Supplemental Guarantor Information (Balance Sheet) (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010
ASSETS
Cash and equivalents	$ 1,580,329	$ 1,404,760	$ 1,083,071	$ 1,483,390
Restricted cash	72,715	71,950
House and land inventory	3,978,561	4,214,046	4,636,468
Land held for sale	61,735	91,104
Land, not owned, under option agreements	24,024	31,066
Residential mortgage loans available-for-sale	287,933	318,931
Investments in unconsolidated entities	45,323	45,629
Other assets	460,621	407,675
Intangible assets	136,148	149,248
Deferred tax assets, net	2,086,754	0
Investments in subsidiaries and intercompany accounts, net	0	0
Total assets	8,734,143	6,734,409	6,885,620
Liabilities:
Accounts payable, customer deposits, accrued and other liabilities	1,715,344	1,697,520
Income tax liabilities	206,015	198,865
Financial Services debt	105,664	138,795
Senior notes	2,058,168	2,509,613
Total liabilities	4,085,191	4,544,793
Total shareholders' equity	4,648,952	2,189,616	1,938,615	2,135,167
Total liabilities and shareholders' equity	8,734,143	6,734,409
Parent Company [Member]
ASSETS
Cash and equivalents	262,364	146,168	119,287	10,000
Restricted cash	58,699	54,546
House and land inventory	0	0
Land held for sale	0	0
Land, not owned, under option agreements	0	0
Residential mortgage loans available-for-sale	0	0
Investments in unconsolidated entities	68	1,528
Other assets	50,251	28,951
Intangible assets	0	0
Deferred tax assets, net	2,074,137
Investments in subsidiaries and intercompany accounts, net	4,532,950	4,723,466
Total assets	6,978,469	4,954,659
Liabilities:
Accounts payable, customer deposits, accrued and other liabilities	65,334	56,565
Income tax liabilities	206,015	198,865
Financial Services debt	0	0
Senior notes	2,058,168	2,509,613
Total liabilities	2,329,517	2,765,043
Total shareholders' equity	4,648,952	2,189,616
Total liabilities and shareholders' equity	6,978,469	4,954,659
Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
ASSETS
Cash and equivalents	1,188,999	1,063,943	875,561	1,106,623
Restricted cash	2,635	3,365
House and land inventory	3,977,851	4,210,201
Land held for sale	60,701	91,104
Land, not owned, under option agreements	24,024	31,066
Residential mortgage loans available-for-sale	0	0
Investments in unconsolidated entities	41,319	40,973
Other assets	359,228	324,109
Intangible assets	136,148	149,248
Deferred tax assets, net	17
Investments in subsidiaries and intercompany accounts, net	(16,513)	7,198,710
Total assets	5,774,409	13,112,719
Liabilities:
Accounts payable, customer deposits, accrued and other liabilities	1,413,752	1,343,653
Income tax liabilities	0	0
Financial Services debt	0	0
Senior notes	0	0
Total liabilities	1,413,752	1,343,653
Total shareholders' equity	4,360,657	11,769,066
Total liabilities and shareholders' equity	5,774,409	13,112,719
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
ASSETS
Cash and equivalents	128,966	194,649	88,223	366,767
Restricted cash	11,381	14,039
House and land inventory	710	3,845
Land held for sale	1,034	0
Land, not owned, under option agreements	0	0
Residential mortgage loans available-for-sale	287,933	318,931
Investments in unconsolidated entities	3,936	3,128
Other assets	51,142	54,615
Intangible assets	0	0
Deferred tax assets, net	12,600
Investments in subsidiaries and intercompany accounts, net	5,939,784	6,296,915
Total assets	6,437,486	6,886,122
Liabilities:
Accounts payable, customer deposits, accrued and other liabilities	236,258	297,302
Income tax liabilities	0	0
Financial Services debt	105,664	138,795
Senior notes	0	0
Total liabilities	341,922	436,097
Total shareholders' equity	6,095,564	6,450,025
Total liabilities and shareholders' equity	6,437,486	6,886,122
Eliminating Entries [Member]
ASSETS
Cash and equivalents	0	0	0	0
Restricted cash	0	0
House and land inventory	0	0
Land held for sale	0	0
Land, not owned, under option agreements	0	0
Residential mortgage loans available-for-sale	0	0
Investments in unconsolidated entities	0	0
Other assets	0	0
Intangible assets	0	0
Deferred tax assets, net	0
Investments in subsidiaries and intercompany accounts, net	(10,456,221)	(18,219,091)
Total assets	(10,456,221)	(18,219,091)
Liabilities:
Accounts payable, customer deposits, accrued and other liabilities	0	0
Income tax liabilities	0	0
Financial Services debt	0	0
Senior notes	0	0
Total liabilities	0	0
Total shareholders' equity	(10,456,221)	(18,219,091)
Total liabilities and shareholders' equity	$ (10,456,221)	$ (18,219,091)