Note 20 - Supplemental Guarantor Information (Details) - Condensed Consolidating Statements of Operations (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2015	Mar. 31, 2014
Homebuilding:
Revenues	$ 470,278us-gaap_RealEstateRevenueNet	$ 460,199us-gaap_RealEstateRevenueNet
Cost of sales	(356,173)us-gaap_CostOfRealEstateRevenue	(341,249)us-gaap_CostOfRealEstateRevenue
Gross margin	114,105us-gaap_GrossProfit	118,950us-gaap_GrossProfit
Selling, general and administrative expenses	(66,070)	(58,590)
Income (loss) from unconsolidated joint ventures	(451)	(437)
Other income (expense)	(296)us-gaap_OtherNonoperatingIncomeExpense	(13)us-gaap_OtherNonoperatingIncomeExpense
Homebuilding pretax income (loss)	47,288spf_HomebuildingPretaxIncomeOrLoss	59,910spf_HomebuildingPretaxIncomeOrLoss
Financial Services:
Financial services pretax income (loss)	1,208spf_FinancialServicesPretaxIncomeOrLoss	1,705spf_FinancialServicesPretaxIncomeOrLoss
Income (loss) before income taxes	48,496	61,615
(Provision) benefit for income taxes	(16,891)us-gaap_IncomeTaxExpenseBenefit	(23,456)us-gaap_IncomeTaxExpenseBenefit
Net income (loss)	31,605us-gaap_NetIncomeLoss	38,159us-gaap_NetIncomeLoss
Consolidation, Eliminations [Member]
Homebuilding:
Equity income (loss) of subsidiaries	(23,367)	(24,496)
Homebuilding pretax income (loss)	(23,367)	(24,496)
Financial Services:
Income (loss) before income taxes	(23,367)	(24,496)
Net income (loss)	(23,367)	(24,496)
Parent Company [Member]
Homebuilding:
Revenues	136,892	168,340
Cost of sales	(103,358)	(121,510)
Gross margin	33,534	46,830
Selling, general and administrative expenses	(23,146)	(23,805)
Income (loss) from unconsolidated joint ventures	26	(117)
Equity income (loss) of subsidiaries	23,367	24,496
Interest expense	3,223	3,689
Other income (expense)	(1,001)	(142)
Homebuilding pretax income (loss)	36,003	50,951
Financial Services:
Income (loss) before income taxes	36,003	50,951
(Provision) benefit for income taxes	(4,398)	(12,792)
Net income (loss)	31,605	38,159
Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Homebuilding:
Revenues	219,728	205,084
Cost of sales	(170,957)	(154,822)
Gross margin	48,771	50,262
Selling, general and administrative expenses	(32,750)	(27,848)
Income (loss) from unconsolidated joint ventures		33
Interest expense	(2,744)	(2,806)
Other income (expense)	(148)	(30)
Homebuilding pretax income (loss)	13,129	19,611
Financial Services:
Income (loss) before income taxes	13,129	19,611
(Provision) benefit for income taxes	(7,324)	(7,255)
Net income (loss)	5,805	12,356
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Homebuilding:
Revenues	113,658	86,775
Cost of sales	(81,858)	(64,917)
Gross margin	31,800	21,858
Selling, general and administrative expenses	(10,174)	(6,937)
Income (loss) from unconsolidated joint ventures	(477)	(353)
Interest expense	(479)	(883)
Other income (expense)	853	159
Homebuilding pretax income (loss)	21,523	13,844
Financial Services:
Financial services pretax income (loss)	1,208	1,705
Income (loss) before income taxes	22,731	15,549
(Provision) benefit for income taxes	(5,169)	(3,409)
Net income (loss)	$ 17,562	$ 12,140

Equity in net income (loss) of subsidiaries.

No definition available.

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- Definition

This element represents the income or loss from continuing operations attributable to the Financial Services segment, after income or loss from equity method investments, but before income taxes, extraordinary items, and noncontrolling interest.

+ References

No definition available.

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- Definition

This element represents the income or loss from continuing operations attributable to the Homebuilding segment, after income or loss from equity method investments, but before income taxes, extraordinary items, and noncontrolling interest.

+ References

No definition available.

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- Definition

This element represents the total of the costs related to real estate revenues, including management, leasing, and development services.

+ References

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- Definition

Aggregate revenue less cost of goods and services sold or operating expenses directly attributable to the revenue generation activity.

+ References

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- Definition

This element represents the income or loss from continuing operations attributable to the economic entity which may also be defined as revenue less expenses from ongoing operations, after income or loss from equity method investments, but before income taxes, extraordinary items, and noncontrolling interest.

+ References

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- Definition

This item represents the entity's proportionate share for the period of the net income (loss) of its investee (such as unconsolidated subsidiaries and joint ventures) to which the equity method of accounting is applied. This item includes income or expense related to stock-based compensation based on the investor's grant of stock to employees of an equity method investee.

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- Definition

Amount of current income tax expense (benefit) and deferred income tax expense (benefit) pertaining to continuing operations.

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- Definition

Amount of the cost of borrowed funds accounted for as interest expense.

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- Definition

The portion of profit or loss for the period, net of income taxes, which is attributable to the parent.

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- Definition

The net amount of other income and expense amounts, the components of which are not separately disclosed on the income statement, resulting from ancillary business-related activities (that is, excluding major activities considered part of the normal operations of the business) also known as other nonoperating income (expense) recognized for the period. Such amounts may include: (a) dividends, (b) interest on securities, (c) net gains or losses on securities, (d) unusual costs, (e) gains or losses on foreign exchange transactions, and (f) miscellaneous other income and expense items.

+ References

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- Definition

The aggregate revenue from real estate operations during the reporting period.

+ References

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- Definition

The aggregate total costs related to selling a firm's product and services, as well as all other general and administrative expenses. Direct selling expenses (for example, credit, warranty, and advertising) are expenses that can be directly linked to the sale of specific products. Indirect selling expenses are expenses that cannot be directly linked to the sale of specific products, for example telephone expenses, Internet, and postal charges. General and administrative expenses include salaries of non-sales personnel, rent, utilities, communication, etc.

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