Inventories (Details) (USD $)	12 Months Ended
	Nov. 30, 2011	Nov. 30, 2010	Nov. 30, 2009
Inventories
Homes under construction	$ 417,304,000	$ 363,719,000
Land under development	587,582,000	701,636,000
Land held for future development	726,743,000	631,367,000
Total	1,731,629,000	1,696,721,000
Interest costs
Capitalized interest at beginning of period	249,966,000	291,279,000	361,619,000
Capitalized interest related to consolidation of previously unconsolidated joint ventures		9,914,000
Interest incurred (a)	112,037,000	122,230,000	119,602,000
Interest expensed (a)	(49,204,000)	(68,307,000)	(51,763,000)
Interest amortized to construction and land costs	(79,338,000)	(105,150,000)	(138,179,000)
Capitalized interest at end of period (b)	233,461,000	249,966,000	291,279,000
Inventories (Textual)
Gain on early extinguishment of Debt/write off of Debt issuance costs	3,600,000	1,800,000
Credit Facility Reduced		From $650.0 million to $200.0 million
Loss on early extinguishment of debt			1,000,000
Aggregate commitment under the credit facility	0	650,000,000
Reduction of aggregate commitment under the credit facility	$ 0	$ 200,000,000