Basis of Presentation Basis of Presentation (Policies)

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2018

Revenue Recognition Policy [Abstract]

Revenue Recognition, Policy [Policy Text Block]

Revenue Recognition.  On January 1, 2018, we adopted ASC 606, Revenue from Contracts from Customers (“ASC 606”),using the modified retrospective transition method, which includes a cumulative catch-up in retained earnings on the initial date of adoption for existing contracts (those that are not completed) as of, and new contracts after, January 1, 2018. Results for reporting periods beginning after January 1, 2018 are presented under ASC 606, while prior period amounts are not adjusted and continue to be reported in accordance with our historic accounting under ASC 605, Revenue Recognition (“ASC 605”). We did not have any material adjustments to our 2018 results under ASC 606.

Revenue from the sale of a home and revenue from the sale of land to third parties is recognized in the financial statements on the date of closing (point in time) if delivery has occurred, title has passed, all performance obligations have been met (please see definition of performance obligations below), and control of the home or land is transferred to the buyer in an amount that reflects the consideration we expect to be entitled to in exchange for the home or land.

We recognize the majority of the revenue associated with our mortgage loan operations when the mortgage loans are sold and/or related servicing rights are sold to third party investors or retained and managed under a third party subservice arrangement. The revenue recognized is reduced by the fair value of the related guarantee provided to the investor. The fair value of the guarantee is recognized in revenue when the Company is released from its obligation under the guarantee (note that guarantees are excluded from the scope of ASC 606). We recognize financial services revenue associated with our title operations as homes are delivered, closing services are rendered, and title policies are issued, all of which generally occur simultaneously as each home is delivered. All of the underwriting risk associated with title insurance policies is transferred to third-party insurers.

A performance obligation is a promise in a contract to transfer a distinct good or service to the customer. A contract’s transaction price is allocated to each distinct performance obligation and recognized as revenue when, or as, the performance obligation is satisfied. All of our contracts to sell homes have a single performance obligation as the promise to transfer the home is not separately identifiable from other promises in the contract and, therefore, not distinct. Our third party land contracts may include multiple performance obligations; however, revenue expected to be recognized in any future year related to remaining performance obligations, excluding revenue pertaining to contracts that have an original expected duration of one year or less, is not material.

We generally expense sales commissions when incurred because the amortization period would have been one year or less. These costs are recorded within general, selling and administrative expenses as part of our sales and marketing expenses. We do not disclose the value of unsatisfied performance obligations for contracts with an original expected length of one year or less.

The following table presents our revenues disaggregated by geography:

	Three Months Ended September 30,				Nine Months Ended September 30,
(In thousands)	2018 (a)		2017		2018		2017
Midwest homebuilding	$	236,803	$	180,488	$	622,325	$	495,379
Southern homebuilding	221,044		176,502		649,014		504,647
Mid-Atlantic homebuilding	97,802		107,670		253,363		302,305
Financial services (b)	12,193		11,763		39,095		37,938
Total revenue	$	567,842	$	476,423	$	1,563,797	$	1,340,269

(a) As noted above, prior period amounts have not been adjusted under the cumulative catch-up transition method.

(b) Revenues include $0.2 million and $1.2 million related to hedging losses for the three months ended September 30, 2018 and 2017. Revenues include $3.0 million and $1.3 million related to hedging gains for the nine months ended September 30, 2018 and 2017, respectively. Hedging gains (losses) do not represent revenues recognized from contracts with customers.

The following table presents our revenues disaggregated by revenue source:

	Three Months Ended September 30,				Nine Months Ended September 30,
(Dollars in thousands)	2018 (a)		2017		2018		2017
Housing	$	554,820	$	459,342	$	1,518,278	$	1,289,893
Land sales	829		5,318		6,424		12,438
Financial services (b)	12,193		11,763		39,095		37,938
Total revenue	$	567,842	$	476,423	$	1,563,797	$	1,340,269

(a) As noted above, prior period amounts have not been adjusted under the cumulative catch-up transition method.

(b) Revenues include $0.2 million and $1.2 million related to hedging losses for the three months ended September 30, 2018 and 2017. Revenues include $3.0 million and $1.3 million related to hedging gains for the nine months ended September 30, 2018 and 2017, respectively. Hedging gains (losses) do not represent revenues recognized from contracts with customers.

Goodwill and Intangible Assets, Policy [Policy Text Block]

Goodwill. Goodwill represents the excess of the purchase price paid over the fair value of the net assets acquired and liabilities assumed in business combinations. Because the purchase price allocation is subject to change within a measurement period of up to one year from the acquisition date pursuant to ASC 805, in connection with the Company’s acquisition of the homebuilding assets and operations of Pinnacle Homes in Detroit, Michigan, the Company recorded a provisional amount of goodwill of approximately $16.4 million as of September 30, 2018, which is included as Goodwill in our Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets. This provisional amount was based on the estimated fair values of the acquired assets and assumed liabilities at the date of the acquisition in accordance with ASC 350, Intangibles, Goodwill and Other (“ASC 350”). Please see Note 7 to the Company’s financial statements for further discussion.

In January 2017, the FASB issued ASU 2017-04, Simplifying the Test for Goodwill Impairment, which eliminates Step 2 from the goodwill impairment test in order to simplify the subsequent measurement of goodwill. Step 2 measures a goodwill impairment loss by comparing the implied fair value of a reporting unit’s goodwill with the carrying amount of that goodwill. As a result of this ASU, the Company will apply a one-step quantitative test and record the amount of goodwill impairment as the excess of a reporting unit’s carrying amount over its fair value, not to exceed the total amount of goodwill allocated to the reporting unit.  ASU 2017-04 is effective beginning January 1, 2020, with early adoption permitted, and applied prospectively. The Company elected to early adopt this ASU effective for the current reporting period in its impairment testing and analyses. The adoption of ASU 2017-04 on January 1, 2018 did not have an impact on the Company’s consolidated financial statements and disclosures as it will perform its annual goodwill impairment analysis during the fourth quarter of 2018 (as no indicators for impairment existed at September 30, 2018).

In accordance with ASC 350, the Company analyzes goodwill for impairment on an annual basis (or more often if indicators of impairment exist). The Company performs a qualitative assessment to determine whether the existence of events or circumstances leads to a determination that it is more-likely-than-not that the fair value of a reporting unit is less than its carrying amount. When performing a qualitative assessment, the Company evaluates qualitative factors such as (1) macroeconomic conditions, such as a deterioration in general economic conditions; (2) industry and market considerations such as deterioration in the environment in which the entity operates; (3) cost factors such as increases in raw materials and labor costs; and (4) overall financial performance such as negative or declining cash flows or a decline in actual or planned revenue or earnings, to determine if it is more-likely-than-not that the fair value of the reporting unit is less than its carrying amount. If the qualitative assessment indicates that it is more-likely-than-not that the fair value of the reporting unit is less than its carrying amount, then a quantitative assessment is performed to determine the reporting unit’s fair value. If the reporting unit’s carrying value exceeds its fair value, then an impairment loss is recognized for the amount of the excess of the carrying amount over the reporting unit’s fair value.

The evaluation of goodwill for possible impairment includes estimating fair value using one or a combination of valuation techniques, such as discounted cash flows. These valuations require the Company to make estimates and assumptions regarding future operating results, cash flows, changes in capital expenditures, selling prices, profitability, and the cost of capital. Although the Company believes its assumptions and estimates are reasonable, deviations from the assumptions and estimates could produce a materially different result.

New Accounting Pronouncements, Policy [Policy Text Block]

Recently Adopted Accounting Standards

In May 2014, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) No. 2014-09, Revenue from Contracts with Customers (“ASU 2014-09”), which provides guidance for revenue recognition. ASU 2014-09 affects any entity that either enters into contracts with customers to transfer goods or services or enters into contracts for the transfer of nonfinancial assets and supersedes the revenue recognition requirements in ASC 605 and most industry-specific guidance. This ASU also supersedes some cost guidance included in Subtopic 605-35, “Revenue Recognition-Construction-Type and Production-Type Contracts.” ASU 2014-09’s core principle is that a company will recognize revenue when it transfers promised goods or services to customers in an amount that reflects the consideration to which a company expects to be entitled in exchange for those goods or services. In doing so, companies will need to use more judgment and make more estimates than under today’s guidance, including identifying performance obligations in the contract, estimating the amount of variable consideration to include in the transaction price and allocating the transaction price to each separate performance obligation. In August 2015, the FASB issued ASU No. 2015-14, Revenue from Contracts with Customers: Deferral of the Effective Date, which delayed the effective date of ASU 2014-09 by one year. ASU 2014-09, as amended, is effective for public companies for annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2017, including interim reporting periods within that reporting period.

Subsequent to the issuance of ASU 2014-09, the FASB has issued several ASUs, such as ASU 2016-08, Revenue from Contracts with Customers: Principal versus Agent Considerations (Reporting Revenue Gross versus Net), ASU 2016-10, Revenue from Contracts with Customers: Identifying Performance Obligations and Licensing, and ASU 2016-12, Revenue from Contracts with Customers: Narrow-Scope Improvements and Practical Expedients. These ASUs do not change the core principle of the guidance stated in ASU 2014-09. Instead, these amendments are intended to clarify and improve the operability of certain topics addressed by ASU 2014-09. These additional ASUs have the same effective date and transition requirements as ASU 2014-09, as amended.

We adopted the standard, and the subsequently issued standards mentioned above, on January 1, 2018 using the modified retrospective transition method, which includes a cumulative catch-up in retained earnings on the initial date of adoption for existing contracts (those that are not completed) as of, and new contracts after, January 1, 2018. The adoption did not have a material impact on our consolidated financial statements. The amount and timing of our housing and land revenue remained substantially unchanged, and we did not have significant changes to our business processes, systems, or internal controls as a result of adopting the standard. The Company has developed the additional expanded disclosures required (please see our Significant Accounting Policies section above); however, the adoption did not have a material impact on its consolidated results of operations, financial position and cash flows.

In February 2017, the FASB issued ASU 2017-05, Other Income - Gains and Losses from the Derecognition of Nonfinancial Assets (Subtopic 610-20): Clarifying the Scope of Asset Derecognition Guidance and Accounting for Partial Sales of Nonfinancial Assets (“ASU 2017-05”). ASU 2017-05 is intended to clarify the scope of the original guidance within Subtopic 610-20 that was issued in connection with ASU 2014-09, which provides guidance for recognizing gains and losses from the transfer of nonfinancial assets in contracts with noncustomers. ASU 2017-05 additionally added guidance for partial sales of nonfinancial assets. ASU 2017-05 is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2017, and interim periods within those fiscal years. We were required to adopt ASU 2017-05 concurrent with the adoption of ASU 2014-09. The adoption of ASU 2017-05 did not have a material impact on the Company’s consolidated financial statements and disclosures.

In August 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-15, Statement of Cash Flows (Topic 230): Classification of Certain Cash Receipts and Cash Payments (“ASU 2016-15”). ASU 2016-15 provides guidance on how certain cash receipts and cash payments are to be presented and classified in the statement of cash flows. For public entities, ASU 2016-15 is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2017, and interim periods within those fiscal years. Early adoption is permitted. The adoption of ASU 2016-15 did not modify the Company's current disclosures within the condensed consolidated statement of cash flows and did not have any impact on the Company’s consolidated financial statements and disclosures.

In January 2017, the FASB issued ASU 2017-01, Business Combinations (Topic 805): Clarifying the Definition of a Business (“ASU 2017-01”), which provides a more robust framework for determining whether transactions should be accounted for as acquisitions (or dispositions) of assets or businesses. ASU 2017-01 is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2017, and interim periods within those fiscal years. The Company adopted the standard on January 1, 2018. The adoption of ASU 2017-01 did not have an impact on the Company’s consolidated financial statements and disclosures as the Company’s acquisition during the first quarter of 2018 met all requirements to be accounted for as a business acquisition.

Description of New Accounting Pronouncements Not yet Adopted [Text Block]

Impact of New Accounting Standards

In February 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-02, Leases (“ASU 2016-02”). ASU 2016-02 will require organizations that lease assets - referred to as “lessees” - to recognize on the balance sheet the assets and liabilities for the rights and obligations created by those leases. Under ASU 2016-02, a lessee will be required to recognize assets and liabilities for leases with lease terms of more than 12 months. Lessor accounting remains substantially similar to current GAAP. In addition, disclosures of leasing activities will be expanded to include qualitative and specific quantitative information. For public entities, ASU 2016-02 is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2018, including interim periods within those fiscal years. ASU 2016-02 mandates a modified retrospective transition method. The Company continues to evaluate the potential impact the adoption of ASU 2016-02 will have on the Company’s consolidated financial statements and disclosures; however, because a large majority of our leases are for office space, which we have determined will be treated as operating leases under ASU 2016-02, we anticipate recording a right-of-use asset and related lease liability for these leases, but do not expect our expense recognition pattern to change.

In March 2017, the FASB issued ASU 2017-08, Receivables - Nonrefundable Fees and Other Costs (Subtopic 310-20): Premium Amortization on Purchased Callable Debt Securities (“ASU 2017-08”), which shortens the amortization period for certain callable debt securities held at a premium. Specifically, the amendments require the premium to be amortized to the earliest call date. The amendments do not require an accounting change for securities held at a discount; the discount continues to be amortized to maturity. For public entities, ASU 2017-08 is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2018, and interim periods within those fiscal years. The Company does not believe the adoption of ASU 2017-08 will have a material impact on the Company’s consolidated financial statements and disclosures.

In January 2018, the FASB issued ASU 2018-01, Land Easement Practical Expedient for Transition to Topic 842 (“ASU 2018-01”), which provides an optional transition practical expedient to not evaluate under Topic 842 existing or expired land easements that were not previously accounted for as leases under the current lease guidance in Topic 840. An entity that elects this practical expedient should evaluate new or modified land easements under Topic 842 beginning at the date the entity adopts Topic 842; otherwise, an entity should evaluate all existing or expired land easements in connection with the adoption of the new lease requirements in Topic 842 to assess whether they meet the definition of a lease. The effective date and transition requirements for the amendments are the same as the effective date and transition requirements in ASU 2016-02. This ASU is not expected to have a significant impact on the Company's expected impact of the adoption of ASU 2016-02 (discussed above) or its consolidated financial statements and disclosures.

In March 2018, the FASB issued ASU 2018-05, which amends Income Taxes (Topic 740) by incorporating the Securities and Exchange Commission’s (“SEC”) Staff Accounting Bulletin 118 (“SAB 118”) issued on December 22, 2017. SAB 118 provides guidance on accounting for the effects of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 (the “Tax Act”). We recognized the income tax effects of the Tax Act in our 2017 financial statements in accordance with SAB 118. Please see Note 10 to our financial statements for additional disclosures.

In July 2018, the FASB issued ASU 2018-09, Codification Improvements (“ASU 2018-09”). ASU 2018-09 amends a variety of topics in the FASB’s Accounting Standards Codification. The transition and effective date of the guidance are based on the facts and circumstances of each amendment. Some of the amendments in ASU 2018-09 do not require transition guidance and were effective upon issuance of ASU 2018-09. However, many of the amendments include transition guidance with effective dates for annual periods beginning after December 15, 2018. The Company does not believe the adoption of ASU 2018-09 will have a material impact on the Company’s consolidated financial statements and disclosures.

In July 2018, the FASB issued ASU 2018-10, Codification Improvements to Topic 842, Leases. This ASU includes certain clarifications to address potential narrow-scope implementation issues which we are incorporating into our assessment and adoption of ASU 2016-02. The amendments in this ASU are effective in the same time-frame as ASU 2016-02 as discussed above.

In July 2018, the FASB issued ASU 2018-11, Leases (Topic 842): Targeted Improvements. This ASU allows entities to not recast comparative periods in transition to ASC 842 and instead report the comparative periods presented in the period of adoption under ASC 840. The ASU also includes a practical expedient for lessors to not separate the lease and non-lease components of a contract. The amendments in this ASU are effective in the same time-frame as ASU 2016-02 as discussed above. We are incorporating this ASU into our assessment and adoption of ASU 2016-02.

In August 2018, the FASB issued ASU 2018-13, Fair Value Measurement (Topic 820): Disclosure Framework – Changes to the Disclosure Requirements for Fair Value Measurement (“ASU 2018-13”). This ASU modifies the disclosure requirements for fair value measurements. This ASU removes the requirement to disclose (1) the amount of and reasons for transfers between Level 1 and Level 2 of the fair value hierarchy, (2) the policy for timing of transfers between levels, and (3) the valuation processes for Level 3 fair value measurements. ASU 2018-13 requires disclosure of changes in unrealized gains and losses for the period included in other comprehensive income (loss) for recurring Level 3 fair value measurements held at the end of the reporting period and the range and weighted average of significant unobservable inputs used to develop Level 3 fair value measurements. For all entities, ASU 2018-13 is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2019, and interim periods within those fiscal years. We are currently evaluating the effect that this guidance will have on our consolidated financial statements and disclosures.

In August 2018, the FASB issued ASU 2018-15, Intangibles - Goodwill and Other - Internal-Use Software (Subtopic 350-40): Customer's Accounting for Implementation Costs Incurred in a Cloud Computing Arrangement That Is a Service Contract (a consensus of the FASB Emerging Issues Task Force) (“ASU 2018-15”). This ASU requires entities that are customers in cloud computing arrangements to defer implementation costs if they would be capitalized by the entity in software licensing arrangements under the internal-use software guidance. The guidance may be applied retrospectively or prospectively to implementation costs incurred after the date of adoption. For public entities, ASU 2018-15 is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2019, and interim periods within those fiscal years. We are currently evaluating the effect that this guidance will have on our consolidated financial statements and disclosures.