Supplemental Guarantor Information Supplemental Guarantor Information - Statements of Cash Flows (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2014	Sep. 30, 2013
Net Cash Provided by (Used in) Operating Activities [Abstract]
Net cash (used in) provided by operating activities	$ (106,711)	$ (40,436)
Net Cash Provided by (Used in) Investing Activities [Abstract]
Change in restricted cash	4,912	(7,274)
Purchase of property and equipment	(2,347)	(1,654)
Investment in unconsolidated joint ventures	(16,818)	(25,496)
Return of investment from Unconsolidated LLCs	619	1,522
Net Proceeds from Sale of Mortgage Servicing Rights	2,135	0
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities	(11,499)	(32,902)
Net Cash Provided by (Used in) Financing Activities [Abstract]
Proceeds from (repayments of) bank borrowings - net	8,149	(12,343)
Principal repayments of note payable-other and community development district bond obligations	740	(2,979)
Proceeds from issuance of convertible senior subordinated notes	0	86,250
Redemption of preferred shares	0	(50,352)
Net proceeds from issuance of common shares	0	54,617
Proceeds from exercise of stock options	1,460	2,640
Excess tax deficiency from stock-based payment arrangements	0	383
Intercompany Financing	0	0
Dividends paid	(3,656)	(2,438)
Debt issue costs	(40)	(5,463)
Net cash (used in) provided by financing activities	6,653	70,315
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents	(111,557)	(3,023)
Cash and cash equivalents balance at beginning of period	128,725	145,498
Cash and cash equivalents balance at end of period	17,168	142,475
Parent [Member]
Net Cash Provided by (Used in) Operating Activities [Abstract]
Net cash (used in) provided by operating activities	8,275	7,100
Net Cash Provided by (Used in) Investing Activities [Abstract]
Change in restricted cash	0	0
Purchase of property and equipment	0	0
Investment in unconsolidated joint ventures	0	0
Return of investment from Unconsolidated LLCs	0	0
Net Proceeds from Sale of Mortgage Servicing Rights	0
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities	0	0
Net Cash Provided by (Used in) Financing Activities [Abstract]
Proceeds from (repayments of) bank borrowings - net	0	0
Principal repayments of note payable-other and community development district bond obligations	0	0
Proceeds from issuance of convertible senior subordinated notes		86,250
Redemption of preferred shares		(50,352)
Net proceeds from issuance of common shares		54,617
Proceeds from exercise of stock options	1,460	2,640
Excess tax deficiency from stock-based payment arrangements		383
Intercompany Financing	(6,079)	(98,200)
Dividends paid	(3,656)	(2,438)
Debt issue costs	0	0
Net cash (used in) provided by financing activities	(8,275)	(7,100)
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents	0	0
Cash and cash equivalents balance at beginning of period	0	0
Cash and cash equivalents balance at end of period	0	0
Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Net Cash Provided by (Used in) Operating Activities [Abstract]
Net cash (used in) provided by operating activities	(124,022)	(60,703)
Net Cash Provided by (Used in) Investing Activities [Abstract]
Change in restricted cash	4,912	(7,274)
Purchase of property and equipment	(2,222)	(1,528)
Investment in unconsolidated joint ventures	(12,080)	(14,657)
Return of investment from Unconsolidated LLCs	0	0
Net Proceeds from Sale of Mortgage Servicing Rights	0
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities	(9,390)	(23,459)
Net Cash Provided by (Used in) Financing Activities [Abstract]
Proceeds from (repayments of) bank borrowings - net	14,400	0
Principal repayments of note payable-other and community development district bond obligations	740	(2,979)
Proceeds from issuance of convertible senior subordinated notes		0
Redemption of preferred shares		0
Net proceeds from issuance of common shares		0
Proceeds from exercise of stock options	0	0
Excess tax deficiency from stock-based payment arrangements		0
Intercompany Financing	8,676	92,463
Dividends paid	0	0
Debt issue costs	0	(5,402)
Net cash (used in) provided by financing activities	23,816	84,082
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents	(109,596)	(80)
Cash and cash equivalents balance at beginning of period	113,407	126,334
Cash and cash equivalents balance at end of period	3,811	126,254
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Net Cash Provided by (Used in) Operating Activities [Abstract]
Net cash (used in) provided by operating activities	17,311	20,267
Net Cash Provided by (Used in) Investing Activities [Abstract]
Change in restricted cash	0	0
Purchase of property and equipment	(125)	(126)
Investment in unconsolidated joint ventures	(4,738)	(10,839)
Return of investment from Unconsolidated LLCs	619	1,522
Net Proceeds from Sale of Mortgage Servicing Rights	2,135
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities	(2,109)	(9,443)
Net Cash Provided by (Used in) Financing Activities [Abstract]
Proceeds from (repayments of) bank borrowings - net	(6,251)	(12,343)
Principal repayments of note payable-other and community development district bond obligations	0	0
Proceeds from issuance of convertible senior subordinated notes		0
Redemption of preferred shares		0
Net proceeds from issuance of common shares		0
Proceeds from exercise of stock options	0	0
Excess tax deficiency from stock-based payment arrangements		0
Intercompany Financing	(2,597)	5,737
Dividends paid	(8,275)	(7,100)
Debt issue costs	(40)	(61)
Net cash (used in) provided by financing activities	(17,163)	(13,767)
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents	(1,961)	(2,943)
Cash and cash equivalents balance at beginning of period	15,318	19,164
Cash and cash equivalents balance at end of period	13,357	16,221
Corporate Elimination [Member]
Net Cash Provided by (Used in) Operating Activities [Abstract]
Net cash (used in) provided by operating activities	(8,275)	(7,100)
Net Cash Provided by (Used in) Investing Activities [Abstract]
Change in restricted cash	0	0
Purchase of property and equipment	0	0
Investment in unconsolidated joint ventures	0	0
Return of investment from Unconsolidated LLCs	0	0
Net Proceeds from Sale of Mortgage Servicing Rights	0
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities	0	0
Net Cash Provided by (Used in) Financing Activities [Abstract]
Proceeds from (repayments of) bank borrowings - net	0	0
Principal repayments of note payable-other and community development district bond obligations	0	0
Proceeds from issuance of convertible senior subordinated notes		0
Redemption of preferred shares		0
Net proceeds from issuance of common shares		0
Proceeds from exercise of stock options	0	0
Excess tax deficiency from stock-based payment arrangements		0
Intercompany Financing	0	0
Dividends paid	8,275	7,100
Debt issue costs	0	0
Net cash (used in) provided by financing activities	8,275	7,100
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents	0	0
Cash and cash equivalents balance at beginning of period	0	0
Cash and cash equivalents balance at end of period	$ 0	$ 0