Consolidated Statements of Operations - USD ($) shares in Thousands, $ in Thousands		3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
		Nov. 30, 2018	Aug. 31, 2018	May 31, 2018	Feb. 28, 2018	Nov. 30, 2017	Aug. 31, 2017	May 31, 2017	Feb. 28, 2017	Nov. 30, 2018	Nov. 30, 2017	Nov. 30, 2016
Total revenues		$ 1,348,609	$ 1,225,347	$ 1,101,423	$ 871,623	$ 1,403,138	$ 1,144,001	$ 1,002,794	$ 818,596	$ 4,547,002	$ 4,368,529	$ 3,594,646
Homebuilding:
Revenues										4,533,795	4,356,265	3,582,943
Construction and land costs										(3,743,920)	(3,646,468)	(3,041,101)
Selling, general and administrative expenses										(444,154)	(426,394)	(389,441)
Operating income										345,721	283,403	152,401
Interest income										3,514	1,240	529
Interest expense	[1]									0	(6,307)	(5,900)
Equity in income (loss) of unconsolidated joint ventures										9,367	2,825	(5,601)
Financial services:
Revenues										13,207	12,264	11,703
Expenses										(3,844)	(3,430)	(3,817)
Pretax income (loss)		128,936	114,676	78,308	46,045	137,346	79,208	51,982	21,459	367,965	289,995	149,315
Income tax expense										(197,600)	(109,400)	(43,700)
Net income		$ 96,836	$ 87,476	$ 57,308	$ (71,255)	$ 84,346	$ 50,208	$ 31,782	$ 14,259	$ 170,365	$ 180,595	$ 105,615
Earnings per share: Basic (usd per share)		$ 1.09	$ 0.99	$ 0.65	$ (0.82)	$ 0.97	$ 0.58	$ 0.37	$ 0.17	$ 1.93	$ 2.09	$ 1.23
Earnings per share: Diluted (usd per share)		$ 0.96	$ 0.87	$ 0.57	$ (0.82)	$ 0.84	$ 0.51	$ 0.33	$ 0.15	$ 1.71	$ 1.85	$ 1.12
Weighted average shares outstanding: Basic (shares)										87,773	85,842	85,706
Weighted average shares outstanding: Diluted (shares)										101,059	98,316	96,278
Homebuilding [Member]
Homebuilding:
Equity in income (loss) of unconsolidated joint ventures										$ 2,066	$ (1,409)	$ (2,181)
Financial services:
Pretax income (loss)										351,301	276,927	144,849
Financial services [Member]
Homebuilding:
Operating income										9,363	8,834	7,886
Equity in income (loss) of unconsolidated joint ventures										7,301	4,234	(3,420)
Financial services:
Pretax income (loss)										$ 16,664	$ 13,068	$ 4,466

[1] Interest incurred and interest expensed for the year ended November 30, 2017 included a charge of $5.7 million for the early extinguishment of debt.