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Real Estate and Capitalized Interest (Details 1) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified | 3 Months Ended | 9 Months Ended
--- | --- | ---
Sep. 30, 2012 | Sep. 30, 2011 | Sep. 30, 2012 | Sep. 30, 2011
Real-estate and joint venture impairment charges |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Impairment of real estate | $ 417 |  | $ 1,047 |  | $ 1,573 |  | $ 2,301 |
West [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Real-estate and joint venture impairment charges |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Impairment of real estate | 42 |  | 295 |  | 953 |  | 552 |
Central [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Real-estate and joint venture impairment charges |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Impairment of real estate | 317 |  | 693 |  | 543 |  | 1,462 |
East [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Real-estate and joint venture impairment charges |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Impairment of real estate | 58 |  | 59 |  | 77 |  | 287 |
Terminated option/purchase contracts and related pre-acquisition costs [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Real-estate and joint venture impairment charges |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Impairment of real estate | 263 |  | 98 |  | 346 |  | 100 |
Terminated option/purchase contracts and related pre-acquisition costs [Member] | West [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Real-estate and joint venture impairment charges |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Impairment of real estate | 0 |  | 0 |  | 0 |  | 0 |
Terminated option/purchase contracts and related pre-acquisition costs [Member] | Central [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Real-estate and joint venture impairment charges |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Impairment of real estate | 263 |  | 98 |  | 346 |  | 100 |
Terminated option/purchase contracts and related pre-acquisition costs [Member] | East [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Real-estate and joint venture impairment charges |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Impairment of real estate | 0 |  | 0 |  | 0 |  | 0 |
Real estate inventory impairments [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Real-estate and joint venture impairment charges |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Impairment of real estate | 154 | [1] | 822 | [1] | 558 | [1] | 2,074 | [1]
Real estate inventory impairments [Member] | West [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Real-estate and joint venture impairment charges |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Impairment of real estate | 42 | [1] | 295 | [1] | 284 | [1] | 552 | [1]
Real estate inventory impairments [Member] | Central [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Real-estate and joint venture impairment charges |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Impairment of real estate | 54 | [1] | 468 | [1] | 197 | [1] | 1,235 | [1]
Real estate inventory impairments [Member] | East [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Real-estate and joint venture impairment charges |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Impairment of real estate | 58 | [1] | 59 | [1] | 77 | [1] | 287 | [1]
Impairments of land held for sale [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Real-estate and joint venture impairment charges |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Impairment of real estate | 0 |  | 127 |  | 669 |  | 127 |
Impairments of land held for sale [Member] | West [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Real-estate and joint venture impairment charges |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Impairment of real estate | 0 |  | 0 |  | 669 |  | 0 |
Impairments of land held for sale [Member] | Central [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Real-estate and joint venture impairment charges |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Impairment of real estate | 0 |  | 127 |  | 0 |  | 127 |
Impairments of land held for sale [Member] | East [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Real-estate and joint venture impairment charges |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Impairment of real estate | 0 |  | 0 |  | 0 |  | 0 |
Individual home impairments [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Real-estate and joint venture impairment charges |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Impairment of real estate | 154 |  | 464 |  | 558 |  | 1,405 |
Individual home impairments [Member] | West [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Real-estate and joint venture impairment charges |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Impairment of real estate | 42 |  | 166 |  | 284 |  | 423 |
Individual home impairments [Member] | Central [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Real-estate and joint venture impairment charges |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Impairment of real estate | 54 |  | 239 |  | 197 |  | 695 |
Individual home impairments [Member] | East [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Real-estate and joint venture impairment charges |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Impairment of real estate | $ 58 |  | $ 59 |  | $ 77 |  | $ 287 |
[1] | Included in the real estate inventory impairments are impairments of individual homes in a community where the underlying community was not also impaired, as follows (in thousands): Three Months Ended Nine Months Ended September 30, September 30, 2012 2011 2012 2011Individual home impairments: West$42 $166 $284 $423Central54 239 197 695East58 59 77 287Total$154 $464 $558 $1,405

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- Details
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- Definition The charge against earnings in the period to reduce the carrying amount of real property, joint venture investment balances and other real estate related capitalized costs to fair value. + References No definition available. + Details
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Namespace Prefix: | mth_
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Period Type: | duration