Supplemental Guarantor Information Supplemental Guarantor Information - Statements of Cash Flows (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2017	Sep. 30, 2016
Net Cash Provided by (Used in) Operating Activities [Abstract]
Net cash (used in) provided by operating activities	$ (66,025)	$ 26,502
Net Cash Provided by (Used in) Investing Activities [Abstract]
Purchase of property and equipment	(6,017)	(11,619)
Intercompany Investing	0	0
Investment in joint venture arrangements	(8,439)	(10,060)
Return of investment from Investment in joint venture arrangements	1,833	0
Net proceeds from sale of mortgage servicing rights	7,558	0
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities	(5,065)	(21,679)
Net Cash Provided by (Used in) Financing Activities [Abstract]
Net proceeds from issuance of senior notes	250,000	0
Proceeds from bank borrowings - homebuilding operations	366,500	276,800
Principal repayments of bank borrowings - homebuilding operations	(406,800)	(235,600)
Net repayment of bank borrowings - financial services operations	(61,620)	(32,165)
Proceeds from (principal repayments of) notes payable-other and CDD bond obligations	(2,358)	125
Proceeds from exercise of stock options	4,791	73
Intercompany Financing	0	0
Dividends paid	(3,656)	(3,656)
Debt issue costs	(6,572)	(193)
Net Cash Provided by (Used in) Financing Activities	140,285	5,384
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents	69,195	10,207
Cash and cash equivalents balance at beginning of period	34,441	13,101
Cash and cash equivalents balance at end of period	103,636	23,308
Consolidation, Eliminations [Member]
Net Cash Provided by (Used in) Operating Activities [Abstract]
Net cash (used in) provided by operating activities	(12,031)	(7,138)
Net Cash Provided by (Used in) Investing Activities [Abstract]
Purchase of property and equipment	0	0
Intercompany Investing	13,166	3,555
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	13,166	3,555
Net Cash Provided by (Used in) Financing Activities [Abstract]
Net proceeds from issuance of senior notes	0
Proceeds from bank borrowings - homebuilding operations	0	0
Principal 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
Proceeds from exercise of stock options	0	0
Intercompany Financing	(13,166)	4,396
Dividends paid	12,031	7,138
Debt issue costs	0	0
Net Cash Provided by (Used in) Financing Activities	(1,135)	11,534
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	12,031	7,138
Net Cash Provided by (Used in) Investing Activities [Abstract]
Purchase of property and equipment	0	0
Intercompany Investing	(13,166)	(3,555)
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	(13,166)	(3,555)
Net Cash Provided by (Used in) Financing Activities [Abstract]
Net proceeds from issuance of senior notes	0
Proceeds from bank borrowings - homebuilding operations	0	0
Principal 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
Proceeds from exercise of stock options	4,791	73
Intercompany Financing	0	0
Dividends paid	(3,656)	(3,656)
Debt issue costs	0	0
Net Cash Provided by (Used in) Financing Activities	1,135	(3,583)
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	(152,148)	(18,210)
Net Cash Provided by (Used in) Investing Activities [Abstract]
Purchase of property and equipment	(5,848)	(11,565)
Intercompany Investing	0	0
Investment in joint venture arrangements	(3,401)	(5,504)
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	(9,249)	(17,069)
Net Cash Provided by (Used in) Financing Activities [Abstract]
Net proceeds from issuance of senior notes	250,000
Proceeds from bank borrowings - homebuilding operations	366,500	276,800
Principal repayments of bank borrowings - homebuilding operations	(406,800)	(235,600)
Net repayment of bank borrowings - financial services operations	0	0
Proceeds from (principal repayments of) notes payable-other and CDD bond obligations	(2,358)	125
Proceeds from exercise of stock options	0	0
Intercompany Financing	22,141	(630)
Dividends paid	0	0
Debt issue costs	(6,509)	(153)
Net Cash Provided by (Used in) Financing Activities	222,974	40,542
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents	61,577	5,263
Cash and cash equivalents balance at beginning of period	20,927	2,896
Cash and cash equivalents balance at end of period	82,504	8,159
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Net Cash Provided by (Used in) Operating Activities [Abstract]
Net cash (used in) provided by operating activities	86,123	44,712
Net Cash Provided by (Used in) Investing Activities [Abstract]
Purchase of property and equipment	(169)	(54)
Intercompany Investing	0	0
Investment in joint venture arrangements	(5,038)	(4,556)
Return of investment from Investment in joint venture arrangements	1,833
Net proceeds from sale of mortgage servicing rights	7,558
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities	4,184	(4,610)
Net Cash Provided by (Used in) Financing Activities [Abstract]
Net proceeds from issuance of senior notes	0
Proceeds from bank borrowings - homebuilding operations	0	0
Principal repayments of bank borrowings - homebuilding operations	0	0
Net repayment of bank borrowings - financial services operations	(61,620)	(32,165)
Proceeds from (principal repayments of) notes payable-other and CDD bond obligations	0	0
Proceeds from exercise of stock options	0	0
Intercompany Financing	(8,975)	(3,766)
Dividends paid	(12,031)	(7,138)
Debt issue costs	(63)	(40)
Net Cash Provided by (Used in) Financing Activities	(82,689)	(43,109)
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents	7,618	(3,007)
Cash and cash equivalents balance at beginning of period	13,514	18,156
Cash and cash equivalents balance at end of period	$ 21,132	$ 15,149