [Line Items]
Payments to Acquire Land	(791,000)	(160,000)
Central [Member]
Fair Value Inputs, Assets, Quantitative Information [Line Items]
Impairment of Real Estate	0	787,000
Central [Member] | Land Option Contract Abandonment [Member]
Fair Value Inputs, Assets, Quantitative Information [Line Items]
Payments to Acquire Land	0	(460,000)
Southeast [Member]
Fair Value Inputs, Assets, Quantitative Information [Line Items]
Impairment of Real Estate	1,874,000	559,000
Southeast [Member] | Land Option Contract Abandonment [Member]
Fair Value Inputs, Assets, Quantitative Information [Line Items]
Payments to Acquire Land	$ 0	$ 0