Note 13 - Income Taxes (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
Note 13 - Income Taxes (Details) [Line Items]
Deferred Tax Assets, Gross	$ 397,350	$ 278,963
Deferred Tax Assets, Valuation Allowance	1,156	2,561
Gross Annual Deduction Limitation on Net Operating Loss Carryforwards	15,600	15,600
Income Tax Expense (Benefit)	128,980	134,099	$ 68,983
Income (Loss) from Continuing Operations before Income Taxes, Extraordinary Items, Noncontrolling Interest	$ 342,489	349,964	257,698
Effective Income Tax Rate Reconciliation, at Federal Statutory Income Tax Rate, Percent	35.00%
Unrecognized Tax Benefits	$ 10,631	2,536	$ 472
Unrecognized Tax Benefits that Would Impact Effective Tax Rate	6,900
Unrecognized Tax Benefits, Income Tax Penalties and Interest Accrued	1,300
State and Local Net Operating Loss Carryforwards Limited to Shorter Carryforward Periods [Member]
Note 13 - Income Taxes (Details) [Line Items]
Deferred Tax Assets, Gross	397,400
Subject to Federal and State Net Operating Loss Carryforward Limitations [Member]
Note 13 - Income Taxes (Details) [Line Items]
Deferred Tax Assets, Valuation Allowance	1,200
Deferred Tax Assets, Operating Loss Carryforwards		119,000
Deferred Tax Assets, Operating Loss Carryforwards, Domestic, Before Tax		294,200
Deferred Tax Assets, Operating Loss Carryforwards, State and Local, Before Tax		278,700
Not Limited by Section 382 [Member]
Note 13 - Income Taxes (Details) [Line Items]
Deferred Tax Assets, Operating Loss Carryforwards	45,600	24,700
State and Local Net Operating Loss Carryforwards Limited to Shorter Carryforward Periods [Member]
Note 13 - Income Taxes (Details) [Line Items]
Deferred Tax Assets, Gross		$ 279,000
Subject to Federal and State Net Operating Loss Carryforward Limitations [Member]
Note 13 - Income Taxes (Details) [Line Items]
Deferred Tax Assets, Operating Loss Carryforwards	112,600
Deferred Tax Assets, Operating Loss Carryforwards, Domestic, Before Tax	278,600
Deferred Tax Assets, Operating Loss Carryforwards, State and Local, Before Tax	263,100
Domestic Tax Authority [Member]
Note 13 - Income Taxes (Details) [Line Items]
Deferred Tax Assets, Operating Loss Carryforwards, Subject to Expiration	278,600
State and Local Jurisdiction [Member]
Note 13 - Income Taxes (Details) [Line Items]
Deferred Tax Assets, Operating Loss Carryforwards, Subject to Expiration	1,200,000
Ryland Group, Inc [Member]
Note 13 - Income Taxes (Details) [Line Items]
Unrecognized Tax Benefits, Interest on Income Taxes Accrued	$ 1,000