Note 18 - Supplemental Guarantor Information - Condensed Consolidating Balance Sheet (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
Cash and Cash Equivalents, at Carrying Value	$ 208,127	$ 186,594	$ 212,393	$ 363,291
Owned	6,438,792	6,069,959
Homebuilding investments in unconsolidated joint ventures	127,127	132,763
Deferred income taxes, net	330,378	396,194
Assets	8,709,044	8,429,402
Total liabilities	4,501,458	4,567,966
Total Equity	4,207,586	3,861,436
Total Liabilities and Equity	8,709,044	8,429,402
Consolidation, Eliminations [Member]
Cash and Cash Equivalents, at Carrying Value
Assets	(4,343,561)	(4,189,251)
Total liabilities	(2,389,143)	(2,544,798)
Total Equity	(1,954,418)	(1,644,453)
Total Liabilities and Equity	(4,343,561)	(4,189,251)
Parent Company [Member] | Reportable Legal Entities [Member]
Cash and Cash Equivalents, at Carrying Value	105,261	6,387	133,304	175,289
Assets	8,438,528	8,085,192
Total liabilities	4,230,942	4,223,756
Total Equity	4,207,586	3,861,436
Total Liabilities and Equity	8,438,528	8,085,192
Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member] | Reportable Legal Entities [Member]
Cash and Cash Equivalents, at Carrying Value	38,211	112,852	1,061	494
Assets	2,390,295	2,508,439
Total liabilities	1,380,957	1,621,002
Total Equity	1,009,338	887,437
Total Liabilities and Equity	2,390,295	2,508,439
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member] | Reportable Legal Entities [Member]
Cash and Cash Equivalents, at Carrying Value	64,655	67,355	$ 78,028	$ 187,508
Assets	2,223,782	2,025,022
Total liabilities	1,278,702	1,268,006
Total Equity	945,080	757,016
Total Liabilities and Equity	2,223,782	2,025,022
Homebuilding [Member]
Cash and Cash Equivalents, at Carrying Value	191,086	151,076
Restricted Cash and Cash Equivalents	28,321	35,990
Intercompany receivables
Owned	6,438,792	6,069,959
Not owned	66,267	83,246
Homebuilding investments in unconsolidated joint ventures	127,127	132,763
Investments in subsidiaries
Deferred income taxes, net	330,378	396,194
Goodwill	970,185	933,360
Other assets	204,489	202,665
Assets	8,356,645	8,005,253
Accounts payable	211,780	191,681
Accrued liabilities and intercompany payables	599,905	562,690
Secured Debt	27,579	25,683
Senior notes payable	3,392,208	3,462,016
Total liabilities	4,231,472	4,242,070
Homebuilding [Member] | Consolidation, Eliminations [Member]
Cash and Cash Equivalents, at Carrying Value
Restricted Cash and Cash Equivalents
Intercompany receivables	(2,380,699)	(2,533,404)
Owned
Not owned
Homebuilding investments in unconsolidated joint ventures
Investments in subsidiaries	(1,954,418)	(1,644,453)
Deferred income taxes, net	(6,643)	(9,751)
Goodwill
Other assets
Assets	(4,341,760)	(4,187,608)
Accounts payable
Accrued liabilities and intercompany payables	(2,054,217)	(2,378,867)
Secured Debt	(334,926)	(148,545)
Senior notes payable
Total liabilities	(2,389,143)	(2,527,412)
Homebuilding [Member] | Parent Company [Member] | Reportable Legal Entities [Member]
Cash and Cash Equivalents, at Carrying Value	105,261	6,387
Restricted Cash and Cash Equivalents
Intercompany receivables	2,045,773	2,380,899
Owned	2,825,234	2,524,927
Not owned	30,953	32,393
Homebuilding investments in unconsolidated joint ventures	4,469	5,353
Investments in subsidiaries	1,954,418	1,644,453
Deferred income taxes, net	337,021	405,945
Goodwill	970,185	933,360
Other assets	165,214	151,475
Assets	8,438,528	8,085,192
Accounts payable	92,611	91,873
Accrued liabilities and intercompany payables	387,098	499,700
Secured Debt	359,025	170,167
Senior notes payable	3,392,208	3,462,016
Total liabilities	4,230,942	4,223,756
Homebuilding [Member] | Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member] | Reportable Legal Entities [Member]
Cash and Cash Equivalents, at Carrying Value	38,211	112,852
Restricted Cash and Cash Equivalents
Intercompany receivables
Owned	2,277,840	2,304,305
Not owned	32,596	38,925
Homebuilding investments in unconsolidated joint ventures	4,923	4,330
Investments in subsidiaries
Deferred income taxes, net
Goodwill
Other assets	36,725	48,027
Assets	2,390,295	2,508,439
Accounts payable	78,729	82,906
Accrued liabilities and intercompany payables	1,302,228	1,538,096
Secured Debt
Senior notes payable
Total liabilities	1,380,957	1,621,002
Homebuilding [Member] | Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member] | Reportable Legal Entities [Member]
Cash and Cash Equivalents, at Carrying Value	47,614	31,837
Restricted Cash and Cash Equivalents	28,321	35,990
Intercompany receivables	334,926	152,505
Owned	1,335,718	1,240,727
Not owned	2,718	11,928
Homebuilding investments in unconsolidated joint ventures	117,735	123,080
Investments in subsidiaries
Deferred income taxes, net
Goodwill
Other assets	2,550	3,163
Assets	1,869,582	1,599,230
Accounts payable	40,440	16,902
Accrued liabilities and intercompany payables	964,796	903,761
Secured Debt	3,480	4,061
Senior notes payable
Total liabilities	1,008,716	924,724
Financial Services [Member]
Cash and Cash Equivalents, at Carrying Value	17,041	35,518
Restricted Cash and Cash Equivalents	21,710	22,914
Other assets	26,666	17,243
Assets	352,399	424,149
Mortgage loans held for sale, net	262,058	325,770
Mortgage loans held for investment, net	24,924	22,704
Total liabilities	269,986	325,896
Accounts payable and other liabilities	22,559	22,474
Warehouse Agreement Borrowings	247,427	303,422
Financial Services [Member] | Consolidation, Eliminations [Member]
Cash and Cash Equivalents, at Carrying Value
Restricted Cash and Cash Equivalents
Other assets	(1,801)	(1,643)
Assets	(1,801)	(1,643)
Mortgage loans held for sale, net
Mortgage loans held for investment, net
Total liabilities		(17,386)
Accounts payable and other liabilities		(17,386)
Warehouse Agreement Borrowings
Financial Services [Member] | Parent Company [Member] | Reportable Legal Entities [Member]
Cash and Cash Equivalents, at Carrying Value
Restricted Cash and Cash Equivalents
Other assets
Assets
Mortgage loans held for sale, net
Mortgage loans held for investment, net
Total liabilities
Accounts payable and other liabilities
Warehouse Agreement Borrowings
Financial Services [Member] | Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member] | Reportable Legal Entities [Member]
Cash and Cash Equivalents, at Carrying Value
Restricted Cash and Cash Equivalents
Other assets
Assets
Mortgage loans held for sale, net
Mortgage loans held for investment, net
Total liabilities
Accounts payable and other liabilities
Warehouse Agreement Borrowings
Financial Services [Member] | Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member] | Reportable Legal Entities [Member]
Cash and Cash Equivalents, at Carrying Value	17,041	35,518
Restricted Cash and Cash Equivalents	21,710	22,914
Other assets	28,467	18,886
Assets	354,200	425,792
Mortgage loans held for sale, net	262,058	325,770
Mortgage loans held for investment, net	24,924	22,704
Total liabilities	269,986	343,282
Accounts payable and other liabilities	22,559	39,860
Warehouse Agreement Borrowings	$ 247,427	$ 303,422