Supplemental Guarantor Information (Balance Sheet) (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011
ASSETS
Cash and equivalents	$ 1,292,862	$ 1,580,329	$ 1,404,760	$ 1,083,071
Restricted cash	16,358	72,715
House and land inventory	4,392,100	3,978,561	4,214,046
Land held for sale	101,190	61,735
Land, not owned, under option agreements	30,186	24,024
Residential mortgage loans available-for-sale	339,531	287,933
Securities purchased under agreements to resell	0
Investments in unconsolidated entities	40,368	45,323
Other assets	513,032	460,621
Intangible assets	123,115	136,148
Deferred tax assets, net	1,720,668	2,086,754
Investments in subsidiaries and intercompany accounts, net	0	0
Total assets	8,569,410	8,734,143	6,734,409
Liabilities:
Accounts payable, customer deposits, accrued and other liabilities	1,756,932	1,715,344
Income tax liabilities	48,722	206,015
Financial Services debt	140,241	105,664
Senior notes	1,818,561	2,058,168
Total liabilities	3,764,456	4,085,191
Total shareholders' equity	4,804,954	4,648,952	2,189,616	1,938,615
Total liabilities and shareholders' equity	8,569,410	8,734,143
Parent Company [Member]
ASSETS
Cash and equivalents	7,454	262,364	146,168	119,287
Restricted cash	3,710	58,699
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
Securities purchased under agreements to resell	22,000
Investments in unconsolidated entities	74	68
Other assets	34,214	50,251
Intangible assets	0	0
Deferred tax assets, net	1,712,853	2,074,137
Investments in subsidiaries and intercompany accounts, net	4,963,831	4,532,950
Total assets	6,744,136	6,978,469
Liabilities:
Accounts payable, customer deposits, accrued and other liabilities	71,874	65,334
Income tax liabilities	48,747	206,015
Financial Services debt	0	0
Senior notes	1,818,561	2,058,168
Total liabilities	1,939,182	2,329,517
Total shareholders' equity	4,804,954	4,648,952
Total liabilities and shareholders' equity	6,744,136	6,978,469
Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
ASSETS
Cash and equivalents	1,157,307	1,188,999	1,063,943	875,561
Restricted cash	1,513	2,635
House and land inventory	4,391,445	3,977,851
Land held for sale	100,156	60,701
Land, not owned, under option agreements	30,186	24,024
Residential mortgage loans available-for-sale	0	0
Securities purchased under agreements to resell	0
Investments in unconsolidated entities	36,126	41,319
Other assets	421,145	359,228
Intangible assets	123,115	136,148
Deferred tax assets, net	15	17
Investments in subsidiaries and intercompany accounts, net	967,032	(16,513)
Total assets	7,228,040	5,774,409
Liabilities:
Accounts payable, customer deposits, accrued and other liabilities	1,514,954	1,413,752
Income tax liabilities	(25)	0
Financial Services debt	0	0
Senior notes	0	0
Total liabilities	1,514,929	1,413,752
Total shareholders' equity	5,713,111	4,360,657
Total liabilities and shareholders' equity	7,228,040	5,774,409
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
ASSETS
Cash and equivalents	128,101	128,966	194,649	88,223
Restricted cash	11,135	11,381
House and land inventory	655	710
Land held for sale	1,034	1,034
Land, not owned, under option agreements	0	0
Residential mortgage loans available-for-sale	339,531	287,933
Securities purchased under agreements to resell	(22,000)
Investments in unconsolidated entities	4,168	3,936
Other assets	57,673	51,142
Intangible assets	0	0
Deferred tax assets, net	7,800	12,600
Investments in subsidiaries and intercompany accounts, net	6,359,441	5,939,784
Total assets	6,887,538	6,437,486
Liabilities:
Accounts payable, customer deposits, accrued and other liabilities	170,104	236,258
Income tax liabilities	0	0
Financial Services debt	140,241	105,664
Senior notes	0	0
Total liabilities	310,345	341,922
Total shareholders' equity	6,577,193	6,095,564
Total liabilities and shareholders' equity	6,887,538	6,437,486
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
Securities purchased under agreements to resell	0
Investments in unconsolidated entities	0	0
Other assets	0	0
Intangible assets	0	0
Deferred tax assets, net	0	0
Investments in subsidiaries and intercompany accounts, net	(12,290,304)	(10,456,221)
Total assets	(12,290,304)	(10,456,221)
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	(12,290,304)	(10,456,221)
Total liabilities and shareholders' equity	$ (12,290,304)	$ (10,456,221)