Note 7 - Inventories (Details) - Inventories Owned (Homebuilding [Member], USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Jun. 30, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012
Note 7 - Inventories (Details) - Inventories Owned [Line Items]
Land and land under development	$ 1,618,124	$ 1,444,161
Homes completed and under construction	591,990	427,196
Model homes	115,376	100,061
Total inventories owned	2,325,490	1,971,418
California [Member]
Note 7 - Inventories (Details) - Inventories Owned [Line Items]
Land and land under development	771,947	778,419
Homes completed and under construction	301,813	240,236
Model homes	74,206	67,504
Total inventories owned	1,147,966	1,086,159
Southwest [Member]
Note 7 - Inventories (Details) - Inventories Owned [Line Items]
Land and land under development	390,510	352,705
Homes completed and under construction	132,445	93,265
Model homes	25,299	15,231
Total inventories owned	548,254	461,201
Southeast [Member]
Note 7 - Inventories (Details) - Inventories Owned [Line Items]
Land and land under development	455,667	313,037
Homes completed and under construction	157,732	93,695
Model homes	15,871	17,326
Total inventories owned	$ 629,270	$ 424,058

The carrying amount as of the balance sheet date of homes that have been finished and are ready for sale, net of valuation allowance and impairment loss and of capitalized construction costs of homes for future sale.

No definition available.

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- Definition

The net carrying amount as of the balance sheet date of the sum of the various components of an operative builder's inventory, including finished homes. Operative builders primarily consist of entities that develop land, construct residential homes and commercial and industrial buildings thereon, and sell them to home buyers and operators of the commercial and industrial properties.

+ References

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- Definition

The carrying amount as of the balance sheet date of all of a real estate developer's inventories that are either not otherwise specified in the taxonomy or are not separately reported by the entity.

+ References

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- Definition

Carrying amount as of the balance sheet date, net of valuation allowances and impairment losses, of costs of land expected to be developed in the near term plus capitalized costs of development, for purposes of selling completed units to home buyers or commercial or industrial entities..

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 210

-SubTopic 10

-Section S99

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.6(a))

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher SEC

-Name Regulation S-X (SX)

-Number 210

-Section 02

-Paragraph 6

-Subparagraph a

-Article 5

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