Supplemental Guarantor Information Supplemental Guarantor Information - Income Statement (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2017	Sep. 30, 2016	Sep. 30, 2017	Sep. 30, 2016
Revenue	$ 476,423	$ 442,464	$ 1,340,269	$ 1,168,081
Land and housing	374,673	363,635	1,062,552	943,515
General and administrative	31,337	29,160	89,209	78,249
Selling	31,136	27,663	88,666	75,462
Equity in income of joint venture arrangements	(71)	(24)	(198)	(413)
Interest	4,675	3,587	13,847	13,160
Total costs and expenses	441,750	424,021	1,254,076	1,109,973
Income before income taxes	34,673	18,443	86,193	58,108
Provision for income taxes	12,346	7,501	29,994	22,061
Equity In subsidiaries	0	0	0	0
Net income	22,327	10,942	56,199	36,047
Preferred Dividends	1,218	1,218	3,656	3,656
Preferred Stock Redemption Premium	2,257	0	2,257	0
Net income to common shareholders	18,852	9,724	50,286	32,391
Consolidation, Eliminations [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	(22,327)	(10,942)	(56,199)	(36,047)
Net income	(22,327)	(10,942)	(56,199)	(36,047)
Preferred Dividends	0	0	0	0
Preferred Stock Redemption Premium	0		0
Net income to common shareholders	(22,327)	(10,942)	(56,199)	(36,047)
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	22,327	10,942	56,199	36,047
Net income	22,327	10,942	56,199	36,047
Preferred Dividends	1,218	1,218	3,656	3,656
Preferred Stock Redemption Premium	2,257		2,257
Net income to common shareholders	18,852	9,724	50,286	32,391
Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Revenue	464,660	431,903	1,302,331	1,137,517
Land and housing	374,673	363,635	1,062,552	943,515
General and administrative	25,263	24,340	72,638	64,727
Selling	31,136	27,663	88,666	75,462
Equity in income of joint venture arrangements	0	0	0	0
Interest	4,019	3,036	11,858	11,715
Total costs and expenses	435,091	418,674	1,235,714	1,095,419
Income before income taxes	29,569	13,229	66,617	42,098
Provision for income taxes	10,672	5,601	23,407	16,487
Equity In subsidiaries	0	0	0	0
Net income	18,897	7,628	43,210	25,611
Preferred Dividends	0	0	0	0
Preferred Stock Redemption Premium	0		0
Net income to common shareholders	18,897	7,628	43,210	25,611
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Revenue	11,763	10,561	37,938	30,564
Land and housing	0	0	0	0
General and administrative	6,074	4,820	16,571	13,522
Selling	0	0	0	0
Equity in income of joint venture arrangements	(71)	(24)	(198)	(413)
Interest	656	551	1,989	1,445
Total costs and expenses	6,659	5,347	18,362	14,554
Income before income taxes	5,104	5,214	19,576	16,010
Provision for income taxes	1,674	1,900	6,587	5,574
Equity In subsidiaries	0	0	0	0
Net income	3,430	3,314	12,989	10,436
Preferred Dividends	0	0	0	0
Preferred Stock Redemption Premium	0		0
Net income to common shareholders	$ 3,430	$ 3,314	$ 12,989	$ 10,436