Commitments and Contingencies (Narratives) (Details) $ in Thousands		3 Months Ended
		Feb. 28, 2018 USD ($) Home	Feb. 28, 2017 USD ($)	Nov. 30, 2017 USD ($)
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Minimum warranty on electrical and other building systems (in years)		2 years
Maximum warranty on electrical and other building systems (in years)		5 years
Warranty for other components of a home (in years)		1 year
Payments		$ (5,717)	$ (6,112)
Performance bonds		593,800		$ 606,700
Letters of credit outstanding		36,900		37,600
Cash deposits		44,627		64,702
Aggregate purchase price of land		$ 929,224		1,094,087
Warranty for Other Components of Home		1 year
Northern California Townhome Community [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Loss Contingency, Damages Sought, Value		$ 100,000
Damages from Product Defects [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Minimum Number of Affected Homes for Construction Defect Claims | Home		2
Structural warranty provided by the company (in years)		10 years
Warranty Obligations [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Structural warranty provided by the company (in years)		10 years
Self Insurance [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Increase (Decrease) in Insurance Liabilities	[1]	$ (36)	$ (1,302)
Loss Contingency, Receivable		$ 71,200		$ 71,300

[1] b)The amount for each period reflects changes in our self-insurance liability that were offset by changes in the receivable for estimated probable insurance and other recoveries to present our self-insurance liability on a gross basis.