Commitments and Contingencies (Narrative) (Details)		3 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
		Aug. 31, 2017 USD ($)	Nov. 30, 2018 USD ($) Home claim_filed	Nov. 30, 2017 USD ($) property	Nov. 30, 2016 USD ($) property	Nov. 30, 2015 USD ($)
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Impairment of Real Estate			$ 26,104,000	$ 20,605,000	$ 49,580,000
Operating Leases, Rent Expense, Net			$ 8,600,000	8,100,000	7,500,000
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]		$ 23,300,000	$ 25,336,000	$ 23,190,000
Number of Land Parcels or Communities Associated with Non Cash Inventory Impairment Charges | property				13	10
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			$ 82,490,000	69,798,000	$ 56,682,000	$ 49,085,000
Company's estimated liabilities for construction defect			176,841,000	177,695,000	158,584,000	$ 173,011,000
Expenses associated with self-insurance	[2]		20,436,000	20,371,000	24,808,000
Product Warranty Accrual, Preexisting, Increase (Decrease)			1,800,000	0	(652,000)
Performance bonds			689,300,000	606,700,000
Letters of Credit Outstanding, Amount			28,000,000	37,600,000
Non refundable deposits related to land option and other similar contracts			53,830,000	64,702,000
Aggregate Purchase Price Associated with Land Option and Other Similar Contracts			$ 1,371,238,000	1,094,087,000
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
Reclassification of warranty recoveries to receivables			$ 0	0	$ 2,151,000
Self Insurance [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Reclassification of warranty recoveries to receivables			56,900,000	71,300,000
Warranty and Other [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Reclassification of warranty recoveries to receivables			$ 4,800,000	4,100,000
Northern California Townhome Community [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Loss Contingency, Damages Sought, Value		$ 100,000,000
Chapter 558 of the Florida Statutes [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Loss Contingency, New Claims Filed, Number | claim_filed			500
Minimum
Commitments and Contingencies (Textual) [Abstract]
Noncancelable operating leases, term			3 years
Maximum
Commitments and Contingencies (Textual) [Abstract]
Noncancelable operating leases, term			5 years
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 included $2.3 million 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