Debt Debt (Details) $ in Thousands	Mar. 31, 2017 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2016 USD ($)
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, Unused Borrowing Capacity, Amount	$ 588,400
Notes payable bank - homebuilding operations	110,900	$ 40,300
letters of credit outstanding under credit facility	33,300
Maximum borrowing availability subject to limit	255,800
Aggregate Capacity of Secured Letters of Credit under Credit Facility	2,000
Letters of Credit Outstanding Under Letter of Credit Facilities	622	624
Restricted Cash for Secured Letter of Credit Agreements	629	$ 630
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	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