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Selected Quarterly Financial Data (Unaudited) (Details Textual) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified | 3 Months Ended | 12 Months Ended |  | 3 Months Ended | 12 Months Ended | 3 Months Ended | 12 Months Ended | 3 Months Ended | 12 Months Ended
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Dec. 31, 2012 | Dec. 31, 2012 | Dec. 31, 2011 | Dec. 31, 2010 | Sep. 30, 2012 South Edge guarantee [Member] | Dec. 31, 2011 Real estate inventory impairments [Member] | Dec. 31, 2012 Real estate inventory impairments [Member] | Dec. 31, 2011 Real estate inventory impairments [Member] | Dec. 31, 2010 Real estate inventory impairments [Member] | Dec. 31, 2011 Terminated option/purchase contracts and related pre-acquisition costs [Member] | Dec. 31, 2012 Terminated option/purchase contracts and related pre-acquisition costs [Member] | Dec. 31, 2011 Terminated option/purchase contracts and related pre-acquisition costs [Member] | Dec. 31, 2010 Terminated option/purchase contracts and related pre-acquisition costs [Member] | Dec. 31, 2011 Impairments of land held for sale [Member] | Dec. 31, 2012 Impairments of land held for sale [Member] | Dec. 31, 2011 Impairments of land held for sale [Member] | Dec. 31, 2010 Impairments of land held for sale [Member]
Selected Quarterly Financial Information [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Impairment of real estate inventory |  | $ 2,009 | $ 15,324 | $ 6,746 |  | $ 4,029 | [1] | $ 994 | [1] | $ 6,103 | [1] | $ 5,404 | [1] | $ 2,667 | $ 346 | $ 2,767 | $ 1,030 | $ 6,327 | $ 669 | $ 6,454 | $ 17
Legal reserves | 16,067 | 16,067 | 10,157 |  | 8,700 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Income tax expense (benefit) | 8,400 | (76,309) | 730 | (4,666) |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Deferred tax asset valuation reversal | $ (79,900) | $ 77,974 | $ 0 | $ 0 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
[1] | Included in the real estate inventory impairments are impairments of individual homes in a community where the underlying community was not also impaired, as follows (in thousands): Years Ended December 31, 2012 2011 2010Individual home impairments: West $732 $1,134 $1,535Central 90 715 1,651East 172 341 321Total $994 $2,190 $3,507

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