[MERITAGE CORPORATION LETTERHEAD]

VIA EDGAR

                                  June 13, 2001

Securities and Exchange Commission
Judiciary Plaza
450 Fifth Street, N.W.
Washington, D.C.  20549

     Re:  Meritage Corporation Application for Withdrawal of
          Registration Statement on Form S-1 (333-29737)
          (the "Registration Statement")

Ladies and Gentleman:

     Pursuant to Rule 477(a)  promulgated  under the  Securities Act of 1933, as
amended,  Meritage Corporation,  a Maryland corporation (the "Company"),  hereby
requests that the Securities Exchange  Commission (the "Commission")  consent to
the withdrawal of the Registration Statement,  filed with the Commission on June
20, 1997.

     The Company filed the  Registration  Statement to register 212,398 warrants
(the  "Warrants")  to purchase  up to 256,345  shares of its common  stock.  The
Warrants were acquired by William W. Cleverly and Steven J. Hilton in connection
with the Company's  merger with Homeplex  Mortgage  Investments  Corporation  on
December 31, 1996.

     The Company now seeks to withdraw the Registration Statement because all of
the Warrants have been  exercised as of the date hereof.  The Board of Directors
of the  Company  believes  that it is in the best  interest  of the  Company and
consistent  with public  interest to withdraw the  Registration  Statement,  and
respectfully requests that the Commission consent to such withdrawal.

     Please feel free to contact me at (480) 998-8700 or Mike Rafford at Snell &
Wilmer L.L.P. (602-382-6375) if you have any questions.


                                        Sincerely,

                                        /s/ Larry W. Seay
                                        ----------------------------------------
                                        Larry W. Seay
                                        Chief Financial Officer