Supplemental Guarantor Information (Statement of Operations and Comprehensive Income (Loss)) (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2014	Sep. 30, 2013	Sep. 30, 2014	Sep. 30, 2013
Homebuilding
Home sale revenues	$ 1,551,226	$ 1,491,959	$ 3,885,703	$ 3,811,386
Land sale revenues	10,047	55,783	24,558	102,299
Total homebuilding revenues	1,561,273	1,547,742	3,910,261	3,913,685
Financial Services	33,452	34,336	89,544	110,571
Total revenues	1,594,725	1,582,078	3,999,805	4,024,256
Homebuilding Cost of Revenues:
Home sale cost of revenues	1,195,369	1,180,137	2,976,665	3,072,425
Land sale cost of revenues	3,539	49,933	15,382	92,661
Total cost of revenues	1,198,908	1,230,070	2,992,047	3,165,086
Financial Services expenses	22,623	23,244	48,058	68,867
Selling, general and administrative expenses	147,136	138,637	521,791	418,794
Other expense (income), net	2,406	17,055	25,561	79,166
Interest income	(1,205)	(1,036)	(3,431)	(3,321)
Interest expense	210	171	625	544
Equity in (earnings) loss of unconsolidated entities	(281)	(785)	(7,483)	(282)
Intercompany interest	0	0	0	0
Income (loss) before income taxes and equity in income (loss) of subsidiaries	224,928	174,722	422,637	295,402
Income tax expense (benefit)	84,383	(2,107,162)	165,393	(2,104,661)
Income (loss) before equity in income (loss) of subsidiaries	140,545	2,281,884	257,244	2,400,063
Equity in income (loss) of subsidiaries	0	0	0	0
Net income	140,545	2,281,884	257,244	2,400,063
Other comprehensive income	21	77	82	273
Comprehensive income	140,566	2,281,961	257,326	2,400,336
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	195	209	591	625
Selling, general and administrative expenses	0	0	0	0
Other expense (income), net	(16)	3,844	8,538	26,887
Interest income	(93)	(91)	(332)	(257)
Interest expense	210	171	625	544
Equity in (earnings) loss of unconsolidated entities	(2)	2	(7)	1,462
Intercompany interest	4,190	(158,633)	5,010	16,647
Income (loss) before income taxes and equity in income (loss) of subsidiaries	(4,484)	154,498	(14,425)	(45,908)
Income tax expense (benefit)	(1,764)	(2,108,148)	(5,640)	(2,108,019)
Income (loss) before equity in income (loss) of subsidiaries	(2,720)	2,262,646	(8,785)	2,062,111
Equity in income (loss) of subsidiaries	143,265	19,238	266,029	337,952
Net income	140,545	2,281,884	257,244	2,400,063
Other comprehensive income	21	77	82	273
Comprehensive income	140,566	2,281,961	257,326	2,400,336
Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Homebuilding
Home sale revenues	1,551,226	1,491,959	3,885,703	3,811,386
Land sale revenues	10,047	55,783	24,558	102,299
Total homebuilding revenues	1,561,273	1,547,742	3,910,261	3,913,685
Financial Services	154	649	888	1,759
Total revenues	1,561,427	1,548,391	3,911,149	3,915,444
Homebuilding Cost of Revenues:
Home sale cost of revenues	1,195,369	1,180,137	2,976,665	3,072,425
Land sale cost of revenues	3,539	49,933	15,382	92,661
Total cost of revenues	1,198,908	1,230,070	2,992,047	3,165,086
Financial Services expenses	(102)	145	56	369
Selling, general and administrative expenses	146,642	138,629	520,513	417,495
Other expense (income), net	2,194	10,860	16,290	48,379
Interest income	(1,080)	(928)	(3,046)	(2,985)
Interest expense	0	0	0	0
Equity in (earnings) loss of unconsolidated entities	(205)	(570)	(7,295)	(916)
Intercompany interest	(1,666)	162,739	2,281	(9,658)
Income (loss) before income taxes and equity in income (loss) of subsidiaries	216,736	7,446	390,303	297,674
Income tax expense (benefit)	81,157	(1,692)	152,750	(9,658)
Income (loss) before equity in income (loss) of subsidiaries	135,579	9,138	237,553	307,332
Equity in income (loss) of subsidiaries	7,518	11,316	28,670	33,292
Net income	143,097	20,454	266,223	340,624
Other comprehensive income	0	0	0	0
Comprehensive income	143,097	20,454	266,223	340,624
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	33,298	33,687	88,656	108,812
Total revenues	33,298	33,687	88,656	108,812
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	22,530	22,890	47,411	67,873
Selling, general and administrative expenses	494	8	1,278	1,299
Other expense (income), net	228	2,351	733	3,900
Interest income	(32)	(17)	(53)	(79)
Interest expense	0	0	0	0
Equity in (earnings) loss of unconsolidated entities	(74)	(217)	(181)	(828)
Intercompany interest	(2,524)	(4,106)	(7,291)	(6,989)
Income (loss) before income taxes and equity in income (loss) of subsidiaries	12,676	12,778	46,759	43,636
Income tax expense (benefit)	4,990	2,678	18,283	13,016
Income (loss) before equity in income (loss) of subsidiaries	7,686	10,100	28,476	30,620
Equity in income (loss) of subsidiaries	100,513	94,212	209,648	295,673
Net income	108,199	104,312	238,124	326,293
Other comprehensive income	0	0	0	0
Comprehensive income	108,199	104,312	238,124	326,293
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	(251,296)	(124,766)	(504,347)	(666,917)
Net income	(251,296)	(124,766)	(504,347)	(666,917)
Other comprehensive income	0	0	0	0
Comprehensive income	$ (251,296)	$ (124,766)	$ (504,347)	$ (666,917)