Supplemental Guarantor Information Supplemental Guarantor Information - Income Statement (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2012	Jun. 30, 2011	Jun. 30, 2012	Jun. 30, 2011
Revenue	$ 170,994	$ 137,444	$ 302,119	$ 248,014
Land and housing	137,111	114,043	244,441	206,617
Impairment of inventory and investment in Unconsolidated LLCs	472	5,445	567	16,316
General and administrative	13,826	12,766	26,283	24,168
Selling	12,825	10,754	23,836	19,408
Interest	3,461	3,465	8,067	7,500
Total costs and expenses	167,695	146,473	303,194	274,009
(Loss) income before income taxes	3,299	(9,029)	(1,075)	(25,995)
Benefit (provision) for income taxes	95	115	(1,093)	188
Equity In subsidiaries	0	0	0	0
Net (loss) income	3,204	(9,144)	18	(26,183)
Parent [Member]
Revenue	0	0	0	0
Land and housing	0	0	0	0
Impairment of inventory and investment in Unconsolidated LLCs	0	0	0	0
General and administrative	0	0	0	0
Selling	0	0	0	0
Interest	0	0	0	0
Total costs and expenses	0	0	0	0
(Loss) income before income taxes	0	0	0	0
Benefit (provision) for income taxes	0	0	0	0
Equity In subsidiaries	3,204	9,144	(18)	26,183
Net (loss) income	3,204	(9,144)	18	(26,183)
Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Revenue	166,070	134,149	292,879	241,519
Land and housing	137,111	114,043	244,441	206,617
Impairment of inventory and investment in Unconsolidated LLCs	472	5,445	567	16,316
General and administrative	11,033	10,994	21,513	20,692
Selling	12,825	10,754	23,835	19,408
Interest	3,150	3,294	7,388	7,059
Total costs and expenses	164,591	144,530	297,744	270,092
(Loss) income before income taxes	1,479	(10,381)	(4,865)	(28,573)
Benefit (provision) for income taxes	(519)	(282)	(2,400)	(637)
Equity In subsidiaries	0	0	0	0
Net (loss) income	1,998	(10,099)	(2,465)	(27,936)
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Revenue	4,924	3,295	9,240	6,495
Land and housing	0	0	0	0
Impairment of inventory and investment in Unconsolidated LLCs	0	0	0	0
General and administrative	2,793	1,772	4,770	3,476
Selling	0	0	1	0
Interest	311	171	679	441
Total costs and expenses	3,104	1,943	5,450	3,917
(Loss) income before income taxes	1,820	1,352	3,790	2,578
Benefit (provision) for income taxes	614	397	1,307	825
Equity In subsidiaries	0	0	0	0
Net (loss) income	1,206	955	2,483	1,753
Corporate Elimination [Member]
Revenue	0	0	0	0
Land and housing	0	0	0	0
Impairment of inventory and investment in Unconsolidated LLCs	0	0	0	0
General and administrative	0	0	0	0
Selling	0	0	0	0
Interest	0	0	0	0
Total costs and expenses	0	0	0	0
(Loss) income before income taxes	0	0	0	0
Benefit (provision) for income taxes	0	0	0	0
Equity In subsidiaries	(3,204)	(9,144)	18	(26,183)
Net (loss) income	$ (3,204)	$ 9,144	$ (18)	$ 26,183