Supplemental Guarantor Information Supplemental Guarantor Information - Income Statement (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2013	Sep. 30, 2013	Jun. 30, 2013	Mar. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012	Sep. 30, 2012	Jun. 30, 2012	Mar. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011
Revenue									$ 1,036,782	$ 761,905	$ 566,424
Land and housing									824,508	610,540	467,130
Impairment of inventory and investment in unconsolidated joint ventures									5,805	3,502	21,993
General and administrative									79,494	62,627	52,664
Selling									68,282	56,406	43,534
Equity in income of unconsolidated joint ventures									(306)	0	0
Interest									15,938	16,071	15,005
Gains (Losses) on Extinguishment of Debt									1,726	0	0
Total costs and expenses									995,447	749,146	600,326
Income (loss) before income taxes									41,335	12,759	(33,902)
Income Tax Expense (Benefit)									(110,088)	(588)	(25)
Equity in subsidiaries									0	0	0
Net income (loss)	13,043	124,092	6,045	2,397	5,015	8,314	3,204	(3,186)	151,423	13,347	(33,877)
Preferred Stock Dividends, Income Statement Impact									3,656	0	0
Excess of fair value over book value of preferred shares redeemed									2,190	0	0
Net Income (Loss) Available to Common Stockholders, Basic									145,577	13,347	(33,877)
Parent [Member]
Revenue									0	0	0
Land and housing									0	0	0
Impairment of inventory and investment in unconsolidated joint ventures									0	0	0
General and administrative									0	0	0
Selling									0	0	0
Equity in income of unconsolidated joint ventures									0
Interest									0	0	0
Gains (Losses) on Extinguishment of Debt									0
Total costs and expenses									0	0	0
Income (loss) before income taxes									0	0	0
Income Tax Expense (Benefit)									0	0	0
Equity in subsidiaries									151,423	13,347	(33,877)
Net income (loss)									151,423	13,347	(33,877)
Preferred Stock Dividends, Income Statement Impact									3,656
Excess of fair value over book value of preferred shares redeemed									2,190
Net Income (Loss) Available to Common Stockholders, Basic									145,577
Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Revenue									1,008,243	738,649	551,958
Land and housing									824,508	610,540	467,130
Impairment of inventory and investment in unconsolidated joint ventures									5,805	3,502	21,993
General and administrative									66,249	51,307	44,438
Selling									68,209	56,396	43,534
Equity in income of unconsolidated joint ventures									0
Interest									14,556	14,650	14,050
Gains (Losses) on Extinguishment of Debt									1,726
Total costs and expenses									981,053	736,395	591,145
Income (loss) before income taxes									27,190	2,254	(39,187)
Income Tax Expense (Benefit)									(114,866)	(4,157)	(1,784)
Equity in subsidiaries									0	0	0
Net income (loss)									142,056	6,411	(37,403)
Preferred Stock Dividends, Income Statement Impact									0
Excess of fair value over book value of preferred shares redeemed									0
Net Income (Loss) Available to Common Stockholders, Basic									142,056
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Revenue									28,539	23,256	14,466
Land and housing									0	0	0
Impairment of inventory and investment in unconsolidated joint ventures									0	0	0
General and administrative									13,245	11,320	8,226
Selling									73	10	0
Equity in income of unconsolidated joint ventures									(306)
Interest									1,382	1,421	955
Gains (Losses) on Extinguishment of Debt									0
Total costs and expenses									14,394	12,751	9,181
Income (loss) before income taxes									14,145	10,505	5,285
Income Tax Expense (Benefit)									4,778	3,569	1,759
Equity in subsidiaries									0	0	0
Net income (loss)									9,367	6,936	3,526
Preferred Stock Dividends, Income Statement Impact									0
Excess of fair value over book value of preferred shares redeemed									0
Net Income (Loss) Available to Common Stockholders, Basic									9,367
Corporate Elimination [Member]
Revenue									0	0	0
Land and housing									0	0	0
Impairment of inventory and investment in unconsolidated joint ventures									0	0	0
General and administrative									0	0	0
Selling									0	0	0
Equity in income of unconsolidated joint ventures									0
Interest									0	0	0
Gains (Losses) on Extinguishment of Debt									0
Total costs and expenses									0	0	0
Income (loss) before income taxes									0	0	0
Income Tax Expense (Benefit)									0	0	0
Equity in subsidiaries									(151,423)	(13,347)	33,877
Net income (loss)									(151,423)	(13,347)	33,877
Preferred Stock Dividends, Income Statement Impact									0
Excess of fair value over book value of preferred shares redeemed									0
Net Income (Loss) Available to Common Stockholders, Basic									$ (151,423)