Quarterly report pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d)

Real Estate and Capitalized Interest (Details Textual)

v2.4.0.6
Real Estate and Capitalized Interest (Details Textual) (USD $)
 3 Months Ended 9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2012
Communities
Sep. 30, 2011
Sep. 30, 2012
Communities
Sep. 30, 2011
Dec. 31, 2011
Real Estate and Capitalized Interest [Line Items]          
Number of remaining actively selling communities 153   153    
Parcel of land under contract $ 24,619,000   $ 24,619,000   $ 29,908,000
Impairment Charges   358,000 0 669,000  
Land closing revenue 7,763,000 0 8,846,000 100,000  
Real Estate and Capitalized Interest (Textual) [Abstract]          
Capitalized interest related to joint venture investments 750,000   750,000   750,000
Parcel of land under contract cash collected 3,300,000        
Under Contract [Member]
          
Real Estate and Capitalized Interest [Line Items]          
Parcel of land under contract 6,500,000   6,500,000    
Central [Member]
          
Real Estate and Capitalized Interest [Line Items]          
Impairment Charges   229,000   540,000  
Land closing revenue 2,600,000   3,600,000 100,000  
Central [Member] | Mothballed [Member]
          
Real Estate and Capitalized Interest [Line Items]          
Carrying value of the community 29,400,000   29,400,000    
Number of mothball communities     8    
West [Member]
          
Real Estate and Capitalized Interest [Line Items]          
Impairment Charges   129,000   129,000  
Land closing revenue 4,400,000   4,400,000    
West [Member] | Mothballed [Member]
          
Real Estate and Capitalized Interest [Line Items]          
Carrying value of the community 11,200,000   11,200,000    
Number of mothball communities     3    
Las Vegas Wind-down [Member]
          
Real Estate and Capitalized Interest [Line Items]          
Number of remaining actively selling communities 2   2    
Number of lots remaining to sell 33   33    
Value of remaining lots and associated home inventory 5,900,000   5,900,000    
Value of remaining assets related to properties not being developed 18,500,000   18,500,000    
Land closing revenue $ 1,100,000        
Las Vegas Wind-down [Member] | Maximum [Member]
          
Real Estate and Capitalized Interest [Line Items]          
Construction completion period     18 months    
Las Vegas Wind-down [Member] | Minimum [Member]
          
Real Estate and Capitalized Interest [Line Items]          
Construction completion period     12 months