Supplemental Guarantor Information Supplemental Guarantor Information - Income Statement (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2013	Jun. 30, 2012	Jun. 30, 2013	Jun. 30, 2012
Revenue	$ 234,553	$ 170,994	$ 425,280	$ 302,119
Land and housing	187,136	137,111	338,649	244,441
Impairment of inventory and investment in Unconsolidated LLCs	1,201	472	2,101	567
General and administrative	18,149	13,826	34,128	26,283
Selling	16,275	12,825	29,384	23,836
Interest	4,397	3,461	8,737	8,067
Total costs and expenses	227,158	167,695	412,999	303,194
(Loss) income before income taxes	7,395	3,299	12,281	(1,075)
Provision (benefit) for income taxes	131	95	430	(1,093)
Equity In subsidiaries	0	0	0	0
Net (loss) income	7,264	3,204	11,851	18
Preferred Stock Dividends, Income Statement Impact	1,219	0	1,219	0
Excess of fair value over book value of preferred shares redeemed	0	0	2,190	0
Net income to common shareholders	6,045	3,204	8,442	18
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
Provision (benefit) for income taxes	0	0	0	0
Equity In subsidiaries	7,264	3,204	11,851	18
Net (loss) income	7,264	3,204	11,851	18
Preferred Stock Dividends, Income Statement Impact	1,219		1,219
Excess of fair value over book value of preferred shares redeemed			2,190
Net income to common shareholders	6,045		8,442
Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Revenue	227,301	166,070	409,618	292,879
Land and housing	187,136	137,111	338,649	244,441
Impairment of inventory and investment in Unconsolidated LLCs	1,201	472	2,101	567
General and administrative	14,953	11,033	27,795	21,513
Selling	16,246	12,825	29,338	23,835
Interest	4,062	3,150	8,084	7,388
Total costs and expenses	223,598	164,591	405,967	297,744
(Loss) income before income taxes	3,703	1,479	3,651	(4,865)
Provision (benefit) for income taxes	(1,199)	(519)	(2,614)	(2,400)
Equity In subsidiaries	0	0	0	0
Net (loss) income	4,902	1,998	6,265	(2,465)
Preferred Stock Dividends, Income Statement Impact	0		0
Excess of fair value over book value of preferred shares redeemed			0
Net income to common shareholders	4,902		6,265
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Revenue	7,252	4,924	15,662	9,240
Land and housing	0	0	0	0
Impairment of inventory and investment in Unconsolidated LLCs		0	0	0
General and administrative	3,196	2,793	6,333	4,770
Selling	29	0	46	1
Interest	335	311	653	679
Total costs and expenses	3,560	3,104	7,032	5,450
(Loss) income before income taxes	3,692	1,820	8,630	3,790
Provision (benefit) for income taxes	1,330	614	3,044	1,307
Equity In subsidiaries	0	0	0	0
Net (loss) income	2,362	1,206	5,586	2,483
Preferred Stock Dividends, Income Statement Impact	0		0
Excess of fair value over book value of preferred shares redeemed			0
Net income to common shareholders	2,362		5,586
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
Provision (benefit) for income taxes	0	0	0	0
Equity In subsidiaries	(7,264)	(3,204)	(11,851)	(18)
Net (loss) income	(7,264)	(3,204)	(11,851)	(18)
Preferred Stock Dividends, Income Statement Impact	0		0
Excess of fair value over book value of preferred shares redeemed			0
Net income to common shareholders	$ (7,264)		$ (11,851)