Supplemental Guarantor Information Supplemental Guarantor Information - Balance Sheet (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Mar. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012	Mar. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011
ASSETS:
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 263,057	$ 145,498	$ 66,978	$ 59,793
Restricted cash	9,494	8,680
Mortgage loans held for sale	57,721	71,121
Inventory	577,640	556,817
Property and equipment - net	9,994	10,439
Investments in Unconsolidated LLCs	22,275	11,732
Investment in subsidiaries	0	0
Intercompany	0	0
Other assets	28,471	27,013
TOTAL ASSETS	968,652	831,300
LIABILITIES:
Accounts payable	57,071	47,690
Customer deposits	12,246	10,239
Other liabilities	47,760	49,972
Preferred shares subject to redemption	50,352	0
Community development district (CDD) obligations	4,266	4,634
Obligation for consolidated inventory not owned	16,994	19,105
Note payable bank - financial services operations	53,126	67,957
Notes payable - other	10,316	11,105
Convertible senior subordinated notes due 2017	57,500	57,500
Convertible senior subordinated notes due 2018	86,250	0
Senior notes	227,770	227,670
TOTAL LIABILITIES	623,651	495,872
TOTAL SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY	345,001	335,428
TOTAL LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY	968,652	831,300
Parent [Member]
ASSETS:
Cash and cash equivalents	0	0	0	0
Restricted cash	0	0
Mortgage loans held for sale	0	0
Inventory	0	0
Property and equipment - net	0	0
Investments in Unconsolidated LLCs	0	0
Investment in subsidiaries	393,542	391,555
Intercompany	361,410	219,962
Other assets	11,921	9,081
TOTAL ASSETS	766,873	620,598
LIABILITIES:
Accounts payable	0	0
Customer deposits	0	0
Other liabilities	0	0
Preferred shares subject to redemption	50,352
Community development district (CDD) obligations	0	0
Obligation for consolidated inventory not owned	0	0
Note payable bank - financial services operations	0	0
Notes payable - other	0	0
Convertible senior subordinated notes due 2017	57,500	57,500
Convertible senior subordinated notes due 2018	86,250
Senior notes	227,770	227,670
TOTAL LIABILITIES	421,872	285,170
TOTAL SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY	345,001	335,428
TOTAL LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY	766,873	620,598
Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
ASSETS:
Cash and cash equivalents	245,149	126,334	51,878	43,539
Restricted cash	9,494	8,680
Mortgage loans held for sale	0	0
Inventory	561,584	540,761
Property and equipment - net	9,846	10,314
Investments in Unconsolidated LLCs	0	0
Investment in subsidiaries	0	0
Intercompany	(337,294)	(205,389)
Other assets	11,918	12,375
TOTAL ASSETS	500,697	493,075
LIABILITIES:
Accounts payable	56,710	46,882
Customer deposits	12,246	10,239
Other liabilities	41,922	44,230
Preferred shares subject to redemption	0
Community development district (CDD) obligations	4,266	4,634
Obligation for consolidated inventory not owned	1,438	3,549
Note payable bank - financial services operations	0	0
Notes payable - other	10,316	11,105
Convertible senior subordinated notes due 2017	0	0
Convertible senior subordinated notes due 2018	0
Senior notes	0	0
TOTAL LIABILITIES	126,898	120,639
TOTAL SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY	373,800	372,436
TOTAL LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY	500,698	493,075
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
ASSETS:
Cash and cash equivalents	17,908	19,164	15,100	16,254
Restricted cash	0	0
Mortgage loans held for sale	57,721	71,121
Inventory	16,056	16,056
Property and equipment - net	148	125
Investments in Unconsolidated LLCs	22,275	11,732
Investment in subsidiaries	0	0
Intercompany	(24,116)	(14,573)
Other assets	4,632	5,557
TOTAL ASSETS	94,624	109,182
LIABILITIES:
Accounts payable	361	808
Customer deposits	0	0
Other liabilities	5,838	5,742
Preferred shares subject to redemption	0
Community development district (CDD) obligations	0	0
Obligation for consolidated inventory not owned	15,556	15,556
Note payable bank - financial services operations	53,126	67,957
Notes payable - other	0	0
Convertible senior subordinated notes due 2017	0	0
Convertible senior subordinated notes due 2018	0
Senior notes	0	0
TOTAL LIABILITIES	74,881	90,063
TOTAL SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY	19,742	19,119
TOTAL LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY	94,623	109,182
Corporate Elimination [Member]
ASSETS:
Cash and cash equivalents	0	0	0	0
Restricted cash	0	0
Mortgage loans held for sale	0	0
Inventory	0	0
Property and equipment - net	0	0
Investments in Unconsolidated LLCs	0	0
Investment in subsidiaries	(393,542)	(391,555)
Intercompany	0	0
Other assets	0	0
TOTAL ASSETS	(393,542)	(391,555)
LIABILITIES:
Accounts payable	0	0
Customer deposits	0	0
Other liabilities	0	0
Preferred shares subject to redemption	0
Community development district (CDD) obligations	0	0
Obligation for consolidated inventory not owned	0	0
Note payable bank - financial services operations	0	0
Notes payable - other	0	0
Convertible senior subordinated notes due 2017	0	0
Convertible senior subordinated notes due 2018	0
Senior notes	0	0
TOTAL LIABILITIES	0	0
TOTAL SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY	(393,542)	(391,555)
TOTAL LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY	$ (393,542)	$ (391,555)