Fair Value Measurements - Assets and Liabilities Not Reflected at Fair Value (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions | Mar. 31, 2017 | Sep. 30, 2016 | Mar. 31, 2016 | Sep. 30, 2015 |
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items] | | | | |
Cash and cash equivalents, Carrying value | $ 993.2 | $ 1,303.2 | $ 1,224.1 | $ 1,383.8 |
Notes payable, Carrying value | 3,222.4 | 3,271.3 | | |
Homebuilding [Member] | | | | |
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items] | | | | |
Cash and cash equivalents, Carrying value | 947.9 | 1,271.8 | | |
Restricted cash, Carrying value | 11.1 | 9.5 | | |
Notes payable, Carrying value | 2,803.4 | 2,798.3 | | |
Homebuilding [Member] | Senior Notes [Member] | | | | |
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items] | | | | |
Notes payable, Carrying value | 2,788.8 | 2,786.7 | | |
Homebuilding [Member] | Secured Debt [Member] | | | | |
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items] | | | | |
Notes payable, Carrying value | 14.6 | 11.6 | | |
Homebuilding [Member] | Estimate of Fair Value Measurement [Member] | | | | |
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items] | | | | |
Cash and cash equivalents, Fair value | 947.9 | 1,271.8 | | |
Restricted cash, Fair value | 11.1 | 9.5 | | |
Homebuilding [Member] | Estimate of Fair Value Measurement [Member] | Senior Notes [Member] | | | | |
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items] | | | | |
Notes payable, Fair value | 2,941.4 | 2,947.4 | | |
Homebuilding [Member] | Estimate of Fair Value Measurement [Member] | Secured Debt [Member] | | | | |
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items] | | | | |
Notes payable, Fair value | 14.6 | 11.6 | | |
Homebuilding [Member] | Fair Value, Inputs, Level 1 [Member] | | | | |
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items] | | | | |
Cash and cash equivalents, Fair value | 947.9 | 1,271.8 | | |
Restricted cash, Fair value | 11.1 | 9.5 | | |
Homebuilding [Member] | Fair Value, Inputs, Level 1 [Member] | Senior Notes [Member] | | | | |
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items] | | | | |
Notes payable, Fair value | 0 | 0 | | |
Homebuilding [Member] | Fair Value, Inputs, Level 1 [Member] | Secured Debt [Member] | | | | |
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items] | | | | |
Notes payable, Fair value | 0 | 0 | | |
Homebuilding [Member] | Fair Value, Inputs, Level 2 [Member] | | | | |
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items] | | | | |
Cash and cash equivalents, Fair value | 0 | 0 | | |
Restricted cash, Fair value | 0 | 0 | | |
Homebuilding [Member] | Fair Value, Inputs, Level 2 [Member] | Senior Notes [Member] | | | | |
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items] | | | | |
Notes payable, Fair value | 2,941.4 | 2,947.4 | | |
Homebuilding [Member] | Fair Value, Inputs, Level 2 [Member] | Secured Debt [Member] | | | | |
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items] | | | | |
Notes payable, Fair value | 0 | 0 | | |
Homebuilding [Member] | Fair Value, Inputs, Level 3 [Member] | | | | |
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items] | | | | |
Cash and cash equivalents, Fair value | 0 | 0 | | |
Restricted cash, Fair value | 0 | 0 | | |
Homebuilding [Member] | Fair Value, Inputs, Level 3 [Member] | Senior Notes [Member] | | | | |
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items] | | | | |
Notes payable, Fair value | 0 | 0 | | |
Homebuilding [Member] | Fair Value, Inputs, Level 3 [Member] | Secured Debt [Member] | | | | |
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items] | | | | |
Notes payable, Fair value | 14.6 | 11.6 | | |
Financial Services and Other [Member] | | | | |
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items] | | | | |
Cash and cash equivalents, Carrying value | 45.3 | 31.4 | | |
Restricted cash, Carrying Value | 7.3 | | | |
Mortgage repurchase facility | 419 | 473 | | |
Financial Services and Other [Member] | Estimate of Fair Value Measurement [Member] | | | | |
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items] | | | | |
Cash and cash equivalents, Fair value | 45.3 | 31.4 | | |
Restricted cash, Fair value | 7.3 | | | |
Mortgage repurchase facility, Fair value | 419 | 473 | | |
Financial Services and Other [Member] | Fair Value, Inputs, Level 1 [Member] | | | | |
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items] | | | | |
Cash and cash equivalents, Fair value | 45.3 | 31.4 | | |
Restricted cash, Fair value | 7.3 | | | |
Mortgage repurchase facility, Fair value | 0 | 0 | | |
Financial Services and Other [Member] | Fair Value, Inputs, Level 2 [Member] | | | | |
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items] | | | | |
Cash and cash equivalents, Fair value | 0 | 0 | | |
Restricted cash, Fair value | 0 | | | |
Mortgage repurchase facility, Fair value | 0 | 0 | | |
Financial Services and Other [Member] | Fair Value, Inputs, Level 3 [Member] | | | | |
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items] | | | | |
Cash and cash equivalents, Fair value | 0 | 0 | | |
Restricted cash, Fair value | 0 | | | |
Mortgage repurchase facility, Fair value | $ 419 | $ 473 | | |