Commitments and Contingencies (Details Textual)		12 Months Ended
		Nov. 30, 2017 USD ($) property Home	Nov. 30, 2016 USD ($) property	Nov. 30, 2015 USD ($) property	Nov. 30, 2014 USD ($)
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Impairment of Real Estate		$ 20,605,000	$ 49,580,000	$ 8,030,000
Operating Leases, Rent Expense, Net		$ 8,100,000	7,500,000	8,500,000
Minimum warranty on electrical and other building systems		2 years
Maximum Warranty on Electrical Heating Cooling Plumbing and Other Building Systems		5 years
Standard Product Warranty Accrual, Payments	[1]	$ 25,336,000	$ 23,190,000	$ 26,367,000
Number of Land Parcels or Communities Associated with Non Cash Inventory Impairment Charges | property		10	30	4
Increase (Decrease) in Self Insurance Reserve		$ 21,700,000
Insurance Recoveries		23,500,000
Loss Contingency, Receivable, Estimated Recovery from Third Party		$ 11,600,000
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		$ 69,798,000	$ 56,682,000	$ 49,085,000	$ 45,196,000
Company's estimated liabilities for construction defect		177,695,000	158,584,000	173,011,000	$ 205,228,000
Expenses associated with self-insurance	[2]	20,371,000	24,808,000	18,590,000
Product Warranty Accrual, Preexisting, Increase (Decrease)	[3]	0	(652,000)	(7,238,000)
Performance bonds		606,700,000	535,700,000
Letters of Credit Outstanding, Amount		37,600,000	31,000,000
Non refundable deposits related to land option and other similar contracts		64,702,000	42,829,000
Aggregate Purchase Price Associated with Land Option and Other Similar Contracts		$ 1,094,087,000	1,073,596,000
Damages from Product Defects [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Minimum Number of Affected Homes for Construction Defect Claims | Home		2
Water Intrusion [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Standard Product Warranty Accrual, Payments			2,300,000	8,400,000
Reclassification of warranty recoveries to receivables		$ 0	2,151,000	$ 7,238,000
Self Insurance [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Reclassification of warranty recoveries to receivables		71,300,000	84,500,000
Warranty and Other [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Reclassification of warranty recoveries to receivables		4,100,000	14,600,000
Northern California Townhome Community [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Loss Contingency, Damages Sought, Value		100,000,000
LOC Facilities [Member]
Commitments and Contingencies (Textual) [Abstract]
Letters of Credit Outstanding, Amount		$ 0	$ 0
Line of Credit Facility, Expiration Period		1 year

[1] Payments for 2016 and 2015 included $2.3 million and $8.4 million, respectively, to repair homes affected by water intrusion-related issues in certain of our communities in central and southwest Florida.

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

[3] Adjustments for 2016 and 2015 included the reclassification of certain estimated minimum probable recoveries to receivables in connection with the above-noted water intrusion-related issues. The adjustments for each year had no impact on our consolidated statements of operations.