Quarterly report pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d)

Variable Interest Entities and Consolidated Real Estate Not Owned (Details)

v2.4.1.9
Variable Interest Entities and Consolidated Real Estate Not Owned (Details) (USD $)
In Thousands, unless otherwise specified
Mar. 31, 2015
Lot
Dec. 31, 2014
Summary of lots under option or contract    
Number of lots of Option contracts recorded on balance sheet as Real estate not owned 0mth_NumberOfLotsUnderOptionContractsRecorded  
Purchase Price of Option contracts recorded on balance sheet as Real estate not owned $ 0us-gaap_LandUnderPurchaseOptionsRecorded $ 4,999us-gaap_LandUnderPurchaseOptionsRecorded
Option/Earnest money Deposits Cash Option contracts recorded on balance sheet as Real estate not owned 0mth_DepositAssetsOnRecordedRealEstateNotOwned  
Number of lots not recorded 13,975mth_NumberOfLotsUnderOptionOrContractsNotRecorded [1]  
Purchase price not recorded 905,505us-gaap_LandUnderPurchaseOptionsNotRecorded [1]  
Option/Earnest Money Deposits Cash 91,922us-gaap_DepositAssets [2] 94,989us-gaap_DepositAssets
Number of lots recorded and unrecorded 13,975mth_NumberOfLotsUnderOptionOrContracts  
Purchase Price recorded and unrecorded 905,505mth_LandUnderPurchaseOptionsRecordedAndUnrecorded  
Option/Earnest Money Deposits Cash recorded and unrecorded 91,922mth_AggregateDepositAssets  
Option Contracts Not Recorded On Balance Sheet Non Refundable Deposits Committed [Member]    
Summary of lots under option or contract    
Number of lots not recorded 7,101mth_NumberOfLotsUnderOptionOrContractsNotRecorded
/ mth_OptionContractsAndRealEstateNotOwnedAxis
= mth_OptionContractsNotRecordedOnBalanceSheetNonRefundableDepositsCommittedMemberMember 		[3]  
Purchase price not recorded 581,670us-gaap_LandUnderPurchaseOptionsNotRecorded
/ mth_OptionContractsAndRealEstateNotOwnedAxis
= mth_OptionContractsNotRecordedOnBalanceSheetNonRefundableDepositsCommittedMemberMember 		[3]  
Option/Earnest Money Deposits Cash 77,991us-gaap_DepositAssets
/ mth_OptionContractsAndRealEstateNotOwnedAxis
= mth_OptionContractsNotRecordedOnBalanceSheetNonRefundableDepositsCommittedMemberMember 		[3]  
Purchase Contracts Not Recorded On Balance Sheet Non Refundable Deposits Committed [Member]    
Summary of lots under option or contract    
Number of lots not recorded 2,646mth_NumberOfLotsUnderOptionOrContractsNotRecorded
/ mth_OptionContractsAndRealEstateNotOwnedAxis
= mth_PurchaseContractsNotRecordedOnBalanceSheetNonRefundableDepositsCommittedMemberMember 		[3]  
Purchase price not recorded 118,193us-gaap_LandUnderPurchaseOptionsNotRecorded
/ mth_OptionContractsAndRealEstateNotOwnedAxis
= mth_PurchaseContractsNotRecordedOnBalanceSheetNonRefundableDepositsCommittedMemberMember 		[3]  
Option/Earnest Money Deposits Cash 10,560us-gaap_DepositAssets
/ mth_OptionContractsAndRealEstateNotOwnedAxis
= mth_PurchaseContractsNotRecordedOnBalanceSheetNonRefundableDepositsCommittedMemberMember 		[3]  
Purchase Contracts not recorded on balance sheet Refundable Deposits Committed [Member]    
Summary of lots under option or contract    
Number of lots not recorded 109mth_NumberOfLotsUnderOptionOrContractsNotRecorded
/ mth_OptionContractsAndRealEstateNotOwnedAxis
= mth_PurchaseContractsnotrecordedasrefundabledepositscommittedMember 		 
Purchase price not recorded 4,611us-gaap_LandUnderPurchaseOptionsNotRecorded
/ mth_OptionContractsAndRealEstateNotOwnedAxis
= mth_PurchaseContractsnotrecordedasrefundabledepositscommittedMember 		 
Option/Earnest Money Deposits Cash 329us-gaap_DepositAssets
/ mth_OptionContractsAndRealEstateNotOwnedAxis
= mth_PurchaseContractsnotrecordedasrefundabledepositscommittedMember 		 
Total committed (on and off balance sheet) [Member]    
Summary of lots under option or contract    
Number of lots recorded and unrecorded 9,856mth_NumberOfLotsUnderOptionOrContracts
/ mth_OptionContractsAndRealEstateNotOwnedAxis
= mth_CommittedMember 		 
Purchase Price recorded and unrecorded 704,474mth_LandUnderPurchaseOptionsRecordedAndUnrecorded
/ mth_OptionContractsAndRealEstateNotOwnedAxis
= mth_CommittedMember 		 
Option/Earnest Money Deposits Cash recorded and unrecorded 88,880mth_AggregateDepositAssets
/ mth_OptionContractsAndRealEstateNotOwnedAxis
= mth_CommittedMember 		 
Option and Purchase contracts not recorded on balance sheet - refundable deposits, uncommitted [Member]    
Summary of lots under option or contract    
Number of lots not recorded 4,119mth_NumberOfLotsUnderOptionOrContractsNotRecorded
/ mth_OptionContractsAndRealEstateNotOwnedAxis
= mth_OptionAndPurchaseContractsNotRecordedOnBalanceSheetRefundableDepositsUncommittedMember 		[4]  
Purchase price not recorded 201,031us-gaap_LandUnderPurchaseOptionsNotRecorded
/ mth_OptionContractsAndRealEstateNotOwnedAxis
= mth_OptionAndPurchaseContractsNotRecordedOnBalanceSheetRefundableDepositsUncommittedMember 		[4]  
Option/Earnest Money Deposits Cash $ 3,042us-gaap_DepositAssets
/ mth_OptionContractsAndRealEstateNotOwnedAxis
= mth_OptionAndPurchaseContractsNotRecordedOnBalanceSheetRefundableDepositsUncommittedMember 		[4]  
[1] Except for our specific performance contracts recorded on our balance sheet as Real estate not owned, if any, none of our option agreements require us to purchase lots.
[2] Amount is reflected in our consolidated balance sheet in the line item “Deposits on real estate under option or contract” as of March 31, 2015.
[3] Deposits are non-refundable except if certain contractual conditions are not performed by the selling party.
[4] Deposits are refundable at our sole discretion. We have not completed our acquisition evaluation process and we have not internally committed to purchase these lots.