Note 22 - Supplemental Guarantor Information - Condensed Consolidating Statements of Cash Flows (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2016	Sep. 30, 2015
Parent Company [Member]
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities	$ (49,169)	$ (116,827)
Investments in unconsolidated homebuilding joint ventures	(235)
Distributions of capital from unconsolidated homebuilding joint ventures	1,107
Loan to parent and subsidiaries
Other investing activities	(325)	(2,308)
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities	547	(2,308)
Change in restricted cash
Borrowings from revolving credit facility	1,008,000	491,400
Principal payments on revolving credit facility	(862,000)	(222,700)
Principal payments on secured project debt and other notes payable	(9,985)
Principal payments on senior notes payable	(280,000)
Proceeds from Issuance of Senior Long-term Debt	300,000
Payment of debt issue costs	(2,657)
Loan from subsidiary	88,800
Net proceeds from (payments on) mortgage credit facilities
(Contributions to) distributions from Corporate and subsidiaries	18,350	14,373
Repurchases of common stock	(137,464)	(22,073)
Common stock dividend payments	(14,264)
Issuance of common stock under employee stock plans, net of tax withholdings	1,868	(461)
Other financing activities
Intercompany advances, net	49,757	(192,076)
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities	160,405	47,247
Net increase (decrease) in cash and equivalents	111,783	(71,888)
Cash and equivalents at beginning of period	6,387	133,304
Cash and equivalents at end of period	118,170	61,416
Principal payments on senior notes payable		(29,789)
Excess tax benefits from share-based payment arrangements		8,573
Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities	16,087	(14,645)
Investments in unconsolidated homebuilding joint ventures	(192)
Distributions of capital from unconsolidated homebuilding joint ventures	333
Loan to parent and subsidiaries
Other investing activities	(1,958)	(1,605)
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities	(1,817)	(1,605)
Change in restricted cash
Borrowings from revolving credit facility
Principal payments on revolving credit facility
Principal payments on secured project debt and other notes payable
Principal payments on senior notes payable
Proceeds from Issuance of Senior Long-term Debt
Payment of debt issue costs
Loan from subsidiary
Net proceeds from (payments on) mortgage credit facilities
(Contributions to) distributions from Corporate and subsidiaries		(31,719)
Repurchases of common stock
Common stock dividend payments
Issuance of common stock under employee stock plans, net of tax withholdings
Other financing activities	(199)
Intercompany advances, net	(95,992)	56,711
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities	(96,191)	24,992
Net increase (decrease) in cash and equivalents	(81,921)	8,742
Cash and equivalents at beginning of period	112,852	1,061
Cash and equivalents at end of period	30,931	9,803
Principal payments on senior notes payable
Excess tax benefits from share-based payment arrangements
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities	200,744	(84,358)
Investments in unconsolidated homebuilding joint ventures	(26,573)	(83,288)
Distributions of capital from unconsolidated homebuilding joint ventures	22,287	10,289
Loan to parent and subsidiaries	(88,800)	80,000
Other investing activities	(3,106)	(7,803)
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities	(96,192)	(802)
Change in restricted cash	7,309	1,047
Borrowings from revolving credit facility
Principal payments on revolving credit facility
Principal payments on secured project debt and other notes payable	(404)	(569)
Principal payments on senior notes payable
Proceeds from Issuance of Senior Long-term Debt
Payment of debt issue costs
Loan from subsidiary
Net proceeds from (payments on) mortgage credit facilities	(141,524)	(90,554)
(Contributions to) distributions from Corporate and subsidiaries	(18,350)	17,346
Repurchases of common stock
Common stock dividend payments
Issuance of common stock under employee stock plans, net of tax withholdings
Other financing activities
Intercompany advances, net	46,235	135,365
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities	(106,734)	62,635
Net increase (decrease) in cash and equivalents	(2,182)	(22,525)
Cash and equivalents at beginning of period	67,355	78,028
Cash and equivalents at end of period	65,173	55,503
Principal payments on senior notes payable
Excess tax benefits from share-based payment arrangements
Consolidation, Eliminations [Member]
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities
Investments in unconsolidated homebuilding joint ventures
Distributions of capital from unconsolidated homebuilding joint ventures
Loan to parent and subsidiaries	88,800	(80,000)
Other investing activities
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities	88,800	(80,000)
Change in restricted cash
Borrowings from revolving credit facility
Principal payments on revolving credit facility
Principal payments on secured project debt and other notes payable
Principal payments on senior notes payable
Proceeds from Issuance of Senior Long-term Debt
Payment of debt issue costs
Loan from subsidiary	(88,800)
Net proceeds from (payments on) mortgage credit facilities		80,000
(Contributions to) distributions from Corporate and subsidiaries
Repurchases of common stock
Common stock dividend payments
Issuance of common stock under employee stock plans, net of tax withholdings
Other financing activities
Intercompany advances, net
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities	(88,800)	80,000
Net increase (decrease) in cash and equivalents
Cash and equivalents at beginning of period
Cash and equivalents at end of period
Principal payments on senior notes payable
Excess tax benefits from share-based payment arrangements
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities	167,662	(215,830)
Investments in unconsolidated homebuilding joint ventures	(27,000)	(83,288)
Distributions of capital from unconsolidated homebuilding joint ventures	23,727	10,289
Loan to parent and subsidiaries
Other investing activities	(5,389)	(11,716)
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities	(8,662)	(84,715)
Change in restricted cash	7,309	1,047
Borrowings from revolving credit facility	1,008,000	491,400
Principal payments on revolving credit facility	(862,000)	(222,700)
Principal payments on secured project debt and other notes payable	(10,389)	(569)
Principal payments on senior notes payable	(280,000)	(29,789)
Proceeds from Issuance of Senior Long-term Debt	300,000
Payment of debt issue costs	(2,657)
Loan from subsidiary
Net proceeds from (payments on) mortgage credit facilities	(141,524)	(10,554)
(Contributions to) distributions from Corporate and subsidiaries
Repurchases of common stock	(137,464)	(22,073)
Common stock dividend payments	(14,264)
Issuance of common stock under employee stock plans, net of tax withholdings	1,868	(461)
Other financing activities	(199)
Intercompany advances, net
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities	(131,320)	214,874
Net increase (decrease) in cash and equivalents	27,680	(85,671)
Cash and equivalents at beginning of period	186,594	212,393
Cash and equivalents at end of period	214,274	126,722
Principal payments on senior notes payable		(29,789)
Excess tax benefits from share-based payment arrangements		$ 8,573