Supplemental Guarantor Information (Statement of Operations and Comprehensive Income (Loss)) (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2014	Jun. 30, 2013	Jun. 30, 2014	Jun. 30, 2013
Homebuilding
Home sale revenues	$ 1,246,462	$ 1,219,675	$ 2,334,477	$ 2,319,427
Land sale revenues	8,527	20,385	14,511	46,516
Total homebuilding revenues	1,254,989	1,240,060	2,348,988	2,365,943
Financial Services	31,198	39,362	56,093	76,235
Total revenues	1,286,187	1,279,422	2,405,081	2,442,178
Homebuilding Cost of Revenues:
Home sale cost of revenues	952,692	990,818	1,781,295	1,892,288
Land sale cost of revenues	6,832	20,710	11,843	42,728
Total cost of revenues	959,524	1,011,528	1,793,138	1,935,016
Financial Services expenses	22,114	23,035	25,436	45,623
Selling, general and administrative expenses	229,767	150,531	374,655	280,157
Other expense (income), net	9,324	57,339	23,155	62,111
Interest income	(1,115)	(1,112)	(2,226)	(2,285)
Interest expense	203	166	416	373
Equity in (earnings) loss of unconsolidated entities	(1,311)	(395)	(7,202)	503
Intercompany interest	0	0	0	0
Income (loss) before income taxes and equity in income (loss) of subsidiaries	67,681	38,330	197,709	120,680
Income tax expense (benefit)	25,801	1,913	81,010	2,501
Income (loss) before equity in income (loss) of subsidiaries	41,880	36,417	116,699	118,179
Equity in income (loss) of subsidiaries	0	0	0	0
Net income	41,880	36,417	116,699	118,179
Other comprehensive income	21	148	61	196
Comprehensive income	41,901	36,565	116,760	118,375
Parent Company [Member]
Homebuilding
Home sale revenues	0	0	0	0
Land sale revenues	0	0	0	0
Total homebuilding revenues	0	0	0	0
Financial Services	0	0	0	0
Total revenues	0	0	0	0
Homebuilding Cost of Revenues:
Home sale cost of revenues	0	0	0	0
Land sale cost of revenues	0	0	0	0
Total cost of revenues	0	0	0	0
Financial Services expenses	197	208	397	416
Selling, general and administrative expenses	0	0	0	0
Other expense (income), net	(16)	23,057	8,552	23,041
Interest income	(118)	(88)	(239)	(165)
Interest expense	203	166	416	373
Equity in (earnings) loss of unconsolidated entities	(1)	0	(4)	1,460
Intercompany interest	566	415	819	175,280
Income (loss) before income taxes and equity in income (loss) of subsidiaries	(831)	(23,758)	(9,941)	(200,405)
Income tax expense (benefit)	(3,795)	(24)	(3,877)	129
Income (loss) before equity in income (loss) of subsidiaries	2,964	(23,734)	(6,064)	(200,534)
Equity in income (loss) of subsidiaries	38,916	60,151	122,763	318,713
Net income	41,880	36,417	116,699	118,179
Other comprehensive income	21	148	61	196
Comprehensive income	41,901	36,565	116,760	118,375
Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Homebuilding
Home sale revenues	1,246,462	1,219,675	2,334,477	2,319,427
Land sale revenues	8,527	20,385	14,511	46,516
Total homebuilding revenues	1,254,989	1,240,060	2,348,988	2,365,943
Financial Services	357	492	735	1,111
Total revenues	1,255,346	1,240,552	2,349,723	2,367,054
Homebuilding Cost of Revenues:
Home sale cost of revenues	952,692	990,818	1,781,295	1,892,288
Land sale cost of revenues	6,832	20,710	11,843	42,728
Total cost of revenues	959,524	1,011,528	1,793,138	1,935,016
Financial Services expenses	81	80	158	224
Selling, general and administrative expenses	229,146	149,975	373,871	278,866
Other expense (income), net	9,117	33,118	14,098	37,521
Interest income	(994)	(1,003)	(1,965)	(2,058)
Interest expense	0	0	0	0
Equity in (earnings) loss of unconsolidated entities	(1,288)	(319)	(7,090)	(346)
Intercompany interest	2,004	1	3,948	(172,398)
Income (loss) before income taxes and equity in income (loss) of subsidiaries	57,756	47,172	173,565	290,229
Income tax expense (benefit)	18,868	(3,572)	71,594	(7,966)
Income (loss) before equity in income (loss) of subsidiaries	38,888	50,744	101,971	298,195
Equity in income (loss) of subsidiaries	264	10,555	21,151	21,976
Net income	39,152	61,299	123,122	320,171
Other comprehensive income	0	0	0	0
Comprehensive income	39,152	61,299	123,122	320,171
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Homebuilding
Home sale revenues	0	0	0	0
Land sale revenues	0	0	0	0
Total homebuilding revenues	0	0	0	0
Financial Services	30,841	38,870	55,358	75,124
Total revenues	30,841	38,870	55,358	75,124
Homebuilding Cost of Revenues:
Home sale cost of revenues	0	0	0	0
Land sale cost of revenues	0	0	0	0
Total cost of revenues	0	0	0	0
Financial Services expenses	21,836	22,747	24,881	44,983
Selling, general and administrative expenses	621	556	784	1,291
Other expense (income), net	223	1,164	505	1,549
Interest income	(3)	(21)	(22)	(62)
Interest expense	0	0	0	0
Equity in (earnings) loss of unconsolidated entities	(22)	(76)	(108)	(611)
Intercompany interest	(2,570)	(416)	(4,767)	(2,882)
Income (loss) before income taxes and equity in income (loss) of subsidiaries	10,756	14,916	34,085	30,856
Income tax expense (benefit)	10,728	5,509	13,293	10,338
Income (loss) before equity in income (loss) of subsidiaries	28	9,407	20,792	20,518
Equity in income (loss) of subsidiaries	48,919	26,502	109,135	201,461
Net income	48,947	35,909	129,927	221,979
Other comprehensive income	0	0	0	0
Comprehensive income	48,947	35,909	129,927	221,979
Eliminating Entries [Member]
Homebuilding
Home sale revenues	0	0	0	0
Land sale revenues	0	0	0	0
Total homebuilding revenues	0	0	0	0
Financial Services	0	0	0	0
Total revenues	0	0	0	0
Homebuilding Cost of Revenues:
Home sale cost of revenues	0	0	0	0
Land sale cost of revenues	0	0	0	0
Total cost of revenues	0	0	0	0
Financial Services expenses	0	0	0	0
Selling, general and administrative expenses	0	0	0	0
Other expense (income), net	0	0	0	0
Interest income	0	0	0	0
Interest expense	0	0	0	0
Equity in (earnings) loss of unconsolidated entities	0	0	0	0
Intercompany interest	0	0	0	0
Income (loss) before income taxes and equity in income (loss) of subsidiaries	0	0	0	0
Income tax expense (benefit)	0	0	0	0
Income (loss) before equity in income (loss) of subsidiaries	0	0	0	0
Equity in income (loss) of subsidiaries	(88,099)	(97,208)	(253,049)	(542,150)
Net income	(88,099)	(97,208)	(253,049)	(542,150)
Other comprehensive income	0	0	0	0
Comprehensive income	$ (88,099)	$ (97,208)	$ (253,049)	$ (542,150)