Supplemental Disclosure of Noncash Activities	9 Months Ended
Jul. 31, 2013
Supplemental Cash Flow Elements [Abstract]
Cash Flow, Supplemental Disclosures [Text Block]	Supplemental disclosure of noncash financing activities: In the second quarter of fiscal 2013, a property that we previously acquired when our partner in a land development joint venture transferred its interest in the venture to us, was foreclosed on by the note holder. As a result, the inventory with a book value of $9.5 million and corresponding non-recourse liability of equal amount were taken off of our balance sheet in that quarter. In the first quarter of fiscal 2013, 18,305 of our senior exchangeable notes were exchanged for 3,396,102 shares of Class A Common Stock. In the first quarter of fiscal 2013, we entered into a new unconsolidated homebuilding joint venture which resulted in the transfer of an existing receivable from our joint venture partners of $0.6 million at October 31, 2012, to an investment in the joint venture at January 31, 2013. During the third quarter of fiscal 2012, we purchased our partners’ interest in one of our unconsolidated homebuilding joint ventures. The consolidation of this entity resulted in increases in inventory, other assets, non-recourse land mortgages and accounts payables and other liabilities of $34.3 million, $5.0 million, $20.6 million and $15.8 million, respectively. In the second and third quarters of fiscal 2012, we completed several debt for equity exchanges. See Notes 11, 12 and 16 for further information. In the first quarter of fiscal 2012, we completed a debt for debt exchange. See Note 9 in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended October 31, 2012 for further information.

Supplemental Disclosure of Noncash Activities

9 Months Ended

Jul. 31, 2013

Supplemental Cash Flow Elements [Abstract]

Cash Flow, Supplemental Disclosures [Text Block]

Supplemental disclosure of noncash financing activities:

In the second quarter of fiscal 2013, a property that we previously acquired when our partner in a land development joint venture transferred its interest in the venture to us, was foreclosed on by the note holder. As a result, the inventory with a book value of $9.5 million and corresponding non-recourse liability of equal amount were taken off of our balance sheet in that quarter.

In the first quarter of fiscal 2013, 18,305 of our senior exchangeable notes were exchanged for 3,396,102 shares of Class A Common Stock.

In the first quarter of fiscal 2013, we entered into a new unconsolidated homebuilding joint venture which resulted in the transfer of an existing receivable from our joint venture partners of $0.6 million at October 31, 2012, to an investment in the joint venture at January 31, 2013.

During the third quarter of fiscal 2012, we purchased our partners’ interest in one of our unconsolidated homebuilding joint ventures. The consolidation of this entity resulted in increases in inventory, other assets, non-recourse land mortgages and accounts payables and other liabilities of $34.3 million, $5.0 million, $20.6 million and $15.8 million, respectively.

In the second and third quarters of fiscal 2012, we completed several debt for equity exchanges. See Notes 11, 12 and 16 for further information.

In the first quarter of fiscal 2012, we completed a debt for debt exchange. See Note 9 in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended October 31, 2012 for further information.