Note 7 - Inventories (Details) - Inventories Owned (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Mar. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
Note 7 - Inventories (Details) - Inventories Owned [Line Items]
Land and land under development, by segments	$ 2,287,004	$ 2,248,289
Homes completed and under construction, by segments	1,007,853spf_HomesCompletedAndUnderConstruction	827,612spf_HomesCompletedAndUnderConstruction
Model homes. by segments	185,920us-gaap_InventoryOperativeBuildersOther	179,303us-gaap_InventoryOperativeBuildersOther
Total inventories owned, by segments	3,480,777us-gaap_InventoryOperativeBuilders	3,255,204us-gaap_InventoryOperativeBuilders
Homebuilding: California [Member]
Note 7 - Inventories (Details) - Inventories Owned [Line Items]
Land and land under development, by segments	1,032,490	1,021,585
Homes completed and under construction, by segments	405,140	318,982
Model homes. by segments	83,047	81,763
Total inventories owned, by segments	1,520,677	1,422,330
Homebuilding: Southwest [Member]
Note 7 - Inventories (Details) - Inventories Owned [Line Items]
Land and land under development, by segments	515,054	504,538
Homes completed and under construction, by segments	294,396	250,498
Model homes. by segments	43,090	44,437
Total inventories owned, by segments	852,540	799,473
Homebuilding: Southeast [Member]
Note 7 - Inventories (Details) - Inventories Owned [Line Items]
Land and land under development, by segments	739,460	722,166
Homes completed and under construction, by segments	308,317	258,132
Model homes. by segments	59,783	53,103
Total inventories owned, by segments	$ 1,107,560	$ 1,033,401

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

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

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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

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