Variable Interest Entities (Narrative) (Details) $ in Thousands	9 Months Ended
	Aug. 31, 2019 USD ($) joint_venture entity	Aug. 31, 2018 USD ($)	Nov. 30, 2018 USD ($) joint_venture
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items]
Number of entities consolidated | entity	5
VIE assets consolidated	$ 505,200
VIE liabilities consolidated	602,100
Consolidated VIEs assets	1,000,000		$ 666,200
Consolidated VIEs liabilities	577,700		$ 242,500
Loss on consolidation of previously unconsolidated entity	$ 48,874	$ 0
Number of unconsolidated entities debt repayment guarantee | joint_venture	2		4
Variable Interest Entity, Not Primary Beneficiary
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items]
Decrease in consolidated inventory	$ 143,100
Variable Interest Entity, Not Primary Beneficiary Including Third Parties
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items]
Non-refundable option deposits and pre-acquisition costs	311,100		$ 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	$ 74,800		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
Operating Segments | Homebuilding Other
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items]
Loss on consolidation of previously unconsolidated entity	$ 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	268,600
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
Operating Segments | Homebuilding
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items]
Consolidated VIEs assets	240,500
Consolidated VIEs liabilities	$ 373,500