Supplemental Guarantor Information Supplemental Guarantor Information - Balance Sheet (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Mar. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016
ASSETS:
Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash	$ 38,898	$ 34,441
Mortgage loans held for sale	113,596	154,020
Inventory	1,286,618	1,215,934
Property and equipment - net	22,338	22,299
Investment in joint venture arrangements	24,218	28,016
Deferred Income taxes	30,449	30,875
Investment in subsidiaries	0	0
Intercompany	0	0
Other assets	56,148	62,926
TOTAL ASSETS	1,572,265	1,548,511
LIABILITIES:
Accounts payable	94,403	103,212
Customer deposits	26,680	22,156
Intercompany liabilities	0	0
Other liabilities	97,576	123,162
Community development district obligations	6,277	476
Obligation for consolidated inventory not owned	11,968	7,528
Notes payable bank - homebuilding operations	110,900	40,300
Notes payable bank - financial service operations	106,937	152,895
Notes payable - other	7,022	6,415
Convertible senior subordinated notes due 2017 - net	57,237	57,093
Convertible senior subordinated notes due 2018 - net	85,600	85,423
Senior notes due 2021 - net	295,953	295,677
TOTAL LIABILITIES	900,553	894,337
TOTAL SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY	671,712	654,174
TOTAL LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY	1,572,265	1,548,511
Consolidation, Eliminations [Member]
ASSETS:
Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash	0	0
Mortgage loans held for sale	0	0
Inventory	0	0
Property and equipment - net	0	0
Investment in joint venture arrangements	0	0
Deferred Income taxes	0	0
Investment in subsidiaries	(682,691)	(666,008)
Intercompany	(426,355)	(424,669)
Other assets	0	0
TOTAL ASSETS	(1,109,046)	(1,090,677)
LIABILITIES:
Accounts payable	0	0
Customer deposits	0	0
Intercompany liabilities	(426,355)	(424,669)
Other liabilities	0	0
Community development district obligations	0	0
Obligation for consolidated inventory not owned	0	0
Notes payable bank - homebuilding operations	0	0
Notes payable bank - financial service operations	0	0
Notes payable - other	0	0
Convertible senior subordinated notes due 2017 - net	0	0
Convertible senior subordinated notes due 2018 - net	0	0
Senior notes due 2021 - net	0	0
TOTAL LIABILITIES	(426,355)	(424,669)
TOTAL SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY	(682,691)	(666,008)
TOTAL LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY	(1,109,046)	(1,090,677)
Parent Company [Member]
ASSETS:
Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash	0	0
Mortgage loans held for sale	0	0
Inventory	0	0
Property and equipment - net	0	0
Investment in joint venture arrangements	0	0
Deferred Income taxes	0	0
Investment in subsidiaries	682,691	666,008
Intercompany	426,355	424,669
Other assets	1,456	1,690
TOTAL ASSETS	1,110,502	1,092,367
LIABILITIES:
Accounts payable	0	0
Customer deposits	0	0
Intercompany liabilities	0	0
Other liabilities	0	0
Community development district obligations	0	0
Obligation for consolidated inventory not owned	0	0
Notes payable bank - homebuilding operations	0	0
Notes payable bank - financial service operations	0	0
Notes payable - other	0	0
Convertible senior subordinated notes due 2017 - net	57,237	57,093
Convertible senior subordinated notes due 2018 - net	85,600	85,423
Senior notes due 2021 - net	295,953	295,677
TOTAL LIABILITIES	438,790	438,193
TOTAL SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY	671,712	654,174
TOTAL LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY	1,110,502	1,092,367
Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
ASSETS:
Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash	15,158	20,927
Mortgage loans held for sale	0	0
Inventory	1,286,618	1,215,934
Property and equipment - net	21,298	21,242
Investment in joint venture arrangements	13,339	12,537
Deferred Income taxes	30,342	30,767
Investment in subsidiaries	0	0
Intercompany	0	0
Other assets	44,788	43,809
TOTAL ASSETS	1,411,543	1,345,216
LIABILITIES:
Accounts payable	94,129	102,663
Customer deposits	26,680	22,156
Intercompany liabilities	415,164	411,196
Other liabilities	90,563	117,133
Community development district obligations	6,277	476
Obligation for consolidated inventory not owned	11,968	7,528
Notes payable bank - homebuilding operations	110,900	40,300
Notes payable bank - financial service operations	0	0
Notes payable - other	7,022	6,415
Convertible senior subordinated notes due 2017 - net	0	0
Convertible senior subordinated notes due 2018 - net	0	0
Senior notes due 2021 - net	0	0
TOTAL LIABILITIES	762,703	707,867
TOTAL SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY	648,840	637,349
TOTAL LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY	1,411,543	1,345,216
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
ASSETS:
Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash	23,740	13,514
Mortgage loans held for sale	113,596	154,020
Inventory	0	0
Property and equipment - net	1,040	1,057
Investment in joint venture arrangements	10,879	15,479
Deferred Income taxes	107	108
Investment in subsidiaries	0	0
Intercompany	0	0
Other assets	9,904	17,427
TOTAL ASSETS	159,266	201,605
LIABILITIES:
Accounts payable	274	549
Customer deposits	0	0
Intercompany liabilities	11,191	13,473
Other liabilities	7,013	6,029
Community development district obligations	0	0
Obligation for consolidated inventory not owned	0	0
Notes payable bank - homebuilding operations	0	0
Notes payable bank - financial service operations	106,937	152,895
Notes payable - other	0	0
Convertible senior subordinated notes due 2017 - net	0	0
Convertible senior subordinated notes due 2018 - net	0	0
Senior notes due 2021 - net	0	0
TOTAL LIABILITIES	125,415	172,946
TOTAL SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY	33,851	28,659
TOTAL LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY	$ 159,266	$ 201,605