| 
           Variable Interest Entities and Consolidated Real Estate Not Owned (Details) (USD $) 
        In Thousands, unless otherwise specified  | 
        
           Jun. 30, 2014
 
          Lot 
         | 
        
           Dec. 31, 2013 
         | 
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|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Summary of lots under option or contract | |||||||||||
| Number of lots of Option contracts recorded on balance sheet as Real estate not owned | 70 | ||||||||||
| Land under Purchase Options, Recorded | $ 4,999 | $ 289 | |||||||||
| Option/Earnest money Deposits Cash Option contracts recorded on balance sheet as Real estate not owned | 700 | ||||||||||
| Number of lots not recorded | 10,918 | [1] | |||||||||
| Purchase Price not recorded | 666,215 | [1] | |||||||||
| Deposits on real estate under option or contract | 58,881 | [1],[2] | 51,595 | ||||||||
| Number of lots recorded and unrecorded | 10,988 | ||||||||||
| Purchase Price recorded and unrecorded | 671,214 | ||||||||||
| Option/Earnest Money Deposits Cash recorded and unrecorded | 59,581 | ||||||||||
| 
           Option Contracts Not Recorded On Balance Sheet Non Refundable Deposits Committed [Member] [Member] 
         | 
        |||||||||||
| Summary of lots under option or contract | |||||||||||
| Number of lots not recorded | 4,168 | [3] | |||||||||
| Purchase Price not recorded | 363,242 | [3] | |||||||||
| Deposits on real estate under option or contract | 41,918 | [3] | |||||||||
| 
           Purchase Contracts Not Recorded On Balance Sheet Non Refundable Deposits Committed [Member] [Member] 
         | 
        |||||||||||
| Summary of lots under option or contract | |||||||||||
| Number of lots not recorded | 2,224 | [3] | |||||||||
| Purchase Price not recorded | 128,122 | [3] | |||||||||
| Deposits on real estate under option or contract | 13,997 | [3] | |||||||||
| 
           Purchase Contracts not recorded on balance sheet-refundable deposits, committed [Member] 
         | 
        |||||||||||
| Summary of lots under option or contract | |||||||||||
| Number of lots not recorded | 1,071 | ||||||||||
| Purchase Price not recorded | 38,342 | ||||||||||
| Deposits on real estate under option or contract | 675 | ||||||||||
| 
           Total committed (on and off balance sheet) [Member] 
         | 
        |||||||||||
| Summary of lots under option or contract | |||||||||||
| Number of lots recorded and unrecorded | 7,533 | ||||||||||
| Purchase Price recorded and unrecorded | 534,705 | ||||||||||
| Option/Earnest Money Deposits Cash recorded and unrecorded | 57,290 | ||||||||||
| 
           Option and Purchase contracts not recorded on balance sheet - refundable deposits, uncommitted [Member] 
         | 
        |||||||||||
| Summary of lots under option or contract | |||||||||||
| Number of lots not recorded | 3,455 | [4] | |||||||||
| Purchase Price not recorded | 136,509 | [4] | |||||||||
| Deposits on real estate under option or contract | $ 2,291 | [4] | |||||||||
          
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