Note 21 - Financial Information of Subsidiary Issuer and Subsidiary Guarantors (Details) - Consolidating Condensed Financial Statements - Statements of Operations (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended	6 Months Ended
Apr. 30, 2015	Apr. 30, 2014	Apr. 30, 2015	Apr. 30, 2014
Condensed Income Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Total revenues	$ 468,949us-gaap_Revenues	$ 449,929us-gaap_Revenues	$ 914,663us-gaap_Revenues	$ 813,977us-gaap_Revenues
Homebuilding Expense	499,896us-gaap_CostsAndExpenses	457,139us-gaap_CostsAndExpenses	966,742us-gaap_CostsAndExpenses	847,648us-gaap_CostsAndExpenses
Loss on extinguishment of debt		(1,155)		(1,155)
Income from unconsolidated joint ventures	1,466	1,067	2,918	3,638
(Loss) income before income taxes	(29,481)	(7,298)	(49,161)	(31,188)
State and federal income tax (benefit) provision	(9,922)us-gaap_IncomeTaxExpenseBenefit	604us-gaap_IncomeTaxExpenseBenefit	(15,226)us-gaap_IncomeTaxExpenseBenefit	1,237us-gaap_IncomeTaxExpenseBenefit
Equity in (loss) income of consolidated subsidiaries		0
Net (loss) income	(19,559)us-gaap_NetIncomeLoss	(7,902)us-gaap_NetIncomeLoss	(33,935)us-gaap_NetIncomeLoss	(32,425)us-gaap_NetIncomeLoss
Homebuilding [Member] \| Reportable Legal Entities [Member] \| Parent Company [Member]
Condensed Income Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Homebuilding Expense	3,082	1,942	6,793	5,925
Homebuilding [Member] \| Reportable Legal Entities [Member] \| Subsidiary Issuer [Member]
Condensed Income Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Homebuilding revenue		(31)		(77)
Homebuilding Expense	38,387	33,629	76,215	64,018
Homebuilding [Member] \| Reportable Legal Entities [Member] \| Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Condensed Income Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Homebuilding revenue	390,898	366,152	756,087	649,190
Homebuilding Expense	392,535	349,322	750,044	638,940
Homebuilding [Member] \| Reportable Legal Entities [Member] \| Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Condensed Income Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Homebuilding revenue	65,594	74,396	134,997	147,358
Homebuilding Expense	58,384	67,129	118,865	128,138
Homebuilding [Member] \| Consolidation, Eliminations [Member]
Condensed Income Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Homebuilding Expense		(1,590)		(2,752)
Homebuilding [Member]
Condensed Income Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Homebuilding revenue	456,492	440,517	891,084	796,471
Total revenues	456,531	440,547	891,159	796,546
Homebuilding Expense	492,388	450,432	951,917	834,269
(Loss) income before income taxes	1,077	24,152	14,608	33,836
Financial Services [Member] \| Reportable Legal Entities [Member] \| Parent Company [Member]
Condensed Income Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Financial services	20	5	88	9
Financial Services [Member] \| Reportable Legal Entities [Member] \| Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Condensed Income Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Financial services	1,935	2,236	3,768	4,071
Financial services	1,556	1,694	3,129	3,219
Financial Services [Member] \| Reportable Legal Entities [Member] \| Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Condensed Income Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Financial services	10,522	7,176	19,811	13,435
Financial services	5,932	5,008	11,608	10,151
Financial Services [Member]
Condensed Income Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Financial services	12,457	9,412	23,579	17,506
Total revenues	12,457	9,412	23,579	17,506
(Loss) income before income taxes	4,949	2,705	8,754	4,127
Financial services	7,508	6,707	14,825	13,379
Reportable Legal Entities [Member] \| Parent Company [Member]
Condensed Income Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Homebuilding Expense	3,102	1,947	6,881	5,934
(Loss) income before income taxes	(3,102)	(1,947)	(6,881)	(5,934)
State and federal income tax (benefit) provision	(5,906)	(2,236)	(18,192)	(5,828)
Equity in (loss) income of consolidated subsidiaries	(22,363)	(8,191)	(45,246)	(32,319)
Net (loss) income	(19,559)	(7,902)	(33,935)	(32,425)
Reportable Legal Entities [Member] \| Subsidiary Issuer [Member]
Condensed Income Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Intercompany charges	31,873	25,978	60,385	46,555
Total revenues	31,873	25,947	60,385	46,478
Homebuilding Expense	38,387	33,629	76,215	64,018
Loss on extinguishment of debt		(1,155)		(1,155)
(Loss) income before income taxes	(6,514)	(8,837)	(15,830)	(18,695)
Equity in (loss) income of consolidated subsidiaries	(13,558)	(11,945)	(26,364)	(24,024)
Net (loss) income	(20,072)	(20,782)	(42,194)	(42,719)
Reportable Legal Entities [Member] \| Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Condensed Income Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Intercompany charges		(27,019)		(48,281)
Total revenues	392,833	341,369	759,855	604,980
Homebuilding Expense	426,030	351,016	813,494	642,159
Income from unconsolidated joint ventures		37	(14)	60
(Loss) income before income taxes	(33,197)	(9,610)	(53,653)	(37,119)
State and federal income tax (benefit) provision	(4,016)	2,840	2,966	7,065
Equity in (loss) income of consolidated subsidiaries	13,332	10,714	27,203	26,082
Net (loss) income	(15,849)	(1,736)	(29,416)	(18,102)
Intercompany charges	31,939		60,321
Reportable Legal Entities [Member] \| Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Condensed Income Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Intercompany charges	66	249
Total revenues	76,182	81,821	154,808	160,793
Homebuilding Expense	64,316	72,137	130,537	138,289
Income from unconsolidated joint ventures	1,466	1,030	2,932	3,578
(Loss) income before income taxes	13,332	10,714	27,203	26,082
Net (loss) income	13,332	10,714	27,203	26,082
Intercompany charges			64
Consolidation, Eliminations [Member]
Condensed Income Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Intercompany charges	(31,939)	792	(60,385)	1,726
Total revenues	(31,939)	792	(60,385)	1,726
Homebuilding Expense	(31,939)	(1,590)	(60,385)	(2,752)
(Loss) income before income taxes		2,382		4,478
Equity in (loss) income of consolidated subsidiaries	22,589	9,422	44,407	30,261
Net (loss) income	22,589	11,804	44,407	34,739
Intercompany charges	$ (31,939)		$ (60,385)

Note 21 - Financial Information of Subsidiary Issuer and Subsidiary Guarantors (Details) - Consolidating Condensed Financial Statements - Statements of Operations (USD $)
In Thousands, unless otherwise specified