Supplemental Guarantor Information Supplemental Guarantor Information - Income Statement (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2013	Mar. 31, 2012
Revenue	$ 190,727	$ 131,125
Land and housing	151,513	107,330
Impairment of inventory and investment in Unconsolidated LLCs	900	95
General and administrative	15,979	12,457
Selling	13,109	11,011
Interest	4,340	4,606
Total costs and expenses	185,841	135,499
(Loss) income before income taxes	4,886	(4,374)
Provision (benefit) for income taxes	299	(1,188)
Equity In subsidiaries	0	0
Net (loss) income	4,587	(3,186)
Excess of fair value over book value of preferred shares subject to redemption	2,190	0
Net income (loss) to common shareholders	2,397	(3,186)
Parent [Member]
Revenue	0	0
Land and housing	0	0
Impairment of inventory and investment in Unconsolidated LLCs	0	0
General and administrative	0	0
Selling	0	0
Interest	0	0
Total costs and expenses	0	0
(Loss) income before income taxes	0	0
Provision (benefit) for income taxes	0	0
Equity In subsidiaries	4,587	(3,186)
Net (loss) income	4,587	3,186
Excess of fair value over book value of preferred shares subject to redemption	2,190
Net income (loss) to common shareholders	2,397
Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Revenue	182,317	126,809
Land and housing	151,513	107,330
Impairment of inventory and investment in Unconsolidated LLCs	900	95
General and administrative	12,842	10,479
Selling	13,092	11,010
Interest	4,022	4,238
Total costs and expenses	182,369	133,152
(Loss) income before income taxes	(52)	(6,343)
Provision (benefit) for income taxes	(1,415)	(1,880)
Equity In subsidiaries	0	0
Net (loss) income	1,363	(4,463)
Excess of fair value over book value of preferred shares subject to redemption	0
Net income (loss) to common shareholders	1,363
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Revenue	8,410	4,316
Land and housing	0	0
Impairment of inventory and investment in Unconsolidated LLCs	0	0
General and administrative	3,137	1,978
Selling	17	1
Interest	318	368
Total costs and expenses	3,472	2,347
(Loss) income before income taxes	4,938	1,969
Provision (benefit) for income taxes	1,714	692
Equity In subsidiaries	0	0
Net (loss) income	3,224	1,277
Excess of fair value over book value of preferred shares subject to redemption	0
Net income (loss) to common shareholders	3,224
Corporate Elimination [Member]
Revenue	0	0
Land and housing	0	0
Impairment of inventory and investment in Unconsolidated LLCs	0	0
General and administrative	0	0
Selling	0	0
Interest	0	0
Total costs and expenses	0	0
(Loss) income before income taxes	0	0
Provision (benefit) for income taxes	0	0
Equity In subsidiaries	(4,587)	3,186
Net (loss) income	(4,587)	(3,186)
Excess of fair value over book value of preferred shares subject to redemption	0
Net income (loss) to common shareholders	$ (4,587)