Supplemental Guarantor Information Supplemental Guarantor Information - Income Statement (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2015	Jun. 30, 2014	Jun. 30, 2015	Jun. 30, 2014
Revenue	$ 322,856	$ 281,608	$ 586,015	$ 516,449
Land and housing	252,595	221,217	458,778	405,181
Impairment of inventory and investment in unconsolidated joint ventures	0	804	0	804
General and administrative	21,705	21,281	41,039	39,596
Selling	22,935	20,251	40,621	36,220
Equity in loss (income) of unconsolidated joint ventures	(14)	22	(212)	(40)
Interest	3,750	2,730	8,212	6,900
Total costs and expenses	300,971	266,305	548,438	488,661
Income before income taxes	21,885	15,303	37,577	27,788
Provision for income taxes	8,535	1,749	14,659	1,602
Equity In subsidiaries	0	0	0	0
Net income	13,350	13,554	22,918	26,186
Preferred Dividends	1,219	1,219	2,438	2,438
Net income to common shareholders	12,131	12,335	20,480	23,748
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
General and administrative	0	0	0	0
Selling	0	0	0	0
Equity in loss (income) of unconsolidated joint ventures	0	0	0	0
Interest	0	0	0	0
Total costs and expenses	0	0	0	0
Income before income taxes	0	0	0	0
Provision for income taxes	0	0	0	0
Equity In subsidiaries	13,350	13,554	22,918	26,186
Net income	13,350	13,554	22,918	26,186
Preferred Dividends	1,219	1,219	2,438	2,438
Net income to common shareholders	12,131	12,335	20,480	23,748
Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Revenue	313,921	275,138	568,983	502,114
Land and housing	252,595	221,217	458,778	405,181
Impairment of inventory and investment in unconsolidated joint ventures		804		804
General and administrative	17,868	18,057	34,254	33,348
Selling	22,935	20,251	40,621	36,220
Equity in loss (income) of unconsolidated joint ventures	0	0	0	0
Interest	3,355	2,428	7,486	6,282
Total costs and expenses	296,753	262,757	541,139	481,835
Income before income taxes	17,168	12,381	27,844	20,279
Provision for income taxes	6,767	344	11,159	(1,437)
Equity In subsidiaries	0	0	0	0
Net income	10,401	12,037	16,685	21,716
Preferred Dividends	0	0	0	0
Net income to common shareholders	10,401	12,037	16,685	21,716
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Revenue	8,935	6,470	17,032	14,335
Land and housing	0	$ 0	0	$ 0
Impairment of inventory and investment in unconsolidated joint ventures
General and administrative	3,837	$ 3,224	6,785	$ 6,248
Selling	0	0	0	0
Equity in loss (income) of unconsolidated joint ventures	(14)	22	(212)	(40)
Interest	395	302	726	618
Total costs and expenses	4,218	3,548	7,299	6,826
Income before income taxes	4,717	2,922	9,733	7,509
Provision for income taxes	1,768	1,405	3,500	3,039
Equity In subsidiaries	0	0	0	0
Net income	2,949	1,517	6,233	4,470
Preferred Dividends	0	0	0	0
Net income to common shareholders	2,949	1,517	6,233	4,470
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
General and administrative	0	0	0	0
Selling	0	0	0	0
Equity in loss (income) of unconsolidated joint ventures	0	0	0	0
Interest	0	0	0	0
Total costs and expenses	0	0	0	0
Income before income taxes	0	0	0	0
Provision for income taxes	0	0	0	0
Equity In subsidiaries	(13,350)	(13,554)	(22,918)	(26,186)
Net income	(13,350)	(13,554)	(22,918)	(26,186)
Preferred Dividends	0	0	0	0
Net income to common shareholders	$ (13,350)	$ (13,554)	$ (22,918)	$ (26,186)