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Real Estate and Capitalized Interest (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified | Dec. 31, 2014 | Dec. 31, 2013
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Real Estate Properties |  |
Finished home sites and home sites under development | $ 1,136,849 mth_FinishedHomeSitesAndHomeSitesUnderDevelopment | $ 913,236 mth_FinishedHomeSitesAndHomeSitesUnderDevelopment
Real estate | 1,877,682 us-gaap_InventoryRealEstate | 1,405,299 us-gaap_InventoryRealEstate
Homes under contract [Member] |  |
Real Estate Properties |  |
Homes under contract under construction | 328,931 us-gaap_InventoryHomesUnderConstruction / us-gaap_PublicUtilitiesInventoryAxis = mth_HomesundercontractMember | 262,633 us-gaap_InventoryHomesUnderConstruction / us-gaap_PublicUtilitiesInventoryAxis = mth_HomesundercontractMember
Speculative homes not under contract [Member] |  |
Real Estate Properties |  |
Homes under contract under construction | 302,288 us-gaap_InventoryHomesUnderConstruction / us-gaap_PublicUtilitiesInventoryAxis = mth_SpeculativehomesnotundercontractMember | 147,889 us-gaap_InventoryHomesUnderConstruction / us-gaap_PublicUtilitiesInventoryAxis = mth_SpeculativehomesnotundercontractMember
Model homes [Member] |  |
Real Estate Properties |  |
Homes under contract under construction | $ 109,614 us-gaap_InventoryHomesUnderConstruction / us-gaap_PublicUtilitiesInventoryAxis = mth_ModelhomesMember | $ 81,541 us-gaap_InventoryHomesUnderConstruction / us-gaap_PublicUtilitiesInventoryAxis = mth_ModelhomesMember

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- Definition The carrying amount of land as of the balance sheet date of both substantially complete land as well as land under development. + References No definition available. + Details
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- Definition Carrying amount as of the balance sheet date of capitalized construction costs of homes for future sale. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 210 -SubTopic 10 -Section S99 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.6(a)) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher SEC -Name Regulation S-X (SX) -Number 210 -Section 02 -Paragraph 6 -Subparagraph a -Article 5 + Details
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- Definition Total of (1) improvements, (2) held-for-sale, (3) land and land under development, (4) construction-in-process, (5) mortgage loans held-in-inventory, and (6) other real estate investments which are considered inventory due to being held for sale or disposition. + References No definition available. + Details
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- Details
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- Details
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