Basis of Presentation and Significant Accounting Policies (Impacts of Adopting ASC 606) (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Aug. 31, 2019	Aug. 31, 2018	Aug. 31, 2019	Aug. 31, 2018	Dec. 01, 2018	Nov. 30, 2018
Revenue, Initial Application Period Cumulative Effect Transition [Line Items]
Total revenues	$ 1,160,786	$ 1,225,347	$ 2,994,072	$ 3,198,393
Total pretax income	91,936	114,676	183,208	239,029
Income tax expense	(23,800)	(27,200)	(37,600)	(165,500)
Net income	$ 68,136	$ 87,476	$ 145,608	$ 73,529
Diluted earnings per share (in dollars per share)	$ 0.73	$ 0.87	$ 1.55	$ 0.75
Assets
Inventories	$ 3,919,076		$ 3,919,076			$ 3,582,839
Property and equipment, net	64,119		64,119			24,283
Total assets	5,035,170		5,035,170			5,073,571
Stockholders’ equity:
Retained earnings	2,042,034		2,042,034		$ 1,908,778	1,897,168
Calculated under Revenue Guidance in Effect before Topic 606 [Member]
Revenue, Initial Application Period Cumulative Effect Transition [Line Items]
Total pretax income	92,008		184,830
Income tax expense	(23,800)		(38,000)
Net income	$ 68,208		$ 146,830
Diluted earnings per share (in dollars per share)	$ 0.73		$ 1.56
Stockholders’ equity:
Retained earnings	$ 2,031,647		$ 2,031,647			1,897,168
Financial Service [Member]
Revenue, Initial Application Period Cumulative Effect Transition [Line Items]
Contract assets	20,100		20,100		19,700
Total revenues	3,931	$ 3,472	9,758	$ 8,640
Selling, general and administrative expenses	(1,003)	(945)	(3,067)	(2,855)
Operating income	2,928	2,527	6,691	5,785
Total pretax income	6,644	5,112	13,709	10,150
Assets
Total assets	31,911		31,911		32,108	12,380
Financial Service [Member] | Calculated under Revenue Guidance in Effect before Topic 606 [Member]
Revenue, Initial Application Period Cumulative Effect Transition [Line Items]
Total revenues	3,751		9,366
Assets
Total assets	11,791		11,791			12,380
Home Building [Member]
Revenue, Initial Application Period Cumulative Effect Transition [Line Items]
Total revenues	1,156,855	1,221,875	2,984,314	3,189,753
Construction and land costs	(943,754)	(1,001,509)	(2,458,353)	(2,642,231)
Selling, general and administrative expenses	(127,626)	(114,753)	(357,048)	(323,708)
Operating income	85,475	105,613	168,913	223,814
Total pretax income	85,292	109,564	169,499	228,879
Assets
Inventories	3,919,076		3,919,076		3,547,551	3,582,839
Deferred tax assets, net	402,095		402,095		437,796	441,820
Property and equipment, net	64,119		64,119		55,477	24,283
Total assets	5,003,259		5,003,259			5,061,191
Home Building [Member] | Calculated under Revenue Guidance in Effect before Topic 606 [Member]
Revenue, Initial Application Period Cumulative Effect Transition [Line Items]
Total revenues	1,156,112		2,982,201
Construction and land costs	(951,613)		(2,478,583)
Selling, general and administrative expenses	(118,772)		(332,691)
Operating income	85,727		170,927
Assets
Inventories	3,964,873		3,964,873			3,582,839
Deferred tax assets, net	405,719		405,719			441,820
Property and equipment, net	24,431		24,431			$ 24,283
Accounting Standards Update 2014-09 [Member]
Assets
Inventories		0		0	(35,288)
Property and equipment, net		$ 0		$ 0	31,194
Accounting Standards Update 2014-09 [Member] | Difference between Revenue Guidance in Effect before and after Topic 606 [Member]
Revenue, Initial Application Period Cumulative Effect Transition [Line Items]
Total pretax income	(72)		(1,622)
Income tax expense	0		400
Net income	$ (72)		$ (1,222)
Diluted earnings per share (in dollars per share)	$ 0		$ (0.01)
Stockholders’ equity:
Retained earnings	$ 10,387		$ 10,387		11,610
Accounting Standards Update 2014-09 [Member] | Financial Service [Member] | Difference between Revenue Guidance in Effect before and after Topic 606 [Member]
Revenue, Initial Application Period Cumulative Effect Transition [Line Items]
Contract assets					19,728
Total revenues	180		392
Assets
Total assets	20,120		20,120
Accounting Standards Update 2014-09 [Member] | Home Building [Member] | Difference between Revenue Guidance in Effect before and after Topic 606 [Member]
Revenue, Initial Application Period Cumulative Effect Transition [Line Items]
Total revenues	743		2,113
Construction and land costs	7,859		20,230
Selling, general and administrative expenses	(8,854)		(24,357)
Operating income	(252)		(2,014)
Assets
Inventories	(45,797)		(45,797)		(35,288)
Deferred tax assets, net	(3,624)		(3,624)		(4,024)
Property and equipment, net	$ 39,688		$ 39,688		$ 31,194