Housing Inventories (Details) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2015 USD ($) lot	Jun. 30, 2014 USD ($)	Jun. 30, 2015 USD ($) lot	Jun. 30, 2014 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2014 USD ($) lot
Inventory Disclosure [Abstract]
Valuation reserves related to impaired inventories | $	$ 115,400		$ 115,400		$ 122,000
Net carrying value of impaired inventories | $	139,300		139,300		$ 137,700
Preacquisition feasibility costs written off | $	582	$ 490	1,000	$ 973
Summary of activity related to capitalized interest
Capitalized interest, balance at the beginning of the period | $			107,810	89,619
Interest capitalized | $			31,840	34,283
Interest amortized to cost of sales | $			(22,036)	(22,246)
Capitalized interest, balance at the end of the period | $	$ 117,614	$ 101,656	117,614	101,656
Interest incurred | $			$ 31,840	$ 34,283
Total continuing operations
Lots
LOTS OWNED	26,090		26,090		25,303
LOTS OPTIONED	13,711		13,711		13,670
TOTAL	39,801		39,801		38,973
Total continuing operations | North
Lots
LOTS OWNED	7,817		7,817		7,396
LOTS OPTIONED	6,692		6,692		6,335
TOTAL	14,509		14,509		13,731
Total continuing operations | Southeast
Lots
LOTS OWNED	8,913		8,913		8,646
LOTS OPTIONED	3,639		3,639		3,535
TOTAL	12,552		12,552		12,181
Total continuing operations | Texas
Lots
LOTS OWNED	3,996		3,996		3,938
LOTS OPTIONED	2,427		2,427		3,083
TOTAL	6,423		6,423		7,021
Total continuing operations | West
Lots
LOTS OWNED	5,364		5,364		5,323
LOTS OPTIONED	953		953		717
TOTAL	6,317		6,317		6,040