Meritage Homes has just announced that they are offering their energy efficient homes in several of their active adult communities including Province in Maricopa, Sundance in Buckeye and Mission Royale in Casa Grande, Arizona.

(Maricopa, AZ - October 28, 2010)—Meritage Homes is proud to announce the first active adult community to offer their energy efficient homes, Province, located at 20930 N. Province Parkway in Maricopa, Arizona. These ENERGY STAR® qualified homes are an example of Meritage Homes' commitment to the future of home building with respect to energy efficiency, water conservation, sustainability and green building practices. Meritage Green Homes in Province will save homeowners up to 75% on their home energy bills, which is especially important for those that may be on fixed incomes. Another added bonus is that anyone purchasing a new Meritage Green Home is qualified for a tax credit up to $6,500. One of the key benefits of these new high-performance homes is that they include nearly $50,000 in energy saving features, which come standard—not at an additional cost to the home owner.

In addition to Province, Meritage is planning to open three more high performance communities by early November. These include two additional Active Adult communities, Mission Royale in Casa Grande and Sundance in Buckeye as well as a traditional community, The Overlook at Kartchner Vistas, which is located in Benson.

Province is a true testament to Meritage Homes' commitment to the future of homebuilding. The Company, along with their many valued partners, has been able to provide a home that is competitively priced and allows homeowners to continue to save, month after month. Each new Meritage Green Homes at Province incorporate advanced building science practices like:

Included ECHO Solar Electric/Thermal System
Included High Performance Energy Management System
Included Spray Foam Insulation in walls and attic
Included Super-High Performance Low E2 Windows
Included Energy Efficiency CFL Lighting
Included Weather Sensing Irrigation
Included High Performance Plumbing Fixtures
Included 14 Seer Air Conditioning Unit

Province offers numerous amenities for their 55+ residents including a state of the art fitness center, 32,000 square foot clubhouse, an outdoor amphitheater, ceramics and arts and craft studios and numerous social clubs. Activities include tennis, bocce ball, basketball, pickelball, shuffleboard and swimming just to name a few. The homes are built in a picturesque setting with over 50 acres of lakes and 125 acres of parks and greenbelts that feature walking and biking trails. The community is adjacent to The Duke Golf Course, which offers several different memberships so golf enthusiasts can enjoy the course all year around.

There are 13 versatile floor plans to choose from which range from approximately 1,172 to 2,419 square feet with prices starting in the low 130's.
Maricopa Mayor Anthony Smith will join key Meritage dignitaries and trade partners for their Grand Opening Event on Thursday, October 28th from 2:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. They are inviting the entire community to come out and join them for a tour of these energy efficient homes and the educational deconstructed Learning House.

"These new high performance homes will offer some of the most advanced energy efficient features available today," said Jeff Grobstein Desert Area and Active Adult President of Meritage Homes. "We continually strive to provide our buyers with homes that exceed the highest level of craftsmanship, versatile home designs and energy savings without sacrificing style and comfort. Province is an exceptional choice for full and seasonal residents looking for an amenity-filled community that offers ongoing savings month after month due to all the energy saving technologies included in each home."

"Meritage Homes is planning to make these energy saving homes a standard in the industry and are excited to launch these energy saving homes in more and more communities in the Phoenix area, the state and the country. We hope these efforts will have a positive impact on the environment and will help us save these precious resources for future generations," said Steve Hilton, Chairman of the Board and Chief Operating Officer for Meritage Homes.

About Meritage Homes Corporation
Meritage Homes Corporation is the 9th largest homebuilder in the U.S. based on homes closed. Meritage offers a variety of homes across the Southern and Western states designed to appeal to a wide range of home buyers, including first-time, move-up, luxury and active adult buyers, with base prices starting from under $100,000. As of March 31, 2010, the Company had 149 actively selling communities in 12 metropolitan areas including Houston, Dallas/Ft. Worth, Austin, San Antonio, Phoenix/Scottsdale, Tucson, Las Vegas, Denver, Orlando, and the East Bay/Central Valley and Inland Empire of California. Meritage Homes and its predecessor companies have delivered more than 65,000 homes since the Company was founded in 1985.

In 2010, Meritage is celebrating its 25th Anniversary, and is the only large national homebuilder to be 100% ENERGY STAR® qualified in every home started in 2010. The Company has launched a new Simply Smart Series™ and a 99-day guaranteed completion program in certain communities. Meritage has designed and built more than 65,000 homes in its 25-year history, and has a reputation for its distinctive style, quality construction and positive customer experience. To find a Meritage community near you, go to www.meritagehomes.com.

Meritage Homes is listed on the NYSE under the symbol MTH.

For more information about the Company, visit http://investors.meritagehomes.com

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