Debt Debt (Details) $ in Thousands	Sep. 30, 2016 USD ($)	Jun. 30, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015 USD ($)
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, Unused Borrowing Capacity, Amount	$ 536,200
Notes payable bank - homebuilding operations	85,000		$ 43,800
letters of credit outstanding under credit facility	35,500
Maximum borrowing availability subject to limit	$ 279,500
Number of Secured Letters of Credit Outstanding under Credit Facility	1	3
Aggregate Capacity of Secured Letters of Credit under Credit Facility	$ 2,000
Letters of Credit Outstanding Under Letter of Credit Facilities	900		2,700
Restricted Cash for Secured Letter of Credit Agreements	900		$ 2,700
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]
Debt Instrument, Face Amount	$ 300,000
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage	6.75%
2017 Convertible Senior Notes [Member]
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Convertible Subordinated Debt	$ 57,500
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage	3.25%
2018 Convertible Senior Notes [Member]
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Convertible Subordinated Debt	$ 86,250
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage	3.00%
Maximum [Member] | First Amendment to New Unsecured Credit Facility [Member]
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Basis Points Spread on Variable Rate - Credit Facility	275
Minimum [Member] | First Amendment to New Unsecured Credit Facility [Member]
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Basis Points Spread on Variable Rate - Credit Facility	175