Commitments and Contingencies (Narratives) (Details) $ in Thousands		3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
		May 31, 2018 USD ($)	May 31, 2017 USD ($)	May 31, 2018 USD ($) Home	May 31, 2017 USD ($)	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		$ (5,330)	$ (6,457)	$ (11,047)	$ (12,569)
Performance bonds		602,200		602,200		$ 606,700
Letters of credit outstanding		36,700		36,700		37,600
Cash deposits		43,978		43,978		64,702
Aggregate purchase price of land		1,165,448		$ 1,165,448		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]	(7,012)	$ (4,255)	$ (7,048)	$ (5,557)
Loss Contingency, Receivable		$ 64,200		$ 64,200		$ 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.