Debt Debt (Details) $ in Thousands	Mar. 31, 2016 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2015 USD ($)
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, Unused Borrowing Capacity, Amount	$ 479,000
Notes payable bank - homebuilding operations	114,500	$ 43,800
letters of credit outstanding under credit facility	39,600
Maximum borrowing availability subject to limit	245,900
Senior notes due 2021 - net	$ 294,904	294,727
Number of Secured Letters of Credit Outstanding under Credit Facility	3
Aggregate Capacity of Secured Letters of Credit under Credit Facility	$ 12,000
Uncommitted Letters of Credit	4,900
Letters of Credit Outstanding Under Letter of Credit Facilities	2,000	2,700
Restricted Cash for Secured Letter of Credit Agreements	2,100	$ 2,700
Low Range Uncommitted Letter of Credit [Member]
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Maximum available amounts under Letter of Credit Facilities	3,000
High Range Uncommittted Letter of Credit [Member]
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Maximum available amounts under Letter of Credit Facilities	5,000
First Amendment to New Unsecured Credit Facility [Member]
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Sub-limit for letters of credit	125,000
Line of Credit Facility, Maximum Borrowing Capacity	400,000
2021 Senior Notes [Member]
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Senior notes due 2021 - net	$ 300,000
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage	6.75%
2017 Convertible Senior Notes [Member]
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage	3.25%
Convertible Subordinated Debt	$ 57,500
2018 Convertible Senior Notes [Member]
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage	3.00%
Convertible Subordinated Debt	$ 86,250
Maximum [Member] | First Amendment to New Unsecured Credit Facility [Member]
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Basis Points Spread on Variable Rate - Credit Facility	250
Minimum [Member] | First Amendment to New Unsecured Credit Facility [Member]
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Basis Points Spread on Variable Rate - Credit Facility	150