Supplemental Guarantor Information Supplemental Guarantor Information - Income Statement (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2017	Jun. 30, 2016	Jun. 30, 2017	Jun. 30, 2016
Revenue	$ 456,866	$ 401,247	$ 863,846	$ 725,617
Land and housing	367,598	319,708	687,879	579,880
General and administrative	30,112	26,830	57,872	49,089
Selling	30,247	25,533	57,530	47,799
Equity in income of joint venture arrangements	(110)	(82)	(127)	(389)
Interest	3,834	4,308	9,172	9,573
Total costs and expenses	431,681	376,297	812,326	685,952
Income before income taxes	25,185	24,950	51,520	39,665
Provision for income taxes	8,196	9,034	17,648	14,560
Equity In subsidiaries	0	0	0	0
Net income	16,989	15,916	33,872	25,105
Preferred Dividends	1,219	1,219	2,438	2,438
Net income to common shareholders	15,770	14,697	31,434	22,667
Consolidation, Eliminations [Member]
Revenue	0	0	0	0
Land and housing	0	0	0	0
General and administrative	0	0		0
Selling	0	0	0	0
Equity in income of joint venture arrangements	0	0	0	0
Interest	0	0	0	0
Total costs and expenses	0	0	0	0
Income before income taxes	0	0	0	0
Provision for income taxes	0	0	0	0
Equity In subsidiaries	(16,989)	(15,916)	(33,872)	(25,105)
Net income	(16,989)	(15,916)	(33,872)	(25,105)
Preferred Dividends	0	0	0	0
Net income to common shareholders	(16,989)	(15,916)	(33,872)	(25,105)
Parent Company [Member]
Revenue	0	0	0	0
Land and housing	0	0	0	0
General and administrative	0	0	0	0
Selling	0	0	0	0
Equity in income of joint venture arrangements	0	0	0	0
Interest	0	0	0	0
Total costs and expenses	0	0	0	0
Income before income taxes	0	0	0	0
Provision for income taxes	0	0	0	0
Equity In subsidiaries	16,989	15,916	33,872	25,105
Net income	16,989	15,916	33,872	25,105
Preferred Dividends	1,219	1,219	2,438	2,438
Net income to common shareholders	15,770	14,697	31,434	22,667
Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Revenue	444,998	391,297	837,671	705,614
Land and housing	367,598	319,708	687,879	579,880
General and administrative	24,915	22,085	47,375	40,387
Selling	30,247	25,533	57,530	47,799
Equity in income of joint venture arrangements	0	0	0	0
Interest	3,169	3,798	7,839	8,679
Total costs and expenses	425,929	371,124	800,623	676,745
Income before income taxes	19,069	20,173	37,048	28,869
Provision for income taxes	6,246	7,442	12,735	10,886
Equity In subsidiaries	0	0	0	0
Net income	12,823	12,731	24,313	17,983
Preferred Dividends	0	0	0	0
Net income to common shareholders	12,823	12,731	24,313	17,983
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Revenue	11,868	9,950	26,175	20,003
Land and housing	0	0	0	0
General and administrative	5,197	4,745	10,497	8,702
Selling	0	0	0	0
Equity in income of joint venture arrangements	(110)	(82)	(127)	(389)
Interest	665	510	1,333	894
Total costs and expenses	5,752	5,173	11,703	9,207
Income before income taxes	6,116	4,777	14,472	10,796
Provision for income taxes	1,950	1,592	4,913	3,674
Equity In subsidiaries	0	0	0	0
Net income	4,166	3,185	9,559	7,122
Preferred Dividends	0	0	0	0
Net income to common shareholders	$ 4,166	$ 3,185	$ 9,559	$ 7,122