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Fair Value Disclosures | 9 Months Ended
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Aug. 31, 2014
Fair Value Disclosures [Abstract] |
Fair Value Disclosures | Fair Value Disclosures Accounting Standards Codification Topic No. 820, “Fair Value Measurement,” provides a framework for measuring the fair value of assets and liabilities under GAAP, and establishes a fair value hierarchy that requires an entity to maximize the use of observable inputs and minimize the use of unobservable inputs when measuring fair value. The fair value hierarchy can be summarized as follows:
Level 1 |  | Fair value determined based on quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities.
Level 2 |  | Fair value determined using significant observable inputs, such as quoted prices for similar assets or liabilities or quoted prices for identical or similar assets or liabilities in markets that are not active, inputs other than quoted prices that are observable for the asset or liability, or inputs that are derived principally from or corroborated by observable market data, by correlation or other means.
Level 3 |  | Fair value determined using significant unobservable inputs, such as pricing models, discounted cash flows, or similar techniques.
Fair value measurements are used for inventories on a nonrecurring basis when events and circumstances indicate the carrying value is not recoverable. The following table presents the fair value hierarchy and our assets measured at fair value on a nonrecurring basis for the nine months ended August 31, 2014 and the year ended November 30, 2013 (in thousands):
|  | Fair Value
Description |  | Hierarchy |  | August 31, 2014 |  | November 30, 2013
Inventories (a) |  | Level 2 |  | $ | 6,421 |  |  | $ | — |
Inventories (a) |  | Level 3 |  | — |  |  | 1,143 |
Total |  |  |  | $ | 6,421 |  |  | $ | 1,143 |
(a) | Amounts represent the aggregate fair value for communities or land parcels where we recognized inventory impairment charges during the period, as of the date that the fair value measurements were made. The carrying value for these communities or land parcels may have subsequently increased or decreased from the fair value reflected due to activity that has occurred since the measurement date.
During the nine months ended August 31, 2014, inventories with a carrying value of $9.8 million were written down to their fair value of $6.4 million, resulting in inventory impairment charges of $3.4 million. The inventory impairment charges were associated with a planned future sale of our last remaining land parcel in Atlanta, Georgia, a former market where we do not have ongoing operations. During the year ended November 30, 2013, inventories with a carrying value of $1.5 million were written down to their fair value of $1.1 million, resulting in inventory impairment charges of $.4 million. The fair values for inventories that were determined using Level 2 inputs were based on an executed contract. The fair values for inventories that were determined using Level 3 inputs were primarily based on the estimated future net cash flows discounted for inherent risk associated with each underlying asset. Our financial instruments consist of cash and cash equivalents, restricted cash, senior notes, the 1.375% Convertible Senior Notes due 2019, and mortgages and land contracts due to land sellers and other loans. Fair value measurements of financial instruments are determined by various market data and other valuation techniques as appropriate. When available, we use quoted market prices in active markets to determine fair value. The following table presents the fair value hierarchy, carrying values and estimated fair values of our financial instruments, except those for which the carrying values approximate fair values (in thousands):
|  |  | August 31, 2014 |  | November 30, 2013
| Fair Value Hierarchy |  | Carrying Value |  | Estimated Fair Value |  | Carrying Value |  | Estimated Fair Value
Financial Liabilities: |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Senior notes | Level 2 |  | $ | 2,307,916 |  |  | $ | 2,503,228 |  |  | $ | 1,906,883 |  |  | $ | 2,069,325 |
Convertible senior notes | Level 2 |  | 230,000 |  |  | 228,850 |  |  | 230,000 |  |  | 224,825 |
The fair values of our senior notes and the 1.375% Convertible Senior Notes due 2019 are generally estimated based on quoted market prices for these instruments. The carrying values reported for cash and cash equivalents, restricted cash, and mortgages and land contracts due to land sellers and other loans approximate fair values.

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- Definition The entire disclosure for the fair value of financial instruments (as defined), including financial assets and financial liabilities (collectively, as defined), and the measurements of those instruments as well as disclosures related to the fair value of non-financial assets and liabilities. Such disclosures about the financial instruments, assets, and liabilities would include: (1) the fair value of the required items together with their carrying amounts (as appropriate); (2) for items for which it is not practicable to estimate fair value, disclosure would include: (a) information pertinent to estimating fair value (including, carrying amount, effective interest rate, and maturity, and (b) the reasons why it is not practicable to estimate fair value; (3) significant concentrations of credit risk including: (a) information about the activity, region, or economic characteristics identifying a concentration, (b) the maximum amount of loss the entity is exposed to based on the gross fair value of the related item, (c) policy for requiring collateral or other security and information as to accessing such collateral or security, and (d) the nature and brief description of such collateral or security; (4) quantitative information about market risks and how such risks are managed; (5) for items measured on both a recurring and nonrecurring basis information regarding the inputs used to develop the fair value measurement; and (6) for items presented in the financial statement for which fair value measurement is elected: (a) information necessary to understand the reasons for the election, (b) discussion of the effect of fair value changes on earnings, (c) a description of [similar groups] items for which the election is made and the relation thereof to the balance sheet, the aggregate carrying value of items included in the balance sheet that are not eligible for the election; (7) all other required (as defined) and desired information. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 825 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 21 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=28364263&loc=d3e13537-108611 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 825 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 10 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=28364263&loc=d3e13433-108611 Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 825 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 28 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6957238&loc=d3e14064-108612 Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 820 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 2 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=25499696&loc=d3e19207-110258 Reference 5: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 825 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 30 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6957238&loc=d3e14172-108612 Reference 6: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 825 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 16 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=28364263&loc=d3e13504-108611 + Details
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