Supplemental Guarantor Information Supplemental Guarantor Information - Income Statement (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2014	Sep. 30, 2014	Jun. 30, 2014	Mar. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013	Sep. 30, 2013	Jun. 30, 2013	Mar. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012
Revenue									$ 1,215,180	$ 1,036,782	$ 761,905
Land and housing									958,991	824,508	610,540
Impairment of inventory and investment in unconsolidated joint ventures									3,457	5,805	3,502
General and administrative									88,830	79,494	62,627
Selling									81,148	68,282	56,406
Equity in income of unconsolidated joint ventures									(347)	(306)	0
Interest									13,365	15,938	16,071
Loss on Extinguishment of Debt									0	1,726	0
Total costs and expenses									1,145,444	995,447	749,146
Income (loss) before income taxes									69,736	41,335	12,759
Income Tax Expense (Benefit)									18,947	(110,088)	(588)
Equity in subsidiaries									0	0	0
Net income (loss)									50,789	151,423	13,347
Preferred Stock Dividends									4,875	3,656	0
Excess of fair value over book value of preferred shares redeemed									0	2,190	0
Net Income (Loss) Available to Common Stockholders	9,767	12,399	12,335	11,413	13,043	124,092	6,045	2,397	45,914	145,577	13,347
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	0
Interest									0	0	0
Loss 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									50,789	151,423	13,347
Net income (loss)									50,789	151,423	13,347
Preferred Stock Dividends									4,875	3,656
Excess of fair value over book value of preferred shares redeemed										2,190
Net Income (Loss) Available to Common Stockholders									45,914	145,577
Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Revenue									1,185,058	1,008,243	738,649
Land and housing									958,991	824,508	610,540
Impairment of inventory and investment in unconsolidated joint ventures									3,457	5,805	3,502
General and administrative									73,747	66,249	51,307
Selling									81,148	68,209	56,396
Equity in income of unconsolidated joint ventures									0	0
Interest									11,926	14,556	14,650
Loss on Extinguishment of Debt										1,726
Total costs and expenses									1,129,269	981,053	736,395
Income (loss) before income taxes									55,789	27,190	2,254
Income Tax Expense (Benefit)									14,341	(114,866)	(4,157)
Equity in subsidiaries									0	0	0
Net income (loss)									41,448	142,056	6,411
Preferred Stock Dividends									0	0
Excess of fair value over book value of preferred shares redeemed										0
Net Income (Loss) Available to Common Stockholders									41,448	142,056
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Revenue									30,122	28,539	23,256
Land and housing									0	0	0
Impairment of inventory and investment in unconsolidated joint ventures									0	0	0
General and administrative									15,083	13,245	11,320
Selling									0	73	10
Equity in income of unconsolidated joint ventures									(347)	(306)
Interest									1,439	1,382	1,421
Loss on Extinguishment of Debt										0
Total costs and expenses									16,175	14,394	12,751
Income (loss) before income taxes									13,947	14,145	10,505
Income Tax Expense (Benefit)									4,606	4,778	3,569
Equity in subsidiaries									0	0	0
Net income (loss)									9,341	9,367	6,936
Preferred Stock Dividends									0	0
Excess of fair value over book value of preferred shares redeemed										0
Net Income (Loss) Available to Common Stockholders									9,341	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	0
Interest									0	0	0
Loss 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									(50,789)	(151,423)	(13,347)
Net income (loss)									(50,789)	(151,423)	(13,347)
Preferred Stock Dividends									0	0
Excess of fair value over book value of preferred shares redeemed										0
Net Income (Loss) Available to Common Stockholders									$ (50,789)	$ (151,423)