Supplemental Guarantor Information (Balance Sheet) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015
ASSETS
Cash and equivalents	$ 1,110,088	$ 272,683
Restricted cash	23,612	33,485
Total cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash	1,133,700	306,168	$ 723,248	$ 775,435
House and land inventory	7,253,353	7,147,130	6,770,655
Land held for sale	36,849	68,384
Residential mortgage loans available-for-sale	461,354	570,600
Investments in unconsolidated entities	54,590	62,957
Other assets	830,359	745,123
Intangible assets	127,192	140,992
Deferred tax assets, net	275,579	645,295
Investments in subsidiaries and intercompany accounts, net	0	0
Total assets	10,172,976	9,686,649	10,178,200
Liabilities:
Accounts payable, customer deposits, accrued and other liabilities	1,967,136	2,000,927
Income tax liabilities	11,580	86,925
Financial Services debt	348,412	437,804
Notes payable	3,028,066	3,006,967
Total liabilities	5,355,194	5,532,623
Total shareholders’ equity	4,817,782	4,154,026	4,659,363	4,759,325
Total liabilities and shareholders' equity	10,172,976	9,686,649
Parent Company [Member]
ASSETS
Cash and equivalents	0	0
Restricted cash	0	0
Total cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash	0	0	0	0
House and land inventory	0	0
Land held for sale	0	0
Residential mortgage loans available-for-sale	0	0
Investments in unconsolidated entities	0	0
Other assets	66,154	9,417
Intangible assets	0	0
Deferred tax assets, net	282,874	646,227
Investments in subsidiaries and intercompany accounts, net	7,557,245	6,661,638
Total assets	7,906,273	7,317,282
Liabilities:
Accounts payable, customer deposits, accrued and other liabilities	90,158	89,388
Income tax liabilities	11,580	86,925
Financial Services debt	0	0
Notes payable	2,986,753	2,986,943
Total liabilities	3,088,491	3,163,256
Total shareholders’ equity	4,817,782	4,154,026
Total liabilities and shareholders' equity	7,906,273	7,317,282
Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
ASSETS
Cash and equivalents	906,961	125,462
Restricted cash	22,406	32,339
Total cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash	929,367	157,801	611,185	658,876
House and land inventory	7,157,665	7,053,087
Land held for sale	36,849	68,384
Residential mortgage loans available-for-sale	0	0
Investments in unconsolidated entities	54,045	62,415
Other assets	579,452	592,045
Intangible assets	127,192	140,992
Deferred tax assets, net	0	0
Investments in subsidiaries and intercompany accounts, net	500,138	284,983
Total assets	9,384,708	8,359,707
Liabilities:
Accounts payable, customer deposits, accrued and other liabilities	1,598,265	1,636,913
Income tax liabilities	0	0
Financial Services debt	0	0
Notes payable	40,776	16,911
Total liabilities	1,639,041	1,653,824
Total shareholders’ equity	7,745,667	6,705,883
Total liabilities and shareholders' equity	9,384,708	8,359,707
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
ASSETS
Cash and equivalents	203,127	147,221
Restricted cash	1,206	1,146
Total cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash	204,333	148,367	112,063	116,559
House and land inventory	95,688	94,043
Land held for sale	0	0
Residential mortgage loans available-for-sale	461,354	570,600
Investments in unconsolidated entities	545	542
Other assets	184,753	143,661
Intangible assets	0	0
Deferred tax liability, net	(7,295)	(932)
Investments in subsidiaries and intercompany accounts, net	8,231,342	7,300,127
Total assets	9,170,720	8,256,408
Liabilities:
Accounts payable, customer deposits, accrued and other liabilities	278,713	274,626
Income tax liabilities	0	0
Financial Services debt	348,412	437,804
Notes payable	537	3,113
Total liabilities	627,662	715,543
Total shareholders’ equity	8,543,058	7,540,865
Total liabilities and shareholders' equity	9,170,720	8,256,408
Eliminating Entries [Member]
ASSETS
Cash and equivalents	0	0
Restricted cash	0	0
Total cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash	0	0	$ 0	$ 0
House and land inventory	0	0
Land held for sale	0	0
Residential mortgage loans available-for-sale	0	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	(16,288,725)	(14,246,748)
Total assets	(16,288,725)	(14,246,748)
Liabilities:
Accounts payable, customer deposits, accrued and other liabilities	0	0
Income tax liabilities	0	0
Financial Services debt	0	0
Notes payable	0	0
Total liabilities	0	0
Total shareholders’ equity	(16,288,725)	(14,246,748)
Total liabilities and shareholders' equity	$ (16,288,725)	$ (14,246,748)