Supplemental Guarantor Information Supplemental Guarantor Information - Income Statement (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended			9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2013	Jun. 30, 2013	Sep. 30, 2012	Sep. 30, 2013	Sep. 30, 2012
Revenue	$ 275,195		$ 208,875	$ 700,475	$ 510,994
Land and housing	218,150		164,452	556,799	408,893
Impairment of inventory and investment in unconsolidated joint ventures	2,136		1,309	4,237	1,876
General and administrative	18,261		16,016	52,389	42,299
Selling	17,999		14,647	47,383	38,483
Interest	3,449		3,999	12,186	12,066
Equity in income of unconsolidated joint ventures	(278)		0	(278)	0
Loss on early extinguishment of debt	1,726		0	1,726	0
Total costs and expenses	261,443		200,423	674,442	503,617
Income before income taxes	13,752		8,452	26,033	7,377
(Benefit) provision for income taxes	(111,559)		138	(111,129)	(955)
Equity In subsidiaries	0		0	0	0
Net income (loss)	125,311		8,314	137,162	8,332
Preferred Dividends	1,219	(1,219)	0	2,438	0
Excess of fair value over book value of preferred shares redeemed	0		0	2,190	0
Net income to common shareholders	124,092		8,314	132,534	8,332
Parent [Member]
Revenue	0		0	0	0
Land and housing	0		0	0	0
Impairment of inventory and investment in unconsolidated joint ventures	0		0	0	0
General and administrative	0		0	0	0
Selling	0		0	0	0
Interest	0		0	0	0
Equity in income of unconsolidated joint ventures	0			0
Loss on early extinguishment of debt	0			0
Total costs and expenses	0		0	0	0
Income before income taxes	0		0	0	0
(Benefit) provision for income taxes	0		0	0	0
Equity In subsidiaries	125,311		8,314	137,162	8,332
Net income (loss)	125,311		8,314	137,162	8,332
Preferred Dividends	1,219			2,438
Excess of fair value over book value of preferred shares redeemed				2,190
Net income to common shareholders	124,092			132,534
Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Revenue	268,514		202,492	678,132	495,371
Land and housing	218,150		164,452	556,799	408,893
Impairment of inventory and investment in unconsolidated joint ventures	2,136		1,309	4,237	1,876
General and administrative	15,309		13,425	43,104	34,938
Selling	17,979		14,647	47,317	38,482
Interest	3,087		3,584	11,171	10,972
Equity in income of unconsolidated joint ventures	0			0
Loss on early extinguishment of debt	1,726			1,726
Total costs and expenses	258,387		197,417	664,354	495,161
Income before income taxes	10,127		5,075	13,778	210
(Benefit) provision for income taxes	(112,694)		(1,003)	(115,308)	(3,403)
Equity In subsidiaries	0		0	0	0
Net income (loss)	122,821		6,078	129,086	3,613
Preferred Dividends	0			0
Excess of fair value over book value of preferred shares redeemed				0
Net income to common shareholders	122,821			129,086
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Revenue	6,681		6,383	22,343	15,623
Land and housing	0		0	0	0
Impairment of inventory and investment in unconsolidated joint ventures			0	0	0
General and administrative	2,952		2,591	9,285	7,361
Selling	20		0	66	1
Interest	362		415	1,015	1,094
Equity in income of unconsolidated joint ventures	(278)			(278)
Loss on early extinguishment of debt	0			0
Total costs and expenses	3,056		3,006	10,088	8,456
Income before income taxes	3,625		3,377	12,255	7,167
(Benefit) provision for income taxes	1,135		1,141	4,179	2,448
Equity In subsidiaries	0		0	0	0
Net income (loss)	2,490		2,236	8,076	4,719
Preferred Dividends	0			0
Excess of fair value over book value of preferred shares redeemed				0
Net income to common shareholders	2,490			8,076
Corporate Elimination [Member]
Revenue	0		0	0	0
Land and housing	0		0	0	0
Impairment of inventory and investment in unconsolidated joint ventures	0		0	0	0
General and administrative	0		0	0	0
Selling	0		0	0	0
Interest	0		0	0	0
Equity in income of unconsolidated joint ventures	0			0
Loss on early extinguishment of debt	0			0
Total costs and expenses	0		0	0	0
Income before income taxes	0		0	0	0
(Benefit) provision for income taxes	0		0	0	0
Equity In subsidiaries	(125,311)		(8,314)	(137,162)	(8,332)
Net income (loss)	(125,311)		(8,314)	(137,162)	(8,332)
Preferred Dividends	0			0
Excess of fair value over book value of preferred shares redeemed				0
Net income to common shareholders	$ (125,311)			$ (137,162)