Segment Information (Operating Data By Segment) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2016	Sep. 30, 2016	Jun. 30, 2016	Mar. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015	Sep. 30, 2015	Jun. 30, 2015	Mar. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
Revenues:
Homebuilding	$ 2,438,903	$ 1,894,885	$ 1,756,832	$ 1,396,730	$ 2,018,194	$ 1,467,780	$ 1,249,537	$ 1,105,700	$ 7,487,350	$ 5,841,211	$ 5,696,725
Financial Services	54,175	48,020	43,082	35,848	43,434	38,967	30,754	27,598	181,126	140,753	125,638
Consolidated revenues	2,493,078	1,942,905	1,799,914	1,432,578	2,061,628	1,506,747	1,280,291	1,133,298	7,668,476	5,981,964	5,822,363
Income (loss) before income taxes:
Consolidated income (loss) before income taxes	413,721	212,335	189,580	118,213	373,315	179,276	167,627	95,805	933,850	816,023	689,758
Homebuilding	388,724	$ 191,063	$ 172,546	$ 108,433	344,019	$ 164,911	$ 157,640	$ 90,748	860,766	757,317	635,177
Charges related to contractual dispute									15,000	20,000
Loss on debt retirements									657	0	8,584
Adjustment to self insurance reserves	(55,200)				$ (29,600)				(55,200)	(62,200)	69,300
Loan origination release	$ 11,800								11,800
Reserves provided									506	(11,433)	(18,604)
Northeast [Member]
Revenues:
Homebuilding									696,463	682,112	710,859
Income (loss) before income taxes:
Consolidated income (loss) before income taxes									81,991	82,616	103,865
Southeast [Member]
Revenues:
Homebuilding									1,491,270	1,058,089	949,635
Income (loss) before income taxes:
Consolidated income (loss) before income taxes									145,011	172,330	156,513
Florida [Member]
Revenues:
Homebuilding									1,284,753	1,019,733	917,956
Income (loss) before income taxes:
Consolidated income (loss) before income taxes									205,049	196,525	190,441
Texas [Member]
Revenues:
Homebuilding									1,034,673	845,772	859,165
Income (loss) before income taxes:
Consolidated income (loss) before income taxes									152,355	121,329	133,005
Midwest [Member]
Revenues:
Homebuilding									1,234,650	1,020,691	872,241
Income (loss) before income taxes:
Consolidated income (loss) before income taxes									120,159	91,745	78,863
West [Member]
Revenues:
Homebuilding									1,745,541	1,214,814	1,386,869
Income (loss) before income taxes:
Consolidated income (loss) before income taxes									225,771	169,394	254,724
Other Homebuilding [Member]
Income (loss) before income taxes:
Consolidated income (loss) before income taxes									(69,570)	(76,622)	(282,234)
Financial Services [Member]
Income (loss) before income taxes:
Consolidated income (loss) before income taxes									73,084	58,706	54,581
Home Office Relocation [Member]
Income (loss) before income taxes:
Costs associated with the relocation of corporate headquarters									$ 8,300	$ 4,400	$ 16,300