Supplemental Guarantor Information Supplemental Guarantor Information - Statements of Cash Flows (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2018	Sep. 30, 2017
Net Cash Provided by (Used in) Operating Activities [Abstract]
Net cash (used in) provided by operating activities	$ (73,895)	$ (66,025)
Net Cash Provided by (Used in) Investing Activities [Abstract]
Purchase of property and equipment	(5,866)	(6,017)
Acquisition	(100,960)	0
Intercompany Investing	0	0
Investment in joint venture arrangements	(20,487)	(8,439)
Return of capital from Investment in joint venture arrangements	676	1,833
Net proceeds from sale of mortgage servicing rights	5,111	7,558
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities	(121,526)	(5,065)
Net Cash Provided by (Used in) Financing Activities [Abstract]
Repayments of Senior Debt	(65,941)
Net proceeds from issuance of senior notes	0	250,000
Proceeds from bank borrowings - homebuilding operations	519,900	366,500
Principal repayments of bank borrowings - homebuilding operations	(297,200)	(406,800)
Net repayment of bank borrowings - financial services operations	(64,169)	(61,620)
Proceeds from (principal repayments of) notes payable-other and CDD bond obligations	1,738	2,358
Proceeds from exercise of stock options	426	4,791
Intercompany Financing	0	0
Payments for Repurchase of Common Stock	(11,085)	0
Dividends paid	0	(3,656)
Debt issue costs	(115)	(6,572)
Net Cash Provided by (Used in) Financing Activities	80,078	140,285
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents	(115,343)	69,195
Cash and cash equivalents balance at beginning of period	151,703	34,441
Cash and cash equivalents balance at end of period	36,360	103,636
Consolidation, Eliminations [Member]
Net Cash Provided by (Used in) Operating Activities [Abstract]
Net cash (used in) provided by operating activities	(11,700)	(12,031)
Net Cash Provided by (Used in) Investing Activities [Abstract]
Purchase of property and equipment	0	0
Acquisition	0
Intercompany Investing	1,041	13,166
Investment in joint venture arrangements	0	0
Return of capital from Investment in joint venture arrangements	0	0
Net proceeds from sale of mortgage servicing rights	0	0
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities	1,041	13,166
Net Cash Provided by (Used in) Financing Activities [Abstract]
Repayments of Senior Debt	0
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	(1,041)	(13,166)
Payments for Repurchase of Common Stock	0
Dividends paid	11,700	12,031
Debt issue costs	0	0
Net Cash Provided by (Used in) Financing Activities	10,659	(1,135)
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
Parent Company [Member]
Net Cash Provided by (Used in) Operating Activities [Abstract]
Net cash (used in) provided by operating activities	11,700	12,031
Net Cash Provided by (Used in) Investing Activities [Abstract]
Purchase of property and equipment	0	0
Acquisition	0
Intercompany Investing	(1,041)	(13,166)
Investment in joint venture arrangements	0	0
Return of capital from Investment in joint venture arrangements	0	0
Net proceeds from sale of mortgage servicing rights	0	0
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities	(1,041)	(13,166)
Net Cash Provided by (Used in) Financing Activities [Abstract]
Repayments of Senior Debt	0
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	426	4,791
Intercompany Financing	0	0
Payments for Repurchase of Common Stock	(11,085)
Dividends paid	0	(3,656)
Debt issue costs	0	0
Net Cash Provided by (Used in) Financing Activities	(10,659)	1,135
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	(144,828)	(152,148)
Net Cash Provided by (Used in) Investing Activities [Abstract]
Purchase of property and equipment	(5,636)	(5,848)
Acquisition	(100,960)
Intercompany Investing	0	0
Investment in joint venture arrangements	(19,412)	(3,401)
Return of capital from Investment in joint venture arrangements	0	0
Net proceeds from sale of mortgage servicing rights	0
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities	(126,008)	(9,249)
Net Cash Provided by (Used in) Financing Activities [Abstract]
Repayments of Senior Debt	(65,941)
Net proceeds from issuance of senior notes		250,000
Proceeds from bank borrowings - homebuilding operations	(519,900)	366,500
Principal repayments of bank borrowings - homebuilding operations	(297,200)	(406,800)
Net repayment of bank borrowings - financial services operations	0	0
Proceeds from (principal repayments of) notes payable-other and CDD bond obligations	1,738	2,358
Proceeds from exercise of stock options	0	0
Intercompany Financing	5,862	22,141
Payments for Repurchase of Common Stock	0
Dividends paid	0	0
Debt issue costs	(75)	(6,509)
Net Cash Provided by (Used in) Financing Activities	160,808	222,974
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents	(110,028)	61,577
Cash and cash equivalents balance at beginning of period	131,522	20,927
Cash and cash equivalents balance at end of period	21,494	82,504
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Net Cash Provided by (Used in) Operating Activities [Abstract]
Net cash (used in) provided by operating activities	70,933	86,123
Net Cash Provided by (Used in) Investing Activities [Abstract]
Purchase of property and equipment	(230)	(169)
Acquisition	0
Intercompany Investing	0	0
Investment in joint venture arrangements	(1,075)	(5,038)
Return of capital from Investment in joint venture arrangements	676	1,833
Net proceeds from sale of mortgage servicing rights	5,111	7,558
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities	4,482	4,184
Net Cash Provided by (Used in) Financing Activities [Abstract]
Repayments of Senior Debt	0
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	(64,169)	(61,620)
Proceeds from (principal repayments of) notes payable-other and CDD bond obligations	0	0
Proceeds from exercise of stock options	0	0
Intercompany Financing	(4,821)	(8,975)
Payments for Repurchase of Common Stock	0
Dividends paid	(11,700)	(12,031)
Debt issue costs	(40)	(63)
Net Cash Provided by (Used in) Financing Activities	(80,730)	(82,689)
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents	(5,315)	7,618
Cash and cash equivalents balance at beginning of period	20,181	13,514
Cash and cash equivalents balance at end of period	$ 14,866	$ 21,132