Accrued Expenses (Tables)
 3 Months Ended
Jan. 31, 2014
Payables and Accruals [Abstract]  
Accrued expenses
Accrued expenses at January 31, 2014 and October 31, 2013 consisted of the following (amounts in thousands):
 
January 31,
2014
 
October 31,
2013
Land, land development and construction
$
135,523

 
$
152,674

Compensation and employee benefits
107,080

 
111,561

Insurance and litigation
91,820

 
89,104

Warranty
42,688

 
43,819

Interest
46,500

 
25,675

Commitments to unconsolidated entities
4,260

 
3,804

Other
88,226

 
96,350

 
$
516,097

 
$
522,987
Changes in the warranty accrual
The table below provides, for the periods indicated, a reconciliation of the changes in the Company’s warranty accrual (amounts in thousands):
 
Three months ended January 31,
 
2014
 
2013
Balance, beginning of period
$
43,819

 
$
41,706

Additions – homes closed during the period
3,097

 
2,289

Increase (decrease) in accruals for homes closed in prior periods
344

 
(267
)
Charges incurred
(4,572
)
 
(2,487
)
Balance, end of period
$
42,688

 
$
41,241