<SUBMISSION>
<ACCESSION-NUMBER>0001179110-09-012288
<TYPE>3
<PUBLIC-DOCUMENT-COUNT>1
<PERIOD>20090812
<FILING-DATE>20090818
<DATE-OF-FILING-DATE-CHANGE>20090818
<REPORTING-OWNER>
<OWNER-DATA>
<CONFORMED-NAME>BRADFORD DANA
<CIK>0001251360
</OWNER-DATA>
<FILING-VALUES>
<FORM-TYPE>3
<ACT>34
<FILE-NUMBER>001-09977
<FILM-NUMBER>091022287
</FILING-VALUES>
<MAIL-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>BALLANTYNE OF OMAHA INC
<STREET2>4350 MCKINLEY STREET
<CITY>OMAHA
<STATE>NE
<ZIP>68112
</MAIL-ADDRESS>
</REPORTING-OWNER>
<ISSUER>
<COMPANY-DATA>
<CONFORMED-NAME>Meritage Homes CORP
<CIK>0000833079
<ASSIGNED-SIC>1531
<IRS-NUMBER>860611231
<STATE-OF-INCORPORATION>MD
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>1231
</COMPANY-DATA>
<BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>17851 NORTH 85TH STREET
<STREET2>SUITE 300
<CITY>SCOTTSDALE
<STATE>AZ
<ZIP>85255
<PHONE>480-515-8100
</BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<MAIL-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>17851 NORTH 85TH STREET
<STREET2>SUITE 300
<CITY>SCOTTSDALE
<STATE>AZ
<ZIP>85255
</MAIL-ADDRESS>
<FORMER-COMPANY>
<FORMER-CONFORMED-NAME>MERITAGE CORP
<DATE-CHANGED>19981009
</FORMER-COMPANY>
<FORMER-COMPANY>
<FORMER-CONFORMED-NAME>MONTEREY HOMES CORP
<DATE-CHANGED>19970113
</FORMER-COMPANY>
<FORMER-COMPANY>
<FORMER-CONFORMED-NAME>HOMEPLEX MORTGAGE INVESTMENTS CORP
<DATE-CHANGED>19920703
</FORMER-COMPANY>
</ISSUER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>3
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>edgar.xml
<DESCRIPTION>FORM 3 -
<TEXT>
<XML>
<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0203</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>3</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2009-08-12</periodOfReport>

    <noSecuritiesOwned>0</noSecuritiesOwned>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000833079</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>Meritage Homes CORP</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>MTH</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001251360</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>BRADFORD DANA</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>17851 NORTH 85TH STREET, SUITE 300</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>SCOTTSDALE</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>AZ</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>85255</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>1</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle></officerTitle>
            <otherText></otherText>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>MTH COMMON STOCK</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>1000000</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>BY SOUTHWEST VALUE PARTNERS FUND XIV, LP</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeHolding>
        <nonDerivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>MTH COMMON STOCK</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>1185920</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>BY FULCRUM HOMES, LLC</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeHolding>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <derivativeTable></derivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">These shares are owned of record by Southwest Value Partners XIV, LP.  Mr. Bradford may be deemed to control the voting, disposition or purchase of these shares and thus may be deemed to share beneficial ownership of these shares.  Mr. Bradford disclaims beneficial ownership of these shares except to the extent of his pecuniary interest therein, and the inclusion of these shares in this report shall not be an admission of beneficial ownership of all of the reported securities for purposes of Section 16 or for any other purpose.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">These shares are owned of record by Fulcrum Homes, LLC.  Mr. Bradford may be deemed to control the voting, disposition or purchase of these shares and thus may be deemed to share beneficial ownership of these shares.  Mr. Bradford disclaims beneficial ownership of these shares except to the extent of his pecuniary interest therein, and the inclusion of these shares in this report shall not be an admission of beneficial ownership of all of the reported securities for purposes of Section 16 or for any other purpose.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>/s/ Dana C. Bradford</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2009-08-17</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
</XML>
</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
</SUBMISSION>
