Operation Homefront Selects Two Veterans for Mortgage-Free Homes From Meritage Homes

New Homes to Be Awarded in Phoenix, Arizona, and Austin, Texas

SCOTTSDALE, AZ -- (Marketwired) -- 09/09/16 -- Operation Homefront and Meritage Homes Corporation (NYSE: MTH) announce that two military families have been selected to receive newly-built mortgage-free homes. The homes are located in the greater Austin, Texas and Phoenix, Arizona areas. Each of the homes will be presented to the families on November 11 in observance of Veterans Day.

Born in Galveston and raised in Stockdale, Texas, Army Sergeant Jonathan Acuna, his wife Jessica, and two daughters, Jlynn and Aracely, will be moving into their first owned family home. Acuna served as a military police officer protecting the health and welfare of the military families at his designated post. He was awarded a Purple Heart for actions taken during a road side bomb explosion in Iraq in 2009, in which he sustained injuries that sent him back to the states for recovery. Those injuries eventually led to Acuna being medically retired with an honorable discharge in February 2016.

The 1,562 square-foot, three-bedroom home in Leander, Texas, will provide Acuna and his family an opportunity to complete their studies and pursue their passions. "It means everything to us," said Acuna. "We don't have to worry about where we are going to live next, and I am proud that my girls can call this their home."

Army Staff Sergeant Joseph Moncrief was selected to receive a 2,278 square-foot home in Goodyear, Arizona. The three-bedroom home will provide Joseph, his wife Mollie, and two daughters, Elizabeth and Jocelyn, access to wonderful schools, financial security, and the opportunity to begin a college fund.

"It's a dream that we have been wanting for a long time," said Moncrief. "Thank you for being there for us -- honestly. I was floored about what Meritage Homes provides for veterans and military families."

The two veterans were selected based on a number of qualifications including, but not limited to, family needs and ties to the community. These homes bring the total to nine newly built homes provided by Meritage Homes through Operation Homefront's Homes on the Homefront program.

"Our mission is to build strong, stable, and secure military families so that they can thrive in the communities they have worked so hard to protect," said Robert Thomas, chief operating officer at Operation Homefront. "Thanks to the continuing generosity of Meritage Homes, we are privileged to award two additional new homes to deserving military families as part of our Homes on the Homefront program."

"We are looking forward to awarding these deserving military families the keys to their brand new homes in November -- just in time for the holidays," said Thomas.

Steven J. Hilton, chairman and CEO of Meritage Homes, said, "This is our fourth year providing homes for deserving veterans and their families in cooperation with Operation Homefront. We and our partners are truly honored to provide these homes where the Moncrief and Acuna families can live better lives and make memories to last a lifetime."

For more information about the Operation Homefront and Meritage Homes partnership, please visit http://www.HomesontheHomefront.org/Highlights or www.MeritageHomes.com.

About Meritage Homes Corporation:

Meritage Homes is the seventh-largest public homebuilder in the United States, based on homes closed in 2015. Meritage Homes builds and sells single-family homes for first-time, move-up, luxury and active adult buyers across the Western, Southern and Southeastern United States. Meritage Homes builds in markets including Sacramento, San Francisco's East Bay, the Central Valley and Orange County, California; Houston, Dallas-Ft. Worth, Austin and San Antonio, Texas; Phoenix/Scottsdale, Green Valley and Tucson, Arizona; Denver and Fort Collins, Colorado; Orlando and Tampa, Florida; Raleigh and Charlotte, North Carolina; Greenville-Spartanburg and York County, South Carolina; Nashville, Tennessee; and Atlanta, Georgia.

Meritage Homes has designed and built more than 95,000 homes in its 30-year history, and has a reputation for its distinctive style, quality construction, and positive customer experience. Meritage Homes is the industry leader in energy-efficient homebuilding and has received the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's ENERGY STAR Partner of the Year for Sustained Excellence Award every year since 2013 for innovation and industry leadership in energy efficient homebuilding. For more information, visit www.meritagehomes.com.

About Operation Homefront:

A national nonprofit, Operation Homefront builds strong, stable, and secure military families so that they can thrive in the communities they have worked so hard to protect. With more than 3,200 volunteers nationwide, Operation Homefront has provided assistance to tens of thousands of military families since its inception shortly after 9/11. Recognized for superior performance by leading independent charity oversight groups, 92 percent of Operation Homefront's expenditures go directly to programs that provide support to our military families. For more information, go to www.OperationHomefront.net.

MEDIA INQUIRIES:

Brent Anderson
VP Investor Relations
media@meritagehomes.com

972.580.6360
Jason E. Moody
Housing Programs Communications Manager
Jason.Moody@OperationHomefront.net
210.549.4653

Source: Meritage Homes Corporation and Operation Homefront

Released September 9, 2016