Supplemental Guarantor Information Supplemental Guarantor Information - Statements of Cash Flows (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	6 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2013	Dec. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015
Net Cash Provided by (Used in) Operating Activities [Abstract]
Net cash (used in) provided by operating activities		$ (52,530)	$ 34,197	$ (82,365)
Net Cash Provided by (Used in) Investing Activities [Abstract]
Purchase of property and equipment		(8,799)	(13,106)	(3,659)
Acquisition, net of cash acquired		0	0	(23,950)
Net proceeds from sale of mortgage servicing rights		7,558	0	3,065
Intercompany Investing		0	0	0
Investment in joint venture arrangements		(12,088)	(21,746)	(18,162)
Return of capital from joint venture arrangements		(3,518)	(3,207)	(1,226)
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities		(9,811)	(31,645)	(41,480)
Net Cash Provided by (Used in) Financing Activities [Abstract]
Repayment of senior notes				(226,874)
Proceeds from issuance of senior notes		250,000		300,000
Proceeds from bank borrowings - homebuilding operations		398,300	351,500	417,300
Repayments of bank borrowings - homebuilding operations		(438,600)	(355,000)	(403,500)
Net proceeds from bank borrowings - financial services operations		15,300	29,247	38,269
Proceeds from (principal repayment of) notes payable-other and community development district bond obligations		4,161	(2,026)	(1,077)
Redemption of preferred shares	$ (50,352)	(50,420)
Dividends paid on preferred shares		(3,656)	(4,875)	(4,875)
Redemption of preferred shares		(50,420)	0	0
Intercompany financing		0	0	0
Debt issue costs		(6,707)	(240)	(5,818)
Proceeds from exercise of stock options		11,225	182	1,035
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities		179,603	18,788	114,460
Net increase (decrease) in cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash		117,262	21,340	(9,385)
Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash balance at beginning of period		34,441	13,101	22,486
Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash balance at end of period		151,703	34,441	13,101
Consolidation, Eliminations [Member]
Net Cash Provided by (Used in) Operating Activities [Abstract]
Net cash (used in) provided by operating activities		(15,581)	(11,653)	(7,178)
Net Cash Provided by (Used in) Investing Activities [Abstract]
Purchase of property and equipment		0	0	0
Acquisition, net of cash acquired				0
Net proceeds from sale of mortgage servicing rights		0		0
Intercompany Investing		27,270	(6,960)	3,338
Investment in joint venture arrangements		0	0	0
Return of capital from joint venture arrangements		0	0	0
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities		(27,270)	6,960	3,338
Net Cash Provided by (Used in) Financing Activities [Abstract]
Repayment of senior notes				0
Proceeds from issuance of senior notes		0		0
Proceeds from bank borrowings - homebuilding operations		0	0	0
Repayments of bank borrowings - homebuilding operations		0	0	0
Net proceeds from bank borrowings - financial services operations		0	0	0
Proceeds from (principal repayment of) notes payable-other and community development district bond obligations		0	0	0
Dividends paid on preferred shares		15,581	11,653	7,178
Redemption of preferred shares		0
Intercompany financing		27,270	991	(11,289)
Debt issue costs		0	0	0
Proceeds from exercise of stock options		0	0	0
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities		42,851	12,644	(4,111)
Net increase (decrease) in cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash		0	7,951	(7,951)
Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash balance at beginning of period		0	(7,951)	0
Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash balance at end of period		0	0	(7,951)
Parent Company [Member]
Net Cash Provided by (Used in) Operating Activities [Abstract]
Net cash (used in) provided by operating activities		15,581	11,653	7,178
Net Cash Provided by (Used in) Investing Activities [Abstract]
Purchase of property and equipment		0	0	0
Acquisition, net of cash acquired				0
Net proceeds from sale of mortgage servicing rights		0		0
Intercompany Investing		(27,270)	6,960	(3,338)
Investment in joint venture arrangements		0	0	0
Return of capital from joint venture arrangements		0	0	0
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities		27,270	(6,960)	(3,338)
Net Cash Provided by (Used in) Financing Activities [Abstract]
Repayment of senior notes				0
Proceeds from issuance of senior notes		0		0
Proceeds from bank borrowings - homebuilding operations		0	0	0
Repayments of bank borrowings - homebuilding operations		0	0	0
Net proceeds from bank borrowings - financial services operations		0	0	0
Proceeds from (principal repayment of) notes payable-other and community development district bond obligations		0	0	0
Dividends paid on preferred shares		(3,656)	(4,875)	(4,875)
Redemption of preferred shares		(50,420)
Intercompany financing		0	0	0
Debt issue costs		0	0	0
Proceeds from exercise of stock options		11,225	182	1,035
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities		(42,851)	(4,693)	(3,840)
Net increase (decrease) in cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash		0	0	0
Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash balance at beginning of period		0	0	0
Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash balance at end of period		0	0	0
Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Net Cash Provided by (Used in) Operating Activities [Abstract]
Net cash (used in) provided by operating activities		(63,922)	42,572	(58,772)
Net Cash Provided by (Used in) Investing Activities [Abstract]
Purchase of property and equipment		(8,535)	(12,505)	(3,156)
Acquisition, net of cash acquired				(23,950)
Net proceeds from sale of mortgage servicing rights		0		0
Intercompany Investing		0	0	0
Investment in joint venture arrangements		6,117	13,764	8,087
Return of capital from joint venture arrangements		0	0	0
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities		(14,652)	(26,269)	(35,193)
Net Cash Provided by (Used in) Financing Activities [Abstract]
Repayment of senior notes				(226,874)
Proceeds from issuance of senior notes		250,000		300,000
Proceeds from bank borrowings - homebuilding operations		398,300	351,500	417,300
Repayments of bank borrowings - homebuilding operations		(438,600)	(355,000)	(403,500)
Net proceeds from bank borrowings - financial services operations		0	0	0
Proceeds from (principal repayment of) notes payable-other and community development district bond obligations		4,161	(2,026)	(1,077)
Dividends paid on preferred shares		0	0	0
Redemption of preferred shares		0
Intercompany financing		(18,143)	7,407	5,929
Debt issue costs		(6,549)	(153)	(5,740)
Proceeds from exercise of stock options		0	0	0
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities		189,169	1,728	86,038
Net increase (decrease) in cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash		110,595	18,031	(7,927)
Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash balance at beginning of period		20,927	2,896	10,823
Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash balance at end of period		131,522	20,927	2,896
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Net Cash Provided by (Used in) Operating Activities [Abstract]
Net cash (used in) provided by operating activities		11,392	(8,375)	(23,593)
Net Cash Provided by (Used in) Investing Activities [Abstract]
Purchase of property and equipment		(264)	(601)	(503)
Acquisition, net of cash acquired				0
Net proceeds from sale of mortgage servicing rights		7,558		3,065
Intercompany Investing		0	0	0
Investment in joint venture arrangements		5,971	7,982	10,075
Return of capital from joint venture arrangements		(3,518)	(3,207)	(1,226)
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities		4,841	(5,376)	(6,287)
Net Cash Provided by (Used in) Financing Activities [Abstract]
Repayment of senior notes				0
Proceeds from issuance of senior notes		0		0
Proceeds from bank borrowings - homebuilding operations		0	0	0
Repayments of bank borrowings - homebuilding operations		0	0	0
Net proceeds from bank borrowings - financial services operations		15,300	29,247	38,269
Proceeds from (principal repayment of) notes payable-other and community development district bond obligations		0	0	0
Dividends paid on preferred shares		(15,581)	(11,653)	(7,178)
Redemption of preferred shares		0
Intercompany financing		(9,127)	(8,398)	5,360
Debt issue costs		(158)	(87)	(78)
Proceeds from exercise of stock options		0	0	0
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities		(9,566)	9,109	36,373
Net increase (decrease) in cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash		6,667	(4,642)	6,493
Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash balance at beginning of period		13,514	18,156	11,663
Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash balance at end of period		$ 20,181	$ 13,514	$ 18,156