EXHIBIT 23.1

                          INDEPENDENT AUDITORS' CONSENT

The Board of Directors
Meritage Corporation:

We  consent  to  incorporation  by  reference  in  Registration  Statement  Nos.
333-58793 and 333-87398 on Form S-3 of Meritage Corporation and to incorporation
by reference in Registration Statement Nos. 333-191960, 333-37859, 333-75629 and
333-39036 on Form S-8 of Meritage  Corporation  of our report dated  February 6,
2003, with respect to the  consolidated  balance sheets of Meritage  Corporation
and subsidiaries as of December 31, 2002 and 2001, and the related  consolidated
statements  of  earnings,  stockholders'  equity  and cash flows for each of the
years in the three-year  period ended December 31, 2002, which report appears in
the December 31, 2002 annual report on Form 10-K of Meritage Corporation.

Our report  refers to a change in accounting  for goodwill and other  intangible
assets in 2002.

                                        /s/ KPMG LLP

Phoenix, Arizona
March 31, 2003