Variable Interest Entities (Narrative) (Details) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended	6 Months Ended
	May 31, 2019 USD ($) joint_venture	May 31, 2019 USD ($) joint_venture entity	May 31, 2018 USD ($)	Nov. 30, 2018 USD ($) joint_venture
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items]
Number of entities consolidated | entity		4
VIE assets consolidated		$ 500,700
VIE liabilities consolidated		585,000
Consolidated VIEs assets	$ 1,400,000	1,400,000		$ 666,200
Consolidated VIEs liabilities	$ 928,900	928,900		$ 242,500
Loss on consolidation of previously unconsolidated entity		$ 48,874	$ 0
Number of unconsolidated entities debt repayment guarantee | joint_venture	2	2		4
Variable Interest Entity, Not Primary Beneficiary
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items]
Decrease in consolidated inventory		$ 185,700
Variable Interest Entity, Not Primary Beneficiary Including Third Parties
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items]
Non-refundable option deposits and pre-acquisition costs	$ 326,800	326,800		$ 209,500
Financial Standby Letters of Credit | Variable Interest Entity, Not Primary Beneficiary Including Third Parties
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items]
Letters of credit outstanding	$ 69,100	$ 69,100		72,400
Multifamily | Equity Commitments | Variable Interest Entity, Not Primary Beneficiary
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items]
Obligations to make capital contributions to VIEs				(237,000)
Multifamily | Financial Standby Letters of Credit | Variable Interest Entity, Not Primary Beneficiary
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items]
Obligations to make capital contributions to VIEs				(4,600)
Homebuilding | Variable Interest Entity, Not Primary Beneficiary
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items]
Obligations to make capital contributions to VIEs				$ (54,800)
Discount rate
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items]
Unconsolidated entity, measurement input	0.15	0.15
Operating Segments | Homebuilding Other
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items]
Loss on consolidation of previously unconsolidated entity	$ 48,900	$ 48,900
Operating Segments | Multifamily | Equity Commitments | Variable Interest Entity, Not Primary Beneficiary
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items]
Obligations to make capital contributions to VIEs	(309,200)	(309,200)
Operating Segments | Multifamily | Financial Standby Letters of Credit | Variable Interest Entity, Not Primary Beneficiary
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items]
Obligations to make capital contributions to VIEs	(1,200)	(1,200)
Operating Segments | Homebuilding
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items]
Consolidated VIEs assets	240,500	240,500
Consolidated VIEs liabilities	$ 356,400	356,400
Loss on consolidation of previously unconsolidated entity		$ 48,900