Quarterly report pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d)

Real Estate and Capitalized Interest (Details)

v2.4.1.9
Real Estate and Capitalized Interest (Details) (USD $)
In Thousands, unless otherwise specified
Mar. 31, 2015
Dec. 31, 2014
Real Estate Properties    
Finished home sites and home sites under development $ 1,160,587mth_FinishedHomeSitesAndHomeSitesUnderDevelopment [1] $ 1,136,849mth_FinishedHomeSitesAndHomeSitesUnderDevelopment [1]
Real estate 1,943,055us-gaap_InventoryRealEstate 1,877,682us-gaap_InventoryRealEstate
Homes under contract [Member]    
Real Estate Properties    
Homes under contract under construction 419,324us-gaap_InventoryHomesUnderConstruction
/ us-gaap_PublicUtilitiesInventoryAxis
= mth_HomesundercontractMember 		[2] 328,931us-gaap_InventoryHomesUnderConstruction
/ us-gaap_PublicUtilitiesInventoryAxis
= mth_HomesundercontractMember 		[2]
Speculative homes not under contract [Member]    
Real Estate Properties    
Homes under contract under construction 251,840us-gaap_InventoryHomesUnderConstruction
/ us-gaap_PublicUtilitiesInventoryAxis
= mth_SpeculativehomesnotundercontractMember 		[2] 302,288us-gaap_InventoryHomesUnderConstruction
/ us-gaap_PublicUtilitiesInventoryAxis
= mth_SpeculativehomesnotundercontractMember 		[2]
Model homes [Member]    
Real Estate Properties    
Homes under contract under construction $ 111,304us-gaap_InventoryHomesUnderConstruction
/ us-gaap_PublicUtilitiesInventoryAxis
= mth_ModelhomesMember 		[2] $ 109,614us-gaap_InventoryHomesUnderConstruction
/ us-gaap_PublicUtilitiesInventoryAxis
= mth_ModelhomesMember 		[2]
[1] Includes raw land, land held for development and land held for sale. Land held for development primarily reflects land and land development costs related to land where development activity is not currently underway but is expected to begin in the future. For these parcels, we may have chosen not to currently develop certain land holdings as they typically represent a portion or phases of a larger land parcel that we plan to build out over several years. We do not capitalize interest for inactive assets, and all ongoing costs of land ownership (i.e. property taxes, homeowner association dues, etc.) are expensed as incurred.
[2] Includes the allocated land and land development costs associated with each lot for these homes.