Segment Information (Details) $ in Thousands		3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
		Jun. 30, 2016 USD ($) segment state	Jun. 30, 2015 USD ($)	Jun. 30, 2016 USD ($) segment state region	Jun. 30, 2015 USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2015 USD ($)
Segment Reporting [Abstract]
Number of states in which home building segments operate | state		13		13
Number of regions in which entity operates | segment		3		3
Number of homebuilding segments | region				3
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue		$ 459,937	$ 429,438	$ 1,189,993	$ 994,561
Operating income		16,309	17,696	28,487	14,642
Depreciation and amortization		3,387	3,497	9,434	8,619
Excess insurance recovery				3,600
Capital Expenditures				9,718	11,756
Total capital expenditures				9,718	12,430
Assets		2,318,627		2,318,627		$ 2,421,203
Insurance Settlement
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Reduction in cost of sales				15,500
Florida | Specific Warranty Issue
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Product warranty expense					13,600
Corporate and unallocated
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Operating income		(24,632)	(28,276)	(79,042)	(62,643)
Depreciation and amortization		545	537	1,615	1,409
Capital Expenditures				278	1,822
Assets	[1]	716,583		716,583		823,998
Operating Segments
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Operating income		40,941	45,972	107,529	77,285
Depreciation and amortization		2,842	2,960	7,819	7,210
West Segment
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue		205,983	149,129	543,109	351,975
Operating income		23,822	16,246	59,535	33,628
Depreciation and amortization		1,475	1,267	4,025	3,299
Capital Expenditures				5,189	4,959
Assets		855,537		855,537		843,564
East Segment
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue		140,717	155,160	348,109	363,152
Operating income		7,097	15,344	19,577	28,457
Depreciation and amortization		764	900	2,195	2,094
Capital Expenditures				1,928	2,996
Assets		380,897		380,897		436,346
Southeast Segment
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue		113,237	125,149	298,775	279,434
Operating income		10,022	14,382	28,417	15,200
Depreciation and amortization		603	$ 793	1,599	1,817
Capital Expenditures				2,323	$ 2,653
Assets		$ 365,610		$ 365,610		$ 317,295

[1] Primarily consists of cash and cash equivalents, restricted cash, deferred taxes, capitalized interest and indirects and other items that are not allocated to the segments.