Meritage Homes Corporation Quarterly report pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d)

Real Estate and Capitalized Interest (Details Textual) (USD $)	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2013 Communities	Jun. 30, 2012	Jun. 30, 2013 Communities	Jun. 30, 2012	Dec. 31, 2012
Real Estate and Capitalized Interest [Line Items]
Number of remaining actively selling communities	165		165
Impairment Charges	$ 146,000	$ 863,000	$ 192,000	$ 1,200,000
Real Estate and Capitalized Interest (Textual) [Abstract]
Capitalized interest related to joint venture investments	532,000		532,000		539,000
Central [Member] \| Mothballed [Member]
Real Estate and Capitalized Interest [Line Items]
Carrying value of the community	3,300,000		3,300,000
Number of mothball communities	2		2
West [Member] \| Mothballed [Member]
Real Estate and Capitalized Interest [Line Items]
Carrying value of the community	36,000,000		36,000,000
Number of mothball communities	8		8
Las Vegas Wind-down [Member]
Real Estate and Capitalized Interest [Line Items]
Number of remaining actively selling communities	0		0
Number of lots remaining to sell	1		1
Value of remaining lots and associated home inventory	200,000		200,000
Value of remaining assets related to properties not being developed	$ 12,200,000		$ 12,200,000