Lennar Homebuilding Investments in Unconsolidated Entities (Narrative) (Details) $ in Thousands		1 Months Ended	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended		12 Months Ended
		May 31, 2017 USD ($)	Aug. 31, 2017 USD ($)	Aug. 31, 2016 USD ($)	Aug. 31, 2017 USD ($) homes	Aug. 31, 2016 USD ($)	Nov. 30, 2016 USD ($)	May 02, 2016 investment
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Equity in earnings (loss) from unconsolidated entities					$ 12,838	$ 28,424
Payments to acquire unconsolidated entities					$ 381,209	320,047
FivePoint Unconsolidated Entity
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Unconsolidated entities ownership percentage			40.00%		40.00%
Payments to acquire unconsolidated entities		$ 100,000
Investments in unconsolidated entities			$ 361,100		$ 361,100
Lennar Homebuilding
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Equity in earnings (loss) from unconsolidated entities			(9,651)	$ (18,034)	(42,691)	$ (24,667)
Investments in unconsolidated entities	[1]		1,016,588		1,016,588		$ 811,723
Underlying equity in unconsolidated partners' net assets			1,412,200		$ 1,412,200		1,235,800
Lennar Homebuilding | Equity Method Investment One
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Sales of real estate from unconsolidated entities			18,800
Homesites sold | homes					475
Deferred income (loss) from unconsolidated entities			$ 7,800
Lennar Homebuilding | FivePoint Unconsolidated Entity
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Equity in earnings (loss) from unconsolidated entities							$ 42,600
Lennar Homebuilding | Joint Ventures Previously Managed by FivePoint Communities
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Number of investments in joint ventures contributed | investment								3

[1] Under certain provisions of Accounting Standards Codification ("ASC") Topic 810, Consolidations, ("ASC 810") the Company is required to separately disclose on its condensed consolidated balance sheets the assets owned by consolidated variable interest entities ("VIEs") and liabilities of consolidated VIEs as to which neither Lennar Corporation, or any of its subsidiaries, has any obligations.As of August 31, 2017, total assets include $812.9 million related to consolidated VIEs of which $9.7 million is included in Lennar Homebuilding cash and cash equivalents, $0.2 million in Lennar Homebuilding receivables, net, $81.3 million in Lennar Homebuilding finished homes and construction in progress, $189.6 million in Lennar Homebuilding land and land under development, $386.6 million in Lennar Homebuilding consolidated inventory not owned, $4.6 million in Lennar Homebuilding investments in unconsolidated entities, $13.1 million in Lennar Homebuilding other assets, $85.8 million in Rialto assets and $42.0 million in Lennar Multifamily assets.As of November 30, 2016, total assets include $536.3 million related to consolidated VIEs of which $13.3 million is included in Lennar Homebuilding cash and cash equivalents, $0.2 million in Lennar Homebuilding receivables, net, $54.2 million in Lennar Homebuilding finished homes and construction in progress, $106.3 million in Lennar Homebuilding land and land under development, $121.0 million in Lennar Homebuilding consolidated inventory not owned, $4.6 million in Lennar Homebuilding investments in unconsolidated entities, $13.9 million in Lennar Homebuilding other assets, $213.8 million in Rialto assets and $8.8 million in Lennar Multifamily assets.