Inventory Impairments and Land Option Contract Abandonments (Narratives) (Details)		3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
		Aug. 31, 2018 USD ($) lot delivery	Aug. 31, 2017 USD ($) delivery	Aug. 31, 2018 USD ($) lot delivery property	Aug. 31, 2017 USD ($) delivery property	Nov. 30, 2017 USD ($) property
Fair Value Inputs, Assets, Quantitative Information [Line Items]
Real Estate Inventory, Capitalized Interest Costs, Cost of Sales	[1]	$ 53,288,000	$ 55,204,000	$ 148,071,000	$ 145,059,000
Impairment of Real Estate		7,135,000	7,094,000	$ 17,827,000	$ 14,613,000
Number of land parcels or communities evaluated for recoverability | property				47	49
Carrying Value of Communities or Land Parcels Evaluated for Impairment		303,500,000	436,700,000	$ 303,500,000	$ 436,700,000
Aggregate carrying value of inventory impacted by pretax, noncash inventory impairment charges		$ 171,600,000		$ 171,600,000		$ 177,800,000
Number of communities and various other land parcels impacted by pretax, noncash inventory impairment charges		20		20		24
Maximum [Member]
Fair Value Inputs, Assets, Quantitative Information [Line Items]
Fair Value Estimate Input at Average Selling Price		$ 407,300	$ 1,576,500	$ 774,100	$ 1,576,500
Fair Value Estimate Input, Delivery For Period | delivery		6	4	6	4
Fair Value Inputs, Discount Rate		18.00%	18.00%	18.00%	18.00%
Minimum [Member]
Fair Value Inputs, Assets, Quantitative Information [Line Items]
Fair Value Estimate Input at Average Selling Price		$ 306,400	$ 207,100	$ 306,400	$ 207,100
Fair Value Estimate Input, Delivery For Period | delivery		2	2	2	2
Fair Value Inputs, Discount Rate		17.00%	17.00%	17.00%	17.00%
Land Option Contract Abandonment [Member]
Fair Value Inputs, Assets, Quantitative Information [Line Items]
Payments to Acquire Land		$ (1,279,000)	$ (1,019,000)	$ (2,098,000)	$ (3,509,000)
West Coast [Member]
Fair Value Inputs, Assets, Quantitative Information [Line Items]
Impairment of Real Estate		4,190,000	4,992,000	14,882,000	8,136,000
West Coast [Member] | Land Option Contract Abandonment [Member]
Fair Value Inputs, Assets, Quantitative Information [Line Items]
Payments to Acquire Land		(219,000)	(903,000)	(815,000)	(2,738,000)
Central [Member]
Fair Value Inputs, Assets, Quantitative Information [Line Items]
Impairment of Real Estate		654,000	0	654,000	0
Central [Member] | Land Option Contract Abandonment [Member]
Fair Value Inputs, Assets, Quantitative Information [Line Items]
Payments to Acquire Land		(477,000)	0	(700,000)	(518,000)
Southeast [Member]
Fair Value Inputs, Assets, Quantitative Information [Line Items]
Impairment of Real Estate		2,291,000	0	2,291,000	3,032,000
Southeast [Member] | Land Option Contract Abandonment [Member]
Fair Value Inputs, Assets, Quantitative Information [Line Items]
Payments to Acquire Land		(151,000)	(116,000)	(151,000)	(253,000)
Land [Member]
Fair Value Inputs, Assets, Quantitative Information [Line Items]
Real Estate Inventory, Capitalized Interest Costs, Cost of Sales		$ 300,000	$ 200,000	$ 4,300,000	$ 1,800,000

[1] Interest amortized to construction and land costs for the three months ended August 31, 2018 and 2017 included $.3 million and $.2 million, respectively, related to land sales during those periods. Interest amortized to construction and land costs for the nine months ended August 31, 2018 and 2017 included $4.3 million and $1.8 million, respectively, related to land sales during those periods.