Fair Value Disclosures

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2015

Fair value disclosures

ASC 820, “Fair Value Measurements and Disclosures,” provides a framework for measuring fair value in generally accepted accounting principles and establishes a fair value hierarchy which requires an entity to maximize the use of observable inputs and minimize the use of unobservable inputs when measuring fair value. The fair value hierarchy can be summarized as follows:



Level 1		Fair value determined based on quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities.

Level 2		Fair value determined using significant observable inputs, generally either quoted prices in active markets for similar assets or liabilities or quoted prices in markets that are not active.

Level 3		Fair value determined using significant unobservable inputs, such as pricing models, discounted cash flows, or similar techniques.

Our assets and liabilities measured or disclosed at fair value are summarized below ($000’s omitted):



Financial Instrument	Fair Value Hierarchy	Fair Value
Financial Instrument	Fair Value Hierarchy	September 30, 2015			December 31, 2014

Measured at fair value on a recurring basis:
Residential mortgage loans available-for-sale	Level 2	$	270,658		$	339,531
Interest rate lock commitments	Level 2	11,022			4,248
Forward contracts	Level 2	(4,712		)	(3,574		)
Whole loan commitments	Level 2	(407		)	(588		)

Measured at fair value on a non-recurring basis:
House and land inventory	Level 3	$	1,262		$	13,925

Disclosed at fair value:
Cash and equivalents (including restricted cash)	Level 1	$	760,095		$	1,309,220
Financial Services debt	Level 2	107,508			140,241
Term loan	Level 2	500,000			—
Senior notes	Level 2	1,662,206			1,952,774

Fair values for agency residential mortgage loans available-for-sale are determined based on quoted market prices for comparable instruments. Fair values for non-agency residential mortgage loans available-for-sale are determined based on purchase commitments from whole loan investors and other relevant market information available to management. Fair values for interest rate lock commitments, including the value of servicing rights, are based on market prices for similar instruments. Forward contracts on mortgage-backed securities are valued based on market prices for similar instruments. Fair values for whole loan investor commitments are based on market prices for similar instruments from the specific whole loan investor.

Certain assets are required to be recorded at fair value on a non-recurring basis when events and circumstances indicate that the carrying value may not be recoverable. The non-recurring fair values included in the above table represent only those assets whose carrying values were adjusted to fair value as of the respective balance sheet dates.

The carrying amounts of cash and equivalents, Financial Services debt, the Term Loan, and the Revolving Credit Facility approximate their fair values due to their short-term nature and floating interest rate terms. The fair values of senior notes are based on quoted market prices, when available. If quoted market prices are not available, fair values are based on quoted market prices of similar issues. The carrying value of senior notes was $1.6 billion and $1.8 billion at September 30, 2015 and December 31, 2014, respectively.

- Definition

The entire disclosure for the fair value of financial instruments (as defined), including financial assets and financial liabilities (collectively, as defined), and the measurements of those instruments as well as disclosures related to the fair value of non-financial assets and liabilities. Such disclosures about the financial instruments, assets, and liabilities would include: (1) the fair value of the required items together with their carrying amounts (as appropriate); (2) for items for which it is not practicable to estimate fair value, disclosure would include: (a) information pertinent to estimating fair value (including, carrying amount, effective interest rate, and maturity, and (b) the reasons why it is not practicable to estimate fair value; (3) significant concentrations of credit risk including: (a) information about the activity, region, or economic characteristics identifying a concentration, (b) the maximum amount of loss the entity is exposed to based on the gross fair value of the related item, (c) policy for requiring collateral or other security and information as to accessing such collateral or security, and (d) the nature and brief description of such collateral or security; (4) quantitative information about market risks and how such risks are managed; (5) for items measured on both a recurring and nonrecurring basis information regarding the inputs used to develop the fair value measurement; and (6) for items presented in the financial statement for which fair value measurement is elected: (a) information necessary to understand the reasons for the election, (b) discussion of the effect of fair value changes on earnings, (c) a description of [similar groups] items for which the election is made and the relation thereof to the balance sheet, the aggregate carrying value of items included in the balance sheet that are not eligible for the election; (7) all other required (as defined) and desired information.

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