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Real Estate and Capitalized Interest (Details 1) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified | 3 Months Ended | 12 Months Ended
--- | --- | ---
Dec. 31, 2011 | Dec. 31, 2012 | Dec. 31, 2011 | Dec. 31, 2010
Real-estate and joint venture impairment charges |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Impairment of real estate |  |  | $ 2,009 |  | $ 15,324 |  | $ 6,746 |
West [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Real-estate and joint venture impairment charges |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Impairment of real estate |  |  | 1,618 |  | 11,333 |  | 2,225 |
Central [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Real-estate and joint venture impairment charges |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Impairment of real estate |  |  | 219 |  | 2,896 |  | 4,200 |
East [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Real-estate and joint venture impairment charges |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Impairment of real estate |  |  | 172 |  | 1,095 |  | 321 |
Terminated option/purchase contracts and related pre-acquisition costs [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Real-estate and joint venture impairment charges |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Impairment of real estate | 2,667 |  | 346 |  | 2,767 |  | 1,030 |
Terminated option/purchase contracts and related pre-acquisition costs [Member] | West [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Real-estate and joint venture impairment charges |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Impairment of real estate |  |  | 217 |  | 863 |  | 0 |
Terminated option/purchase contracts and related pre-acquisition costs [Member] | Central [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Real-estate and joint venture impairment charges |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Impairment of real estate |  |  | 129 |  | 1,904 |  | 1,030 |
Terminated option/purchase contracts and related pre-acquisition costs [Member] | East [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Real-estate and joint venture impairment charges |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Impairment of real estate |  |  | 0 |  | 0 |  | 0 |
Real estate inventory impairments [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Real-estate and joint venture impairment charges |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Impairment of real estate | 4,029 | [1] | 994 | [1] | 6,103 | [1] | 5,404 | [1]
Real estate inventory impairments [Member] | West [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Real-estate and joint venture impairment charges |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Impairment of real estate |  |  | 732 | [1] | 4,542 | [1] | 1,930 | [1]
Real estate inventory impairments [Member] | Central [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Real-estate and joint venture impairment charges |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Impairment of real estate |  |  | 90 | [1] | 865 | [1] | 3,153 | [1]
Real estate inventory impairments [Member] | East [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Real-estate and joint venture impairment charges |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Impairment of real estate |  |  | 172 | [1] | 696 | [1] | 321 | [1]
Impairments of joint venture investments [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Real-estate and joint venture impairment charges |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Impairment of real estate |  |  | 0 |  | 0 |  | 295 |
Impairments of joint venture investments [Member] | West [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Real-estate and joint venture impairment charges |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Impairment of real estate |  |  | 0 |  | 0 |  | 295 |
Impairments of joint venture investments [Member] | Central [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Real-estate and joint venture impairment charges |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Impairment of real estate |  |  | 0 |  | 0 |  | 0 |
Impairments of joint venture investments [Member] | East [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Real-estate and joint venture impairment charges |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Impairment of real estate |  |  | 0 |  | 0 |  | 0 |
Impairments of land held for sale [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Real-estate and joint venture impairment charges |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Impairment of real estate | 6,327 |  | 669 |  | 6,454 |  | 17 |
Impairments of land held for sale [Member] | West [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Real-estate and joint venture impairment charges |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Impairment of real estate |  |  | 669 |  | 5,928 |  | 0 |
Impairments of land held for sale [Member] | Central [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Real-estate and joint venture impairment charges |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Impairment of real estate |  |  | 0 |  | 127 |  | 17 |
Impairments of land held for sale [Member] | East [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Real-estate and joint venture impairment charges |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Impairment of real estate |  |  | 0 |  | 399 |  | 0 |
Individual home impairments [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Real-estate and joint venture impairment charges |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Impairment of real estate |  |  | 994 |  | 2,190 |  | 3,507 |
Individual home impairments [Member] | West [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Real-estate and joint venture impairment charges |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Impairment of real estate |  |  | 732 |  | 1,134 |  | 1,535 |
Individual home impairments [Member] | Central [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Real-estate and joint venture impairment charges |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Impairment of real estate |  |  | 90 |  | 715 |  | 1,651 |
Individual home impairments [Member] | East [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Real-estate and joint venture impairment charges |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Impairment of real estate |  |  | $ 172 |  | $ 341 |  | $ 321 |
[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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- Definition The charge against earnings in the period to reduce the carrying amount of real property, joint venture investment balances and other real estate related capitalized costs to fair value. + References No definition available. + Details
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