Annual report pursuant to Section 13 and 15(d)

Real Estate and Capitalized Interest (Details Textual)

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Real Estate and Capitalized Interest (Details Textual) (USD $)
 12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2013
Communities
Dec. 31, 2012
Dec. 31, 2011
Real Estate and Capitalized Interest [Line Items]      
Change in Amount of properties in mothball Status $ 9,600,000    
Number of communities to which homes are sold 188    
Land held for sale 19,112,000 21,650,000  
Capitalized interest related to joint venture investments 511,000 539,000 750,000
Impairment Of Real Estate And Joint Venture And Other Real Estate Related Impairments 987,000 2,009,000 15,324,000
Additions [Member]
      
Real Estate and Capitalized Interest [Line Items]      
Change in Number of properties in mothball Status 1    
Removed [Member]
      
Real Estate and Capitalized Interest [Line Items]      
Change in Number of properties in mothball Status 5    
Central [Member]
      
Real Estate and Capitalized Interest [Line Items]      
Impairment Of Real Estate And Joint Venture And Other Real Estate Related Impairments 235,000 219,000 2,896,000
Central [Member] | Mothballed [Member]
      
Real Estate and Capitalized Interest [Line Items]      
Number of mothball communities 1    
Carrying value of the community 2,800,000    
West [Member]
      
Real Estate and Capitalized Interest [Line Items]      
Impairment Of Real Estate And Joint Venture And Other Real Estate Related Impairments 514,000 1,618,000 11,333,000
West [Member] | Mothballed [Member]
      
Real Estate and Capitalized Interest [Line Items]      
Number of mothball communities 5    
Carrying value of the community 26,100,000    
Las Vegas Wind-down [Member]
      
Real Estate and Capitalized Interest [Line Items]      
Real estate held for development or sale 174    
Value of remaining lots and associated home inventory $ 11,800,000