Business Segments Business Segments (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2014	Mar. 31, 2013
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue	$ 234,841	$ 190,727
Operating Income (Loss)	16,593	9,226
Interest	4,170	4,340
Equity in income of unconsolidated joint ventures	(62)	0
Income (loss) before income taxes	12,485	4,886
Midwest Homebuilding [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Homebuilding revenue	79,604	60,702
Operating Income (Loss)	7,243	2,201
Interest	1,269	1,474
Southern Homebuilding [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Homebuilding revenue	80,200	50,961
Operating Income (Loss)	5,877	3,091
Interest	1,591	1,304
Mid-Atlantic Homebuilding [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Homebuilding revenue	67,172	70,654
Operating Income (Loss)	4,793	4,345
Interest	995	1,244
Financial Services [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Financial services revenue	7,865	8,410
Operating Income (Loss)	5,026	5,455
Interest	315	318
Corporate and Other [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Selling, general and administrative expenses	$ (6,346)	$ (5,866)

The aggregate financial services revenue and operating interest income earned during the reporting period.

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- Definition

Revenue related to the sale of homes and home building activities including design, development, general contracting, and renovation services for residential buildings, including single-family houses, multifamily housing, townhouses, apartments, and modular housing.

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- Definition

The portion of earnings or loss from continuing operations before income taxes that is attributable to domestic operations.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 235

-SubTopic 10

-Section S99

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (SX 210.4-08.(h)(1)(i))

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- Definition

This item represents the entity's proportionate share for the period of the net income (loss) of its investee (such as unconsolidated subsidiaries and joint ventures) to which the equity method of accounting is applied. This item includes income or expense related to stock-based compensation based on the investor's grant of stock to employees of an equity method investee.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 230

-SubTopic 10

-Section 45

-Paragraph 28

-Subparagraph (b)

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-Name Regulation S-X (SX)

-Number 210

-Section 03

-Paragraph 9

-Article 5

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-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 323

-SubTopic 10

-Section 45

-Paragraph 1

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-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 225

-SubTopic 10

-Section S99

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-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-03.12)

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-Name Regulation S-X (SX)

-Number 210

-Section 04

-Paragraph 11

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- Definition

Amount of the cost of borrowed funds accounted for as interest expense.

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-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 835

-SubTopic 20

-Section 50

-Paragraph 1

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-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 942

-SubTopic 225

-Section S99

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (SX 210.9-04.9)

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-Name Regulation S-X (SX)

-Number 210

-Section 04

-Paragraph 9

-Article 9

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- Definition

The net result for the period of deducting operating expenses from operating revenues.

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No definition available.

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- Definition

Amount of revenue recognized from goods sold, services rendered, insurance premiums, or other activities that constitute an earning process. Includes, but is not limited to, investment and interest income before deduction of interest expense when recognized as a component of revenue, and sales and trading gain (loss).

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- Definition

The aggregate total costs related to selling a firm's product and services, as well as all other general and administrative expenses. Direct selling expenses (for example, credit, warranty, and advertising) are expenses that can be directly linked to the sale of specific products. Indirect selling expenses are expenses that cannot be directly linked to the sale of specific products, for example telephone expenses, Internet, and postal charges. General and administrative expenses include salaries of non-sales personnel, rent, utilities, communication, etc.

+ References

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-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 225

-SubTopic 10

-Section S99

-Paragraph 2

-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-03.4)

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-Name Regulation S-X (SX)

-Number 210

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-Topic 330

-SubTopic 10

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