Supplemental Guarantor Information Supplemental Guarantor Information - Statements of Cash Flows (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2017	Jun. 30, 2016
Net Cash Provided by (Used in) Operating Activities [Abstract]
Net cash (used in) provided by operating activities	$ (39,320)	$ 40,939
Net Cash Provided by (Used in) Investing Activities [Abstract]
Purchase of property and equipment	(1,872)	(11,029)
Intercompany Investing	0	0
Investment in joint venture arrangements	(5,807)	(5,782)
Return of investment from Investment in joint venture arrangements	1,078	0
Net proceeds from sale of mortgage servicing rights	7,558	0
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities	957	(16,811)
Net Cash Provided by (Used in) Financing Activities [Abstract]
Proceeds from bank borrowings - homebuilding operations	289,400	192,200
Repayments of bank borrowings - homebuilding operations	(191,700)	(166,000)
Net repayment of bank borrowings - financial services operations	(63,377)	(30,982)
Proceeds from (principal repayments of) notes payable-other and CDD bond obligations	(2,752)	111
Intercompany Financing	0	0
Dividends paid	(2,438)	(2,438)
Debt issue costs	(63)	(193)
Proceeds from exercise of stock options	4,792	73
Net Cash Provided by (Used in) Financing Activities	33,862	(7,229)
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents	(4,501)	16,899
Cash and cash equivalents balance at beginning of period	34,441	13,101
Cash and cash equivalents balance at end of period	29,940	30,000
Consolidation, Eliminations [Member]
Net Cash Provided by (Used in) Operating Activities [Abstract]
Net cash (used in) provided by operating activities	(5,500)	(4,938)
Net Cash Provided by (Used in) Investing Activities [Abstract]
Purchase of property and equipment	0	0
Intercompany Investing	7,854	2,573
Investment in joint venture arrangements	0	0
Return of investment from Investment in joint venture arrangements	0
Net proceeds from sale of mortgage servicing rights	0
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities	7,854	2,573
Net Cash Provided by (Used in) Financing Activities [Abstract]
Proceeds from bank borrowings - homebuilding operations	0	0
Repayments of bank borrowings - homebuilding operations	0	0
Net repayment of bank borrowings - financial services operations	0	0
Proceeds from (principal repayments of) notes payable-other and CDD bond obligations	0	0
Intercompany Financing	(7,854)	5,378
Dividends paid	5,500	4,938
Debt issue costs	0	0
Proceeds from exercise of stock options	0	0
Net Cash Provided by (Used in) Financing Activities	(2,354)	10,316
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents	0	7,951
Cash and cash equivalents balance at beginning of period	0	(7,951)
Cash and cash equivalents balance at end of period	0	0
Parent Company [Member]
Net Cash Provided by (Used in) Operating Activities [Abstract]
Net cash (used in) provided by operating activities	5,500	4,938
Net Cash Provided by (Used in) Investing Activities [Abstract]
Purchase of property and equipment	0	0
Intercompany Investing	(7,854)	(2,573)
Investment in joint venture arrangements	0	0
Return of investment from Investment in joint venture arrangements	0
Net proceeds from sale of mortgage servicing rights	0
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities	(7,854)	(2,573)
Net Cash Provided by (Used in) Financing Activities [Abstract]
Proceeds from bank borrowings - homebuilding operations	0	0
Repayments of bank borrowings - homebuilding operations	0	0
Net repayment of bank borrowings - financial services operations	0	0
Proceeds from (principal repayments of) notes payable-other and CDD bond obligations	0	0
Intercompany Financing	0	0
Dividends paid	(2,438)	(2,438)
Debt issue costs	0	0
Proceeds from exercise of stock options	4,792	73
Net Cash Provided by (Used in) Financing Activities	2,354	(2,365)
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents	0	0
Cash and cash equivalents balance at beginning of period	0	0
Cash and cash equivalents balance at end of period	0	0
Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Net Cash Provided by (Used in) Operating Activities [Abstract]
Net cash (used in) provided by operating activities	(120,894)	2,523
Net Cash Provided by (Used in) Investing Activities [Abstract]
Purchase of property and equipment	(1,785)	(10,996)
Intercompany Investing	0	0
Investment in joint venture arrangements	(2,128)	(3,525)
Return of investment from Investment in joint venture arrangements	0
Net proceeds from sale of mortgage servicing rights	0
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities	(3,913)	(14,521)
Net Cash Provided by (Used in) Financing Activities [Abstract]
Proceeds from bank borrowings - homebuilding operations	289,400	192,200
Repayments of bank borrowings - homebuilding operations	(191,700)	(166,000)
Net repayment of bank borrowings - financial services operations	0	0
Proceeds from (principal repayments of) notes payable-other and CDD bond obligations	(2,752)	111
Intercompany Financing	15,027	15
Dividends paid	0	0
Debt issue costs	0	(153)
Proceeds from exercise of stock options	0	0
Net Cash Provided by (Used in) Financing Activities	109,975	26,173
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents	(14,832)	14,175
Cash and cash equivalents balance at beginning of period	20,927	2,896
Cash and cash equivalents balance at end of period	6,095	17,071
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Net Cash Provided by (Used in) Operating Activities [Abstract]
Net cash (used in) provided by operating activities	81,574	38,416
Net Cash Provided by (Used in) Investing Activities [Abstract]
Purchase of property and equipment	(87)	(33)
Intercompany Investing	0	0
Investment in joint venture arrangements	(3,679)	(2,257)
Return of investment from Investment in joint venture arrangements	1,078
Net proceeds from sale of mortgage servicing rights	7,558
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities	4,870	(2,290)
Net Cash Provided by (Used in) Financing Activities [Abstract]
Proceeds from bank borrowings - homebuilding operations	0	0
Repayments of bank borrowings - homebuilding operations	0	0
Net repayment of bank borrowings - financial services operations	(63,377)	(30,982)
Proceeds from (principal repayments of) notes payable-other and CDD bond obligations	0	0
Intercompany Financing	(7,173)	(5,393)
Dividends paid	(5,500)	(4,938)
Debt issue costs	(63)	(40)
Proceeds from exercise of stock options	0	0
Net Cash Provided by (Used in) Financing Activities	(76,113)	(41,353)
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents	10,331	(5,227)
Cash and cash equivalents balance at beginning of period	13,514	18,156
Cash and cash equivalents balance at end of period	$ 23,845	$ 12,929