<ARTICLE> 5
<MULTIPLIER> 1,000
       
                             
<PERIOD-TYPE>                   6-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                          NOV-30-1998
<PERIOD-START>                             DEC-01-1998
<PERIOD-END>                               MAY-31-1998
<CASH>                                          17,686
<SECURITIES>                                    63,962<F1>
<RECEIVABLES>                                  349,190
<ALLOWANCES>                                         0
<INVENTORY>                                  1,049,788
<CURRENT-ASSETS>                                     0
<PP&E>                                               0
<DEPRECIATION>                                       0
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                               1,631,455
<CURRENT-LIABILITIES>                                0
<BONDS>                                        528,814<F2>
<PREFERRED-MANDATORY>                                0
<PREFERRED>                                          0
<COMMON>                                        39,854
<OTHER-SE>                                     370,383
<TOTAL-LIABILITY-AND-EQUITY>                 1,631,455
<SALES>                                        944,026
<TOTAL-REVENUES>                               963,704
<CGS>                                          773,872
<TOTAL-COSTS>                                  781,008<F3>
<OTHER-EXPENSES>                               131,736<F4>
<LOSS-PROVISION>                                     0
<INTEREST-EXPENSE>                              14,799
<INCOME-PRETAX>                                 38,920
<INCOME-TAX>                                    13,600
<INCOME-CONTINUING>                             25,320
<DISCONTINUED>                                       0
<EXTRAORDINARY>                                      0
<CHANGES>                                            0
<NET-INCOME>                                    25,320
<EPS-PRIMARY>                                     0.65
<EPS-DILUTED>                                     0.62
<FN>
<F1>MARKETABLE SECURITIES ARE COMPRISED OF FIRST MORTGAGES AND MORTGAGE-BACKED
SECURITIES WHICH ARE HELD FOR LONG-TERM INVESTMENT.  THE MORTGAGE-BACKED
SECURITIES SERVE AS COLLATERAL FOR RELATED COLLATERALIZED MORTGAGE
OBLIGATIONS.
<F2>BONDS ARE COMPRISED OF SENIOR AND SENIOR SUBORDINATED NOTES AND COLLATERALIZED
MORTGAGE OBLIGATIONS.
<F3>TOTAL COSTS INCLUDE INTEREST EXPENSE ON THE COLLATERALIZED MORTGAGE OBLIGATIONS
AS THE ASSOCIATED INTEREST INCOME GENERATED FROM THE MORTGAGE-BACKED SECURITIES
IS INCLUDED IN TOTAL REVENUES.
<F4>OTHER EXPENSES ARE COMPRISED OF SELLING, GENERAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE EXPENSES.
</FN>