Annual report pursuant to Section 13 and 15(d)

Investments in Unconsolidated Entities (Details Textual)

v2.4.1.9
Investments in Unconsolidated Entities (Details Textual) (USD $)
In Thousands, unless otherwise specified
Dec. 31, 2014
JointVenture
Sep. 30, 2014
JointVenture
Dec. 31, 2013
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]      
Investments in unconsolidated entities $ 10,780us-gaap_InvestmentsInAffiliatesSubsidiariesAssociatesAndJointVentures   $ 11,638us-gaap_InvestmentsInAffiliatesSubsidiariesAssociatesAndJointVentures
Equity method land ventures [Member]      
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]      
Number of joint ventures 2mth_NumberOfActiveJointVentures
/ mth_ScheduleOfJointVentureInvestmentAxis
= mth_EquityMethodLandVenturesMember 		   
Mortgage joint ventures      
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]      
Number of joint ventures 1mth_NumberOfActiveJointVentures
/ mth_ScheduleOfJointVentureInvestmentAxis
= mth_MortgageJointVenturesMember 		1mth_NumberOfActiveJointVentures
/ mth_ScheduleOfJointVentureInvestmentAxis
= mth_MortgageJointVenturesMember 		 
Investments in unconsolidated entities 2,000us-gaap_InvestmentsInAffiliatesSubsidiariesAssociatesAndJointVentures
/ mth_ScheduleOfJointVentureInvestmentAxis
= mth_MortgageJointVenturesMember 		  2,900us-gaap_InvestmentsInAffiliatesSubsidiariesAssociatesAndJointVentures
/ mth_ScheduleOfJointVentureInvestmentAxis
= mth_MortgageJointVenturesMember
South Edge Guarantee [Member]      
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]      
Guarantor Obligations, Maximum Exposure, Undiscounted $ 13,243us-gaap_GuaranteeObligationsMaximumExposure
/ us-gaap_GuaranteeObligationsByNatureAxis
= mth_SouthEdgeGuaranteeMember