Debt Debt (Details) $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2016 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2015 USD ($)
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Line of Credit Facility, Expiration Date	Oct. 20, 2018
Minimum Tangible Net Worth	$ 404,500
Leverage ratio	60.00%
Notes payable bank - homebuilding operations	$ 40,300	$ 43,800
Debt Instrument, Unused Borrowing Capacity, Amount	537,627
letters of credit outstanding under credit facility	37,052
Maximum borrowing availability subject to limit	$ 322,600
Number of Secured Letters of Credit Outstanding under Credit Facility	3
Letters of Credit Outstanding Under Letter of Credit Facilities	$ 624	2,698
Aggregate Capacity of Secured Letters of Credit under Credit Facility	2,000
Restricted Cash for Secured Letter of Credit Agreements	630	2,741
Senior notes - net	295,677	$ 294,727
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
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
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
Consolidated EBITDA [Member]
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Interest Coverage Ratio	1.50
Consolidated Interest Incurred [Member]
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Interest Coverage Ratio	1.00
2018 Convertible Senior Notes [Member]
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage	3.00%
Convertible Subordinated Debt	$ 86,250
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]
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage	3.25%
Convertible Subordinated Debt	$ 57,500