CONTINENTAL HOMES HOLDING CORP
S-3, 1994-03-01
OPERATIVE BUILDERS
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<PAGE>
 
     AS FILED WITH THE SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION ON MARCH 1, 1994
 
                                                      REGISTRATION NO. 33-
 
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549
                                ---------------
                                    FORM S-3
                             REGISTRATION STATEMENT
                                     UNDER
                           THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933
                                ---------------
                        CONTINENTAL HOMES HOLDING CORP.
             (EXACT NAME OF REGISTRANT AS SPECIFIED IN ITS CHARTER)
                DELAWARE                               86-0554624
      (STATE OR OTHER JURISDICTION        (I.R.S. EMPLOYER IDENTIFICATION NO.)
    OFINCORPORATION OR ORGANIZATION)
 
                            7001 N. SCOTTSDALE ROAD
                                   SUITE 2050
                           SCOTTSDALE, ARIZONA 85253
                                 (602) 483-0006
         (ADDRESS, INCLUDING ZIP CODE, AND TELEPHONE NUMBER, INCLUDING
            AREA CODE, OF REGISTRANT'S PRINCIPAL EXECUTIVE OFFICES)
                                ---------------
                                DONALD R. LOBACK
                           CO-CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER
                            7001 N. SCOTTSDALE ROAD
                                   SUITE 2050
                           SCOTTSDALE, ARIZONA 85253
                                 (602) 483-0006
           (NAME, ADDRESS, INCLUDING ZIP CODE, AND TELEPHONE NUMBER,
                   INCLUDING AREA CODE, OF AGENT FOR SERVICE)
                                ---------------
                                   COPIES TO:
         JOHN P. MITCHELL, ESQ.                 VINCENT J. PISANO, ESQ.
        CAHILL GORDON & REINDEL           SKADDEN, ARPS, SLATE, MEAGHER & FLOM
             80 PINE STREET                         919 THIRD AVENUE
        NEW YORK, NEW YORK 10005                NEW YORK, NEW YORK 10022
             (212) 701-3000                          (212) 735-3000
                                ---------------
  APPROXIMATE DATE OF COMMENCEMENT OF PROPOSED SALE TO THE PUBLIC: As soon as
practicable after the effective date of this Registration Statement.
 
  If any of the securities being registered on this Form are being offered
pursuant to dividend or interest reinvestment plans, check the following
box. [_]
 
  If any of the securities being registered on this Form are to be offered on a
delayed or continuous basis pursuant to Rule 415 under the Securities Act of
1933, check the following box. [_]
                                ---------------
 
                        CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE
 
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                 PROPOSED       PROPOSED
                                                 MAXIMUM        MAXIMUM
                                    AMOUNT       OFFERING      AGGREGATE      AMOUNT OF
   TITLE OF EACH CLASS OF            TO BE      PRICE PER       OFFERING      REGISTRA-
SECURITIES TO BE REGISTERED       REGISTERED     UNIT (1)      PRICE (1)       TION FEE
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<S>                          <C>         <C>            <C>            <C>
12% Senior Notes due
 1999..................      $35,000,000     109.5%      $38,325,000      $13,216
</TABLE>
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
(1) Estimated solely for the purpose of calculating the registration fee
pursuant to Rule 457(c).
 
  THE REGISTRANT HEREBY AMENDS THIS REGISTRATION STATEMENT ON SUCH DATE OR
DATES AS MAY BE NECESSARY TO DELAY ITS EFFECTIVE DATE UNTIL THE REGISTRANT
SHALL FILE A FURTHER AMENDMENT WHICH SPECIFICALLY STATES THAT THIS REGISTRATION
STATEMENT SHALL THEREAFTER BECOME EFFECTIVE IN ACCORDANCE WITH SECTION 8(A) OF
THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, OR UNTIL THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT SHALL BECOME
EFFECTIVE ON SUCH DATE AS THE COMMISSION, ACTING PURSUANT TO SECTION 8(A), MAY
DETERMINE.
 
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<PAGE>
 
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
+INFORMATION CONTAINED HEREIN IS SUBJECT TO COMPLETION OR AMENDMENT. A         +
+REGISTRATION STATEMENT RELATING TO THESE SECURITIES HAS BEEN FILED WITH THE   +
+SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION. THESE SECURITIES MAY NOT BE SOLD NOR MAY  +
+OFFERS TO BUY BE ACCEPTED PRIOR TO THE TIME THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT        +
+BECOMES EFFECTIVE. THIS PROSPECTUS SHALL NOT CONSTITUTE AN OFFER TO SELL OR   +
+THE SOLICITATION OF AN OFFER TO BUY NOR SHALL THERE BE ANY SALE OF THESE      +
+SECURITIES IN ANY STATE IN WHICH SUCH OFFER, SOLICITATION OR SALE WOULD BE    +
+UNLAWFUL PRIOR TO REGISTRATION OR QUALIFICATION UNDER THE SECURITIES LAWS OF  +
+ANY SUCH STATE.                                                               +
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
                   SUBJECT TO COMPLETION; DATED MARCH 1, 1994
 
                                  $35,000,000
 
                        CONTINENTAL HOMES HOLDING CORP.
 
                           12% SENIOR NOTES DUE 1999
 
                   (INTEREST PAYABLE FEBRUARY 1 AND AUGUST 1)
 
                               -----------------
 
  The Notes offered hereby will bear interest at a rate of 12% per annum,
payable semi-annually on each February 1 and August 1, commencing August 1,
1994, and will mature on August 1, 1999. The Notes will not be redeemable until
August 1, 1997. On or after such date, the Notes will be redeemable at the
option of the Company, in whole or in part, at the prices set forth herein,
together with accrued and unpaid interest to the redemption date. In certain
circumstances involving a Change in Control (as defined in the Indenture) of
the Company, the holders of the Notes may require the Company to repurchase the
Notes, in whole or in part, at a purchase price of 101% of the principal amount
thereof, plus accrued and unpaid interest to the date of repurchase. See
"Description of Notes".
 
  The Notes offered hereby will be senior unsecured obligations of the Company,
will rank pari passu in right of payment with all senior indebtedness of the
Company, and will be senior in right of payment to all subordinated
indebtedness of the Company. With certain exceptions, the Company must satisfy
specified financial ratios to incur future indebtedness, and such indebtedness
must be subordinate in right of payment to the Notes, must be unsecured and
must be payable after the maturity of the Notes. The Notes offered hereby will
be structurally subordinated to obligations of the Company's subsidiaries. The
amount of future indebtedness that may be incurred by the Company's
subsidiaries will be limited as set forth in the Indenture. At November 30,
1993, after giving effect to this offering and the use of the net proceeds as
described herein, the aggregate amount of outstanding senior indebtedness of
the Company would have been $112,639,000. The aggregate amount of outstanding
indebtedness of the Company's subsidiaries would have been $27,255,000,
consisting of mortgage banking bonds payable. See "Description of Notes".
 
  The Notes will be limited to $110,000,000 aggregate principal amount, of
which $75,000,000 aggregate principal amount were issued in a public offering
in August 1992 and $35,000,000 aggregate principal amount are being offered
hereby. The Company is currently seeking the consent of the holders of a
majority of the outstanding Notes to certain amendments to the Indenture
(including increasing to $110,000,000 the aggregate principal amount of Notes
which may be issued thereunder) so the terms of the outstanding Notes will be
identical to the terms of the Notes offered hereby. The sale of the Notes is
conditioned on the receipt of the consents from the holders of outstanding
Notes.
 
                               -----------------
THESE SECURITIES  HAVE NOT BEEN APPROVED  OR DISAPPROVED BY THE  SECURITIES AND
 EXCHANGE COMMISSION OR ANY STATE SECURITIES COMMISSION NOR HAS THE SECURITIES
 AND EXCHANGE  COMMISSION OR ANY  STATE SECURITIES COMMISSION PASSED  UPON THE
  ACCURACY OR ADEQUACY OF THIS PROSPECTUS. ANY REPRESENTATION TO THE CONTRARY
  IS A CRIMINAL OFFENSE.
 
     THE ATTORNEY GENERAL  OF THE  STATE OF NEW
       YORK HAS NOT PASSED ON OR ENDORSED THE
         MERITS   OF  THIS  OFFERING.   ANY
           REPRESENTATION      TO     THE
              CONTRARY IS UNLAWFUL.
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                     PRICE TO            UNDERWRITING           PROCEEDS TO
                                     PUBLIC(1)            DISCOUNT(2)           COMPANY(3)
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 <S>                           <C>                   <C>                   <C>
 Per Note...................                %                    %                      %
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 Total......................        $                     $                     $
</TABLE>
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(1) Plus accrued interest from February 1, 1994.
(2) The Company has agreed to indemnify the Underwriter against certain
    liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act of 1933, as
    amended. See "Underwriting".
(3) Before deducting expenses payable by the Company estimated at $575,000.
 
                               -----------------
 
  The Notes are being offered by the Underwriter, subject to receipt and
acceptance by it and its right to reject any order in whole or in part. It is
expected that delivery of the Notes will be made on or about March  , 1994.
 
                             KIDDER, PEABODY & CO.
                        INCORPORATED
 
                  THE DATE OF THIS PROSPECTUS IS MARCH  , 1994
<PAGE>
 
  IN CONNECTION WITH THIS OFFERING, THE UNDERWRITER MAY OVER-ALLOT OR EFFECT
TRANSACTIONS WHICH STABILIZE OR MAINTAIN THE MARKET PRICE OF THE NOTES AT A
LEVEL ABOVE THAT WHICH MIGHT OTHERWISE PREVAIL IN THE OPEN MARKET. SUCH
TRANSACTIONS MAY BE EFFECTED IN THE OVER-THE-COUNTER MARKET OR OTHERWISE. SUCH
STABILIZING, IF COMMENCED, MAY BE DISCONTINUED AT ANY TIME.
 
                               ----------------
 
                             AVAILABLE INFORMATION
 
  The Company is subject to the informational requirements of the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange Act"), and in accordance
therewith files reports and other information with the Securities and Exchange
Commission (the "Commission") relating to its business, financial position,
results of operations and other matters. Such reports and other information can
be inspected and copied at the Public Reference Section maintained by the
Commission at Judiciary Plaza, 450 Fifth Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20549
and at its Regional Offices located at Northwestern Atrium Center, 500 West
Madison Street, Chicago, Illinois 60661, and 7 World Trade Center, 13th Floor,
New York, New York 10048. Copies of such materials can also be obtained from
the Public Reference Section of the Commission at 450 Fifth Street, N.W.,
Washington, D.C. 20549, at prescribed rates. Such material can also be
inspected at the offices of the New York Stock Exchange at 20 Broad Street, New
York, New York 10005.
 
  The Company has filed with the Commission a registration statement on Form S-
3 (the "Registration Statement") under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended
(the "Securities Act"), with respect to the Notes offered hereby. This
Prospectus does not contain all the information set forth in the Registration
Statement, certain parts of which are omitted in accordance with the rules and
regulations of the Commission. Reference is made to the Registration Statement
and to the exhibits relating thereto for further information with respect to
the Company and the Notes offered hereby.
 
                    INCORPORATION OF DOCUMENTS BY REFERENCE
 
  The Company hereby incorporates by reference herein its (i) Annual Report on
Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended May 31, 1993, (ii) Quarterly Report on Form
10-Q for the quarter ended August 31, 1993, as amended by report on Form 10-
Q/A, (iii) Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended November 30,
1993, and (iv) report on Form 8-K dated July 29, 1993, as amended by report on
Form 8-K/A-1. All documents filed by the Company pursuant to Sections 13(a),
13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act after the date of this Prospectus and
before the termination of the offering of the Notes offered hereby shall be
deemed incorporated herein by reference, and such documents shall be deemed to
be a part hereof from the date of filing such documents. Any statement
contained herein or in a document incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by
reference herein shall be deemed to be modified or superseded for purposes of
this Prospectus to the extent that a statement contained herein or in any other
subsequently filed document which also is or is deemed to be incorporated by
reference herein modifies or supersedes such statement. Any such statement so
modified or superseded shall not be deemed, except as so modified or
superseded, to constitute a part of this Prospectus.
 
  A copy of the documents incorporated by reference other than exhibits to such
documents (unless such exhibits are specifically incorporated by reference in
the information contained in this Prospectus) will be provided without charge
to each person, including any beneficial owner, to whom a copy of this
Prospectus has been delivered upon the written or oral request of such person.
Requests for such copies should be made to Continental Homes Holding Corp.,
7001 N. Scottsdale Road, Suite 2050, Scottsdale, Arizona 85253, Attention:
Secretary, telephone number (602) 483-0006.
 
                                       2
<PAGE>
 
 
                               PROSPECTUS SUMMARY
 
  The following summary is qualified in its entirety by reference to the more
detailed information and financial statements (including the notes thereto)
appearing in the documents incorporated herein by reference. Unless otherwise
indicated, all information herein relating to the Company as of and for the six
months ended November 30, 1993 includes the operations of Milburn Investments,
Inc., a Texas corporation, and its related entities (collectively, "Milburn")
since August 1993. See "The Acquisitions".
 
                                  THE COMPANY
 
 
  Continental Homes Holding Corp. (the "Company") designs, constructs and sells
single-family homes for the entry-level and move-up buyer in Phoenix, Arizona,
Austin and San Antonio, Texas, Denver, Colorado and Southern California. The
Company entered the Austin, Texas market in July 1993 through the acquisition
of Milburn, the leading builder of single-family homes in the Austin
metropolitan area (the "Milburn Acquisition"). On January 28, 1994, the Company
acquired the operations of Aspen Homes, a single-family homebuilder in San
Antonio, Texas ("Aspen Homes"). See "The Acquisitions". The Company also offers
mortgage banking services in Arizona to its homebuyers and in Texas to its
homebuyers and to third parties.
 
  The Phoenix area is the Company's primary market and accounted for
approximately 86% and 87% of the Company's revenues from homebuilding
operations for the fiscal years ended May 31, 1993 and 1992, respectively. The
Company has built and delivered more single-family homes in the Phoenix area
than any other homebuilder in each of the last nine years. In six of the last
seven years for which data is available, the Phoenix area was among the top ten
markets in the country in housing starts and was ranked the third market in the
country in housing starts in 1992. With the acquisition of Milburn in July 1993
and its entry into the Austin, Texas market, the Company has significantly
expanded and diversified its operations. Milburn has built and delivered more
single-family homes in the Austin area than has any other homebuilder in each
of the last eight years. On a pro forma basis for the year ended May 31, 1993,
Phoenix and Austin contributed 62% and 28%, respectively, of the Company's
revenues from homebuilding.
 
  In addition to its operations in Phoenix and Austin, the Company has smaller
but expanding operations in Denver. The Company is currently building and
selling homes in three subdivisions in Denver. As a result of recent land
acquisitions, the Company expects to have eight operating subdivisions in
Denver by the end of calendar 1994. The Company also has two operating
subdivisions and a parcel of raw land in Southern California.
 
  The Company markets its homes by emphasizing quality housing at affordable
prices. As of November 30, 1993, base prices for the Company's homes in
Phoenix, Austin and Denver ranged from $70,000 to $212,000, with an average
sales price for the six months ending November 30, 1993 of approximately
$111,000. In California, as of November 30, 1993, base prices for the Company's
homes ranged from $159,000 to $419,000. The Company seeks to maintain its
competitive pricing by (i) designing efficient floorplans to minimize
construction costs, (ii) negotiating favorable pricing and terms from certain
of its subcontractors on the basis of its consistent unit volume and (iii)
closely monitoring construction costs using the Company's custom designed
management information systems.
 
  The Company will continue to review opportunities to enter new housing
markets that have demonstrated periods of strong population and employment
growth. The Company believes that it can capitalize on the operating methods
and strategy that it has successfully established in the different geographical
markets in which it operates.
 
 
                                       3
<PAGE>
 
                                THE ACQUISITIONS
 
  Austin, Texas. On July 29, 1993, the Company consummated the Milburn
Acquisition for total consideration of $26,272,000 and the assumption of
approximately $19,600,000 of outstanding indebtedness (excluding mortgage-
related indebtedness). Milburn has been the leading builder of single-family
homes in the Austin, Texas market in each of the last eight years. In addition
to designing, building and selling new homes, Milburn develops land for its
building operations and provides title policies and mortgage financing services
to its customers and to third parties. Milburn principally targets customers
who are first-time home buyers seeking a high quality home in an attractive
community at a reasonable price. For the twelve months ended May 31, 1993 and
the six months ended November 30, 1993, Milburn delivered 815 and 482 homes,
respectively, generating $76,513,000 and $51,073,000 of revenue, respectively.
The Company is providing additional capital and introducing updated product
designs and marketing strategies which the Company believes will improve
Milburn's operations.
 
  San Antonio, Texas. On January 28, 1994, the Company acquired the operations
of Aspen Homes for total consideration of $6,982,000. Aspen Homes delivered 157
homes in calendar 1993 with revenues of $12,927,000. The acquisition of Aspen
Homes provides the Company with an entry into the San Antonio market, an
attractive housing market with strong demographics.
 
  The Company believes that these acquisitions are consistent with its general
operating strategy of geographically diversifying its operations and targeting
the entry-level and move-up homebuyer.
 
                                  THE OFFERING
 
Securities Offered..........  $35,000,000 aggregate principal amount of 12%
                              Senior Notes due August 1, 1999.
 
Total Class of Securities...  Upon consummation of this offering, the Company
                              will have outstanding $110,000,000 aggregate
                              principal amount of 12% Senior Notes due August
                              1, 1999 (the "Notes") of which $75,000,000
                              aggregate principal amount of the Notes were
                              issued in a public offering in August 1992 and
                              $35,000,000 aggregate principal amount of the
                              Notes are being offered hereby.
 
Interest Payment Dates......  February 1 and August 1, commencing August 1,
                              1994.
 
Rank........................  The Notes offered hereby will be senior unsecured
                              obligations of the Company, will rank pari passu
                              in right of payment with all senior indebtedness
                              of the Company, and will be senior in right of
                              payment to all subordinated indebtedness of the
                              Company. With certain exceptions, the Company
                              must satisfy specified financial ratios to incur
                              future indebtedness and such indebtedness must be
                              subordinated in right of payment to the Notes,
                              must be unsecured and must be payable after the
                              maturity of the Notes. The Notes offered hereby
                              will be structurally subordinated to obligations
                              of the Company's subsidiaries, including trade
                              payables. The amount of future indebtedness that
                              may be incurred by the Company's subsidiaries
                              will be limited as set forth in the Indenture. At
                              November 30, 1993, after giving effect to this
                              offering and the use of proceeds as described
                              herein, the aggregate amount of outstanding
                              senior indebtedness of the Company would have
                              been
 
                                       4
<PAGE>
 
                              $112,639,000. The aggregate amount of outstanding
                              indebtedness of the Company's subsidiaries would
                              have been $27,255,000, consisting of mortgage
                              banking bonds payable. At November 30, 1993, the
                              Company's subsidiaries had outstanding trade
                              payables of $20,329,000. See "Description of
                              Notes".
 
Optional Redemption.........  The Notes will not be redeemable until August 1,
                              1997. On or after such date, the Notes will be
                              redeemable at the option of the Company, in whole
                              or in part, at the prices set forth herein, plus
                              accrued interest to the redemption date.
 
Offers to Purchase..........  The Company will be required to make an offer to
                              purchase Notes upon a Change in Control (as
                              defined) of the Company at a purchase price equal
                              to 101% of the principal amount thereof, plus
                              accrued and unpaid interest to the date of
                              repurchase. A Change in Control will generally
                              occur when a person or group of related persons
                              (other than current management) acquires
                              beneficial ownership of in excess of 50% of the
                              total voting power of all shares of capital stock
                              of the Company entitled to vote in elections of
                              directors.
 
                              The Company also will be required to offer to
                              purchase certain of the Notes at 100% of the
                              principal amount thereof, plus accrued and unpaid
                              interest to the date of repurchase (i) if its Net
                              Worth (as defined) decreases to less than
                              $20,300,000 at the end of any two consecutive
                              fiscal quarters or (ii) subject to certain
                              conditions and limitations, out of the Net
                              Proceeds of Asset Sales (as defined).
 
                              For more complete information regarding mandatory
                              offers to purchase the Notes, see "Description of
                              Notes--Certain Covenants--Change in Control", "--
                              Maintenance of Net Worth" and "--Limitation on
                              Asset Sales".
 
Certain Covenants...........  The Indenture contains certain covenants that,
                              among other things, limit the ability of the
                              Company and its subsidiaries to incur additional
                              indebtedness, pay dividends, make certain other
                              distributions, repurchase capital stock or
                              subordinated indebtedness, make certain Advances
                              (as defined), create certain liens, enter into
                              certain transactions with affiliates and apply
                              the net proceeds from the sale of certain assets.
                              See "Description of Notes--Certain Covenants".
 
Use of Proceeds.............  The net proceeds of this offering will be used
                              for working capital and general corporate
                              purposes, including the acquisition of
                              residential development property or existing
                              homebuilding operations. See "Use of Proceeds".
 
                                       5
<PAGE>
 
                         SUMMARY FINANCIAL INFORMATION
                             (DOLLARS IN THOUSANDS)
 
  The following table sets forth summary financial information regarding the
results of operations and financial position of the Company. The summary
financial information of the Company as of and for the five years ended May 31,
1993 has been derived from financial statements of the Company audited by
Arthur Andersen & Co. The summary financial information of the Company as of
November 30, 1993 and for the six months ended November 30, 1992 and 1993 have
been derived from unaudited financial statements which in the opinion of
management include all adjustments, consisting of only normal recurring
adjustments, necessary for a fair presentation of such information for the
unaudited interim periods. The operating results for the six months ended
November 30, 1993 are not necessarily indicative of results for the full year.
The unaudited pro forma combined financial data give effect to (i) the Milburn
Acquisition and (ii) application of $34,219,000 of net proceeds from the
Company's public offering of its common stock in November 1993 to reduce
indebtedness, as if each had occurred on the first day of each period. This pro
forma information has been prepared utilizing the historical consolidated
financial statements of the Company and Milburn. This information should be
read in conjunction with the Company's Consolidated Financial Statements and
Notes thereto and corresponding "Management's Discussion and Analysis of
Results of Operations and Financial Condition" incorporated by reference in
this Prospectus.
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                                                SIX MONTHS       PRO FORMA
                                                                                  PRO FORMA       ENDED         SIX MONTHS
                                      YEARS ENDED MAY 31,                         YEAR ENDED   NOVEMBER 30,        ENDED
                          ------------------------------------------------------   MAY 31,   -----------------   NOVEMBER
                            1989        1990      1991        1992        1993     1993(1)    1992    1993(2)   30, 1993(1)
                          --------    --------  --------    --------    --------  ---------- -------  --------  -----------
<S>                       <C>         <C>       <C>         <C>         <C>       <C>        <C>      <C>       <C>
INCOME STATEMENT DATA
Revenues
 Home sales.............  $117,912    $132,876  $130,611    $164,815    $200,012   $276,525  $98,771  $164,626   $182,287
 Land sales.............     3,597         --      4,977       3,114       4,113      4,113    3,182       420        420
 Mortgage banking.......     1,313       1,519     2,930       1,905       2,426      5,016    1,271     2,865      3,716
 Other income, net......       266         102        97         590         482      1,211      306       606      1,348
                          --------    --------  --------    --------    --------   --------  -------  --------   --------
Total revenues..........   123,088     134,497   138,615     170,424     207,033    286,865  103,530   168,517    187,771
                          --------    --------  --------    --------    --------   --------  -------  --------   --------
Costs and expenses
 Homebuilding
  Cost of home sales....    97,828     111,906   106,463     135,141     161,960    221,781   79,852   134,258    147,405
  Cost of land sales....     3,228         --      4,994       3,156       4,766      4,766    3,335       427        427
  Selling, general and
   administrative
   expenses.............    13,370      14,645    15,514      18,648      20,836     33,882   10,547    17,772     21,570
  Interest, net.........     4,979       3,570     2,239       1,341       5,498      5,305    2,785     2,519      2,158
  Inventory writedown...        --         --      5,000       7,500         --         --       --        --         --
 Mortgage banking
  Selling, general and
   administrative
   expenses.............       736       1,039     2,637       1,713       1,544      3,774      750     2,028      2,432
  Interest, net.........      (170)        (52)      (51)       (178)         14         10      (54)       19         23
                          --------    --------  --------    --------    --------   --------  -------  --------   --------
Total costs and
 expenses...............   119,971     131,108   136,796     167,321     194,618    269,518   97,215   157,023    174,015
                          --------    --------  --------    --------    --------   --------  -------  --------   --------
Equity in income (loss)
 of unconsolidated joint
 ventures...............     (684)(3)    2,490    (1,342)       (948)       (332)      (467)    (332)      (32)      (43)
                          --------    --------  --------    --------    --------   --------  -------  --------   --------
Income before taxes and
 extraordinary credits..     2,433       5,879       477       2,155      12,083     16,880    5,983    11,462     13,713
Income taxes............       925       2,469       361         863       4,983      6,921    2,398     4,998      5,622
                          --------    --------  --------    --------    --------   --------  -------  --------   --------
Income from operations..     1,508       3,410       116       1,292       7,100      9,959    3,585     6,464      8,091
Extraordinary gain from
 extinguishment of debt.       182         141       --        5,299(4)      --         --       --        --         --
Cumulative effect of
 change in accounting
 for income taxes.......       325         --        --          --          --         --       --        --         --
                          --------    --------  --------    --------    --------   --------  -------  --------   --------
Net income..............  $  2,015    $  3,551  $    116    $  6,591    $  7,100   $  9,959  $ 3,585  $  6,464   $  8,091
                          ========    ========  ========    ========    ========   ========  =======  ========   ========
Ratio of earnings to
 fixed charges (5)......      1.22x       1.43x         (6)     1.44x       1.91x               1.95x     2.40x
OPERATING DATA (7)
Deliveries..............     1,151       1,280     1,249       1,470       1,769                 888     1,409
New contracts, net......     1,115       1,269     1,317       1,627       2,000                 862     1,242
Backlog at end of period
 (units)................       422         414       486         669         900                 643       895
Backlog at end of period
 .......................  $ 47,607    $ 42,808  $ 53,180    $ 76,215    $107,499             $74,014  $113,771
</TABLE>
                                                     Footnotes on following page
 
 
                                       6
<PAGE>
 
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                       FOUR FISCAL QUARTERS
                           FOUR FISCAL QUARTERS ENDED MAY 31,            ENDED NOVEMBER 30,
                         -------------------------------------------  -------------------------
                          1989     1990     1991     1992     1993      1992        1993(2)
                         -------  -------  -------  -------  -------    ----        -------
<S>                      <C>      <C>      <C>      <C>      <C>      <C>        <C>
RATIO DATA(8)
EBITDA.................. $16,372  $15,768  $14,134  $17,599  $24,846   $21,796       $30,392
Consolidated Interest
 Incurred...............   9,085    9,203   10,233    9,366   12,040    10,514        12,527
Coverage Ratio..........    1.80x    1.71x    1.38x    1.88x    2.06x     2.07x         2.43x
<CAPTION>
                                                                         NOVEMBER 30, 1993
                                                                      -------------------------
                                                                      ACTUAL(2)  AS ADJUSTED(9)
                                                                      ---------  --------------
<S>                      <C>      <C>      <C>      <C>      <C>      <C>        <C>
BALANCE SHEET DATA
Assets
 Homebuilding...................................................      $217,641      $251,443
 Mortgage banking...............................................        46,576        46,576
                                                                      --------      --------
  Total.........................................................      $264,217      $298,019
                                                                      ========      ========
Debt
 Homebuilding...................................................      $106,429      $144,754
 Mortgage banking...............................................        31,778        27,255
Stockholders' equity............................................        92,041        92,041
</TABLE>
- --------
 (1) Pro forma amounts assume the Milburn Acquisition and the Company's common
     stock offering completed in November 1993 occurred on the first day of the
     fiscal period. See "Unaudited Pro Forma Combined Financial Data".
 (2) The information as of and for the six months ended November 30, 1993
     includes the operations of Milburn from August 1993.
 (3) Includes a pre-tax asset writedown of $2,000,000.
 (4) Fiscal 1992 reflects the retirement of a note payable at an amount less
     than par.
 (5) For purposes of calculating the ratio of earnings to fixed charges,
     earnings consist of income from operations before income taxes plus fixed
     charges (net of capitalized interest). Fixed charges include interest
     expense plus capitalized interest and a portion of operating lease rental
     expense deemed to be representative of interest.
 (6) Fiscal 1991 includes a pre-tax writedown of $5,000,000. After giving
     effect to such writedown, earnings for the fiscal year ended May 31, 1991
     were inadequate to cover fixed charges and resulted in a coverage
     deficiency of $3,009,000.
 (7) Data excludes the Company's proportionate share of homes sold and closed
     in unconsolidated joint ventures.
 (8) Calculated in accordance with the definitions of such terms contained in
     the Indenture and set forth herein under "Description of Notes--Certain
     Definitions". The Coverage Ratio is not intended to be an indication of
     the Company's historical or future cash flow.
 (9) As adjusted to give effect to the issuance and sale by the Company of the
     Notes offered hereby and the application of the estimated net proceeds
     therefrom as described in "Use of Proceeds".
 
                                       7
<PAGE>
 
                      THE RESIDENTIAL REAL ESTATE INDUSTRY
 
  Homebuilders, including the Company, are subject to various risks, such as
economic recession, competitive overbuilding, changes in governmental
regulation, increases in real estate taxes, energy costs or costs of materials
and labor, the availability of suitable land, and the availability of
construction funds or mortgage loans at rates acceptable to builders and
homebuyers.
 
  The housing industry is cyclical and is significantly affected by prevailing
economic conditions. The Company's business and earnings are substantially
dependent on the Phoenix market. Overall starts in the Phoenix area (the
Company's primary market) declined from over 25,000 starts in calendar 1985 to
approximately 10,000 starts in calendar 1990. Starts in Phoenix have since
increased to approximately 22,500 in calendar 1993. During this period, the
Company has been able to maintain a relatively stable level of home deliveries
in Phoenix (1,342, 1,125, 1,078, 1,216, 1,193, 1,361 and 1,629 in fiscal years
1987 through 1993, respectively). There can be no assurance that the increase
in housing starts in Phoenix will continue, or that the Company will be able to
maintain its level of home deliveries.
 
  The Company's business and earnings have also been dependent on its ability
to obtain financing on acceptable terms for its acquisition, development and
construction activities. In recent years, the availability of borrowed funds,
especially for the acquisition of land, has been greatly reduced because of
thrift failures and more stringent lending policies of savings institutions.
The Company has experienced no significant difficulties in obtaining financing
for its operations to date.
 
  The single-family residential housing industry is highly competitive and the
Company competes in each of its markets with numerous other national, regional
and local homebuilders, some of which have greater resources than the Company.
The Company's homes compete on the basis of quality, price, design, mortgage
financing terms and location. The Company also competes with developers of
rental housing units and, to a lesser extent, condominiums.
 
                                       8
<PAGE>
 
                                USE OF PROCEEDS
 
  The net proceeds to the Company from the sale of the Notes offered hereby
are estimated to be approximately $37,000,000 assuming an offering price of
109.5% of the aggregate principal amount of Notes offered hereby. The Company
will use the net proceeds for working capital and general corporate purposes.
The Company intends to use part of the net proceeds to expand its operations
in its existing markets and to enter new markets that have demonstrated
periods of strong population and employment growth. Such expansion may be
accomplished in a number of ways, including through the acquisition of
residential development properties or existing homebuilding operations.
Although the Company is continually evaluating acquisition opportunities, the
Company currently has no agreements or understandings with respect to the
acquisition of any homebuilding operations. Pending such uses, the net
proceeds will be applied as follows: (i) to reduce temporarily all outstanding
amounts under the Company's revolving lines of credit (bearing interest at 7%
per annum at November 30, 1993), which was approximately $11,000,000 as of
February 28, 1994, and (ii) to reduce temporarily all outstanding amounts
under the Company's mortgage banking warehouse lines of credit, including
funding drafts outstanding (bearing interest at 7% per annum at November 30,
1993), which was approximately $4,500,000 as of November 30, 1993.
 
                                CAPITALIZATION
 
  The following table sets forth the capitalization of the Company at November
30, 1993 and as adjusted to give effect to the issuance and sale by the
Company of the Notes offered hereby (at an assumed offering price of 109.5% of
the aggregate principal amount of Notes offered hereby) and the application of
the estimated net proceeds therefrom as described in "Use of Proceeds".
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                          NOVEMBER 30, 1993
                                                       ------------------------
                                                        ACTUAL   AS ADJUSTED(1)
                                                       --------  --------------
                                                           (IN THOUSANDS)
<S>                                                    <C>       <C>
Debt(2)
  Homebuilding
    12% Senior Notes due 1999 (net of unamortized dis-
     count and unaccreted premium).................... $ 74,314     $112,639
    6 7/8% Convertible Subordinated Notes due 2002       32,115       32,115
     (net of unamortized discount).................... --------     --------
      Total...........................................  106,429      144,754
                                                       --------     --------
  Mortgage banking
    Notes payable due within one year.................    4,523          --
    Bonds payable.....................................   27,255       27,255
                                                       --------     --------
      Total...........................................   31,778       27,255
                                                       --------     --------
        Total debt....................................  138,207      172,009
                                                       --------     --------
Stockholders' equity
  Preferred Stock, $.01 par value; 2,000,000 shares
   authorized; no shares issued and outstanding.......      --           --
  Common Stock, $.01 par value; 20,000,000 shares au-
   thorized, 7,080,900 shares issued and outstanding
   (3)................................................       71           71
  Treasury stock, at cost, 151,305 shares.............     (303)        (303)
  Capital in excess of par value......................   59,235       59,235
  Retained earnings...................................   33,038       33,038
                                                       --------     --------
        Total stockholders' equity....................   92,041       92,041
                                                       --------     --------
Total capitalization.................................. $230,248     $264,050
                                                       ========     ========
</TABLE>
- --------
(1) As adjusted to give effect to the issuance and sale by the Company of the
    Notes offered hereby and the application of the estimated net proceeds
    therefrom as described in "Use of Proceeds".
(2) See Note F of "Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements" incorporated
    herein by reference for further information regarding the terms of the
    Company's indebtedness.
(3) Excludes 1,489,250 shares reserved for issuance upon conversion of the
    Company's 6 7/8% Convertible Subordinated Notes due 2002 and 474,805
    shares reserved for issuance pursuant to options granted under the
    Company's stock option plans.
 
                                       9
<PAGE>
 
                  UNAUDITED PRO FORMA COMBINED FINANCIAL DATA
 
  The following unaudited pro forma combined financial data give effect to (i)
the Milburn Acquisition and (ii) application of $34,219,000 of net proceeds
from the Company's public offering of its common stock in November 1993 to
reduce indebtedness, as if each had occurred on the first day of each period.
This pro forma information has been prepared utilizing the historical
consolidated financial statements of the Company and Milburn. This information
should be read in conjunction with the historical financial statements and
notes thereto, which are incorporated by reference in this Registration
Statement. The pro forma financial data is provided for comparative purposes
only and does not purport to be indicative of the results which would have been
obtained if the Milburn Acquisition had been effected during the periods
presented. The pro forma financial information is based on the purchase method
of accounting for the Milburn Acquisition.
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                                     FOR THE SIX
                               FOR THE YEAR ENDED MAY 31, 1993             MONTHS ENDED NOVEMBER 30, 1993
                            -----------------------------------------  -------------------------------------------
                                                   PRO         PRO                             PRO          PRO
                                                  FORMA       FORMA                           FORMA        FORMA
                            COMPANY   MILBURN  ADJUSTMENTS   COMBINED  COMPANY(1) MILBURN  ADJUSTMENTS    COMBINED
                            --------  -------  -----------   --------  ---------- -------  -----------    --------
                                            (DOLLARS IN THOUSANDS, EXCEPT PER SHARE DATA)
<S>                         <C>       <C>      <C>           <C>       <C>        <C>      <C>            <C>
INCOME STATEMENT DATA
Revenues
 Home sales...............  $200,012  $76,513    $   --      $276,525   $164,626  $17,661   $    --       $182,287
 Land sales...............     4,113      --         --         4,113        420      --         --            420
 Mortgage banking.........     2,426    2,590        --         5,016      2,865      851        --          3,716
 Other income, net........       482      729        --         1,211        606      742        --          1,348
                            --------  -------    -------     --------   --------  -------   --------      --------
Total revenues............   207,033   79,832        --       286,865    168,517   19,254        --        187,771
                            --------  -------    -------     --------   --------  -------   --------      --------
Costs and expenses
 Homebuilding
 Cost of home sales.......   161,960   58,363      1,458 (2)  221,781    134,258   12,974        173 (2)   147,405
 Cost of land sales.......     4,766      --         --         4,766        427      --         --            427
 Selling, general and
  administrative expenses.    20,836   12,347        699 (3)   33,882     17,772    3,678        120 (3)    21,570
 Interest, net............     5,498      299       (492)(4)    5,305      2,519      209       (570)(4)     2,158
 Mortgage banking
 Selling, general and
  administrative expenses.     1,544    2,230        --         3,774      2,028      404        --          2,432
 Interest, net............        14       (4)       --            10         19        4        --             23
                            --------  -------    -------     --------   --------  -------   --------      --------
Total costs and expenses..   194,618   73,235      1,665      269,518    157,023   17,269       (277)      174,015
                            --------  -------    -------     --------   --------  -------   --------      --------
Equity in loss of
 unconsolidated joint
 ventures.................      (332)    (135)       --          (467)       (32)     (11)       --            (43)
                            --------  -------    -------     --------   --------  -------   --------      --------
Income before taxes and
 extraordinary credits....    12,083    6,462     (1,665)      16,880     11,462    1,974        277        13,713
Income taxes..............     4,983    1,844         94 (5)    6,921      4,998      730       (106)(5)     5,622
                            --------  -------    -------     --------   --------  -------   --------      --------
Income from operations....     7,100    4,618     (1,759)       9,959      6,464    1,244        383         8,091
Extraordinary gain from
 extinguishment of debt...       --     3,605     (3,605)(6)      --         --        50        (50)(6)       --
                            --------  -------    -------     --------   --------  -------   --------      --------
Net income................  $  7,100  $ 8,223    $(5,364)    $  9,959   $  6,464  $ 1,294   $    333      $  8,091
                            ========  =======    =======     ========   ========  =======   ========      ========
Earnings per common share.                                   $   1.45                                     $   1.18
Earnings per common share
 assuming full dilution...                                   $   1.38                                     $   1.05
</TABLE>
- --------
(1) Includes the results of Milburn since August 1993.
(2) To record the profit of acquired inventories.
(3) To amortize the non-compete agreement and the excess purchase price over
    the underlying value of net assets acquired.
(4) To reflect the net of additional interest on acquisition indebtedness
    assumed in connection with the Milburn Acquisition and the reduction in
    interest due to the use of the proceeds from the Company's common stock
    offering completed in November 1993.
(5) To adjust income taxes for the pro forma adjustments.
(6) To eliminate non-recurring operations.
 
 
                                       10
<PAGE>
 
                              DESCRIPTION OF NOTES
 
  The Notes offered hereby are to be issued under an Indenture, dated as of
August 1, 1992, as amended (the "Indenture"), between the Company and First
Fidelity Bank, National Association (formerly Fidelity Bank, National
Association), as Trustee (the "Trustee"), a copy of which is an exhibit to the
Registration Statement of which this Prospectus is a part. The following
summaries of certain provisions of the Indenture do not purport to be complete
and are subject to, and are qualified in their entirety by reference to, all of
the provisions of the Indenture, including the definitions therein of certain
terms. Wherever particular defined terms of the Indenture are referred to, such
defined terms are incorporated herein by reference.
 
GENERAL
 
  The Notes will be limited to $110,000,000 aggregate principal amount, of
which $75,000,000 aggregate principal amount were issued in a public offering
in August 1992 and $35,000,000 aggregate principal amount are being offered
hereby. The Company is currently seeking the consent of the holders of a
majority of the outstanding Notes to certain amendments to the Indenture
(including increasing to $110,000,000 the aggregate principal amount of Notes
which may be issued thereunder) so the terms of the outstanding Notes will be
identical to the terms of the Notes offered hereby. The Notes offered hereby
will mature on August 1, 1999. The Notes will bear interest from the date of
issuance, or from the most recent date to which interest has been paid or
provided for, at the rate stated on the cover page hereof, payable in arrears
on February 1 and August 1 of each year, commencing August 1, 1994 to the
persons in whose names the Notes are registered at the close of business on the
fifteenth day of the month preceding the month in which the interest payment
date occurs. Interest will be computed on the basis of a 360-day year of twelve
30-day months.
 
  The Notes offered hereby will be senior unsecured obligations of the Company,
will rank pari passu in right of payment with all senior indebtedness of the
Company, and will be senior in right of payment to all subordinated
indebtedness of the Company. With certain exceptions, the Company must satisfy
specified financial ratios to incur future indebtedness and any such
indebtedness must be subordinate in right of payment to the Notes, must be
unsecured and must be payable after the maturity of the Notes. The Notes
offered hereby will be structurally subordinated to obligations of the
Company's subsidiaries, including trade payables. The amount of future
indebtedness that may be incurred by the Company's subsidiaries will be limited
as set forth in the Indenture. At November 30, 1993, after giving effect to the
offering and the use of the net proceeds as described herein, the aggregate
amount of outstanding senior indebtedness of the Company would have been
$112,639,000. The aggregate amount of outstanding indebtedness of the Company's
subsidiaries would have been $27,255,000, consisting of mortgage banking bonds
payable. At November 30, 1993, the Company's subsidiaries had outstanding trade
payables of $20,329,000.
 
  Principal and premium, if any, and interest on the Notes are to be payable,
and the Notes offered hereby will be exchangeable and transfers thereof will be
registrable, at the offices of the Company or its agent maintained for such
purposes in The City of New York; provided that payment of interest may, at the
option of the Company, be made by check mailed to a holder at his registered
address.
 
  The Notes offered hereby will be issued only in fully registered form without
coupons, in denominations of $1,000 and any integral multiple thereof. The
Notes are exchangeable and transfers thereof will be registered without charge
therefor, but the Company may require payment of a sum sufficient to cover any
tax or other governmental charge payable in connection therewith.
 
OPTIONAL REDEMPTION BY THE COMPANY
 
  The Notes are redeemable at the option of the Company, in whole or in part
(in any integral multiple of $1,000), at any time on or after August 1, 1997,
on not less than 30 days, nor more than 60 days, notice mailed to the
registered holders thereof at their last registered addresses, at a redemption
price of 104% of principal amount thereof if redeemed on or after August 1,
1997 but prior to August 1, 1998 and at a redemption price of 102% of principal
amount thereof if redeemed on or after August 1, 1998, in each case, together
with accrued and unpaid interest to the redemption date.
 
                                       11
<PAGE>
 
  If less than all of the Notes are to be redeemed, the Trustee will select the
particular Notes (or the portions thereof) to be redeemed either by lot, pro
rata or by such other method as the Trustee shall deem fair and appropriate,
but in any such event, in such manner as complies with applicable legal and
stock exchange requirements. On or after the redemption date, interest will
cease to accrue on Notes or portions thereof called for redemption.
 
CERTAIN COVENANTS
 
Change in Control.
 
  If, at any time, there occurs a Change in Control (as defined below) with
respect to the Company, each holder of Notes shall have the right upon receipt
of a Change in Control Notice (as defined below), at such holder's option, to
require the Company to repurchase all of such holder's Notes, or a portion
thereof which is $1,000 or any integral multiple thereof, on the date (the
"Change in Control Repurchase Date") that is 45 days after the date of the
Change in Control Notice at a price equal to 101% of the principal amount
thereof, plus accrued interest to the Change in Control Repurchase Date.
 
  Within 30 days after the occurrence of a Change in Control, the Company or,
at the request of the Company, the Trustee, shall deliver to all holders of
record of the Notes a notice (the "Change in Control Notice") of the occurrence
of such Change in Control and of the repurchase right arising as a result
thereof. The Company shall deliver a copy of the Change in Control Notice to
the Trustee. To exercise the repurchase right, on or before the 30th day after
the date of the Change in Control Notice, holders of Notes must deliver written
notice to the Company (or an agent designated by the Company for such purposes)
of the holder's exercise of such right, together with the Notes with respect to
which the right is being exercised, duly endorsed for transfer. Such written
notice shall be irrevocable.
 
  The right to require the repurchase of Notes shall not continue after a
discharge of the Company from its obligations under the Notes and the Indenture
with respect to the Notes in accordance with Article 8 of the Indenture.
 
  If the Change in Control Repurchase Date is between a regular record date for
the payment of interest and the next succeeding interest payment date, any Note
to be repurchased must be accompanied by funds equal to the interest payable on
such succeeding interest payment date on the principal amount to be repurchased
(unless such Note shall have been called for redemption, in which case no such
payment shall be required), and the interest on the principal amount of the
Note being repurchased will be paid on such next succeeding interest payment
date to the registered holder of such Note on the immediately preceding record
date. A Note repurchased on an interest payment date need not be accompanied by
any payment, and the interest on the principal amount of the Note being
repurchased will be paid on such interest payment date to the registered holder
of such Note on the immediately preceding record date.
 
  As used herein, a "Change in Control" of the Company shall be deemed to have
occurred at such time as any person, together with its affiliates or
associates, other than the Management Group (as defined below), is or becomes
the beneficial owner, directly or indirectly, through a purchase, merger or
other acquisition transaction, of shares of capital stock of the Company
entitling such person to exercise in excess of 50% of the total voting power of
all shares of capital stock of the Company entitled to vote in elections of
directors. "Beneficial owner" shall be determined in accordance with Rule 13d-
3, as in effect on the date of the execution of the Indenture, promulgated by
the Commission under the Exchange Act. The "Management Group" shall consist of
the executive officers of the Company as of the date of the Indenture, members
of their immediate families, certain trusts for their benefit, and legal
representatives of, or heirs, beneficiaries or legatees receiving Common Stock
(or securities convertible or exchangeable for Common Stock) under, any such
person's estate.
 
 
                                       12
<PAGE>
 
  If any repurchase pursuant to the foregoing provisions constitutes a tender
offer as defined under the Exchange Act, the Company will comply with the
requirements of Rule 14e-1 and any other tender offer rules under the Exchange
Act which then may be applicable. The Company could, in the future, enter into
certain significant transactions that would not constitute a Change in Control
with respect to the Change in Control purchase feature of the Notes. The Change
in Control purchase feature of the Notes may in certain circumstances make more
difficult or discourage a takeover of the Company and, thus, the removal of
incumbent management. The Change in Control purchase feature, however, is not
the result of management's knowledge of any specific effort to obtain control
of the Company by means of a merger, tender offer, solicitation or otherwise,
or part of a plan by management to adopt a series of anti-takeover provisions.
 
 Maintenance of Net Worth.
 
  In the event that the Company's Net Worth at the end of each of any two
consecutive fiscal quarters (the last day of such second fiscal quarter being
referred to as the "Trigger Date") is less than $20,300,000 (the "Minimum Net
Worth"), then the Company shall make an offer to all holders (a "Net Worth
Offer") to acquire on a pro rata basis on the date (the "Net Worth Repurchase
Date") that is 45 days following the date of the Net Worth Notice (as defined
below), Notes in an aggregate principal amount equal to 10% of the initial
outstanding principal amount of the Notes (or if less than 10% of the aggregate
principal amount of the Notes issued are then outstanding, all the Notes
outstanding at the time) (the "Net Worth Offer Amount") at a purchase price of
100% of the principal amount thereof, plus accrued interest to the Net Worth
Repurchase Date (the "Net Worth Price"). The Company may credit against the Net
Worth Offer Amount the principal amount of Notes acquired by the Company prior
to the Trigger Date through purchase, optional redemption or exchange. The
Company, however, may not credit a specific Note in more than one Net Worth
Offer. In no event shall the failure to meet the Minimum Net Worth at the end
of any fiscal quarter be counted toward the making of more than one Net Worth
Offer. The Company shall notify the Trustee promptly after the occurrence of
any of the events specified in this provision and shall notify the Trustee in
writing if its Net Worth is equal to or less than the Minimum Net Worth for any
fiscal quarter.
 
  Within 30 days after the Trigger Date, the Company, or, at the request of the
Company, the Trustee, shall give notice of the Net Worth Offer to each holder
(the "Net Worth Notice"). To accept a Net Worth Offer a holder shall deliver to
the Company (or to a Paying Agent designated by the Company for such purpose),
on or before the 30th day after the date of the Net Worth Notice, a written
notice of the holder's acceptance of such offer, together with the Notes with
respect to which the offer is being accepted, duly endorsed for transfer to the
Company. Such written notice may be withdrawn upon further written notice
delivered to the Trustee on or prior to the third day preceding the Net Worth
Repurchase Date.
 
  If the Net Worth Repurchase Date is between a regular record date for the
payment of interest and the next succeeding interest payment date, any Note to
be repurchased must be accompanied by funds equal to the interest payable on
such succeeding interest payment date on the principal amount to be repurchased
(unless such Note shall have been called for redemption, in which case no such
payment shall be required), and the interest on the principal amount of the
Note being repurchased will be paid on such next succeeding interest payment
date to the registered holder of such Note on the immediately preceding record
date. A Note repurchased on an interest payment date need not be accompanied by
any payment, and the interest on the principal amount of the Note being
repurchased will be paid on such interest payment date to the registered holder
of such Note on the immediately preceding record date.
 
  If any repurchase pursuant to the foregoing provisions constitutes a tender
offer as defined under the Exchange Act, the Company will comply with the
requirements of Rule 14e-1 and any other tender offer rules under the Exchange
Act which then may be applicable.
 
 Limitation on Debt.
 
  The Company will not, and will not permit any of its Subsidiaries to,
directly or indirectly, create, incur, assume, guarantee or otherwise become
liable for ("Incur"), any Debt, except Permitted Debt. "Permitted
 
                                       13
<PAGE>
 
Debt" means (a) Debt evidenced by the Notes, (b) Debt Incurred under or in
respect of a Bank Facility (including any guarantees related thereto) for
working capital or general corporate purposes, Debt evidenced by letters of
credit, and guarantees of Debt of the Great Singing Hills joint venture in
excess of amounts committed on the date of the Indenture and which are Incurred
after the date of the Indenture; provided that the aggregate amount of all such
Debt outstanding at any time pursuant to this clause (b) may not exceed
$30,000,000, (c) Debt Incurred under a Warehouse Facility; provided that the
amount of such Debt (including funding drafts issued thereunder) outstanding at
any time pursuant to this clause (c) may not exceed $30,000,000 and the amount
of such Debt (excluding funding drafts issued thereunder) may not exceed 98% of
the value of the Mortgages available to be pledged to secure Debt thereunder,
(d) Debt of the Company to any of its Subsidiaries or of any Subsidiary of the
Company to the Company or to any other Subsidiary of the Company, provided that
such Debt is evidenced by a promissory note that is not pledged to any Person
(other than to secure a Bank Facility), (e) Existing Debt (without duplication
of Debt indicated under clauses (a)-(d) above) of the Company and its
Subsidiaries, (f) Non-Recourse Debt Incurred by the Carlsbad Subsidiary in an
amount not to exceed $18,000,000 at any time outstanding, (g) Debt in respect
of performance, completion, guarantee, surety and similar bonds or banker's
acceptances provided by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries in the ordinary
course of business, (h) Purchase Money Obligations incurred in the ordinary
course of business in an amount not exceeding $5,000,000 at any time
outstanding, (i) Acquisition Debt of a Subsidiary of the Company which, if
Incurred by the Company, would be permitted pursuant to the next succeeding
paragraph and (j) Refinancing Debt. In connection with the Milburn Acquisition,
a Subsidiary of the Company assumed as Permitted Debt a revolving credit
facility and a mortgage warehouse facility with bank commitments thereunder of
$25,000,000 and $10,000,000, respectively.
 
  Notwithstanding the foregoing, and subject to the immediately succeeding
paragraph, the Company may Incur Debt if, at the time such Debt is so Incurred
and after giving effect thereto and the application of the proceeds therefrom,
the Company's Coverage Ratio shall not be less than 2.0 to 1.0 and its Debt to
Equity Ratio shall not exceed 3.5 to 1.0.
 
  The Company shall not Incur any Debt (other than Permitted Debt) which is
pari passu with the Notes or requires any principal payment, redemption payment
or sinking fund payment thereon, in whole or in part, to be made prior to or at
the final stated maturity of the Notes; provided that entering into an
agreement that requires the Company to make an offer to purchase outstanding
Debt upon the occurrence of certain specified events shall not be deemed to be
restricted by this paragraph.
 
  For purposes of this provision, any waiver, extension or continuation of any
or all mandatory prepayments or installment payments or the maturity date of
any of the Debt incurred pursuant to this provision shall not be or be deemed
to be the Incurrence of Debt by the Company.
 
 Limitation on Restricted Payments.
 
  The Company will not, and will not permit any of its Subsidiaries to,
directly or indirectly, make any Restricted Payment, if, after giving effect
thereto (a) an Event of Default, or an event that through the passage of time
or the giving of notice, or both, would become an Event of Default, shall have
occurred and be continuing, or (b) the aggregate amount of all Restricted
Payments (giving effect to Restricted Payments that are Advances only to the
extent then outstanding) made by the Company and its Subsidiaries (the amount
expended or distributed for such purposes, if other than in cash, to be
determined in good faith by the board of directors of the Company) from and
after the Closing Date shall exceed the sum of (i) the aggregate of 50% of the
Consolidated Net Income of the Company accrued for the period (taken as one
accounting period) commencing with June 1, 1992 to and including the first full
month ended immediately prior to the date of such calculation (or, in the event
Consolidated Net Income is a deficit, then minus 100% of such deficit),
(ii) the aggregate net cash proceeds received by the Company from the issuance
or sale (other than to a Subsidiary of the Company) of its Capital Stock (other
than Redeemable Stock), including the principal amount of any Convertible Notes
or other convertible securities issued for cash that are converted
 
                                       14
<PAGE>
 
into Capital Stock, from and after the date of the Indenture, and options,
warrants and rights to purchase its Capital Stock (other than Redeemable
Stock), (iii) amounts received by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries
representing a return of capital of Advances made to the Great Singing Hills
joint venture outstanding on the date of the Indenture and (iv) $7,000,000. At
November 30, 1993 the Company had $30,973,000 available for Restricted
Payments.
 
  The foregoing clauses (a) and (b) will not prevent (i) Permitted Payments,
(ii) the payment of any dividend within 60 days after the date of its
declaration if such dividend could have been made on the date of its
declaration in compliance with the foregoing provisions, and (iii) the
repurchase or redemption of shares of Capital Stock from any officer, director
or employee of the Company or its Subsidiaries whose employment has been
terminated or who has died or become disabled in an aggregate amount not to
exceed $500,000 per annum; provided that amounts paid pursuant to clause (iii)
shall reduce amounts available for future Restricted Payments.
 
 Limitation on Dividends and Other Payment Restrictions Affecting Subsidiaries.
 
  The Company will not, and will not permit any of its Subsidiaries to,
directly or indirectly, create, assume or otherwise cause or suffer to exist or
to become effective any consensual encumbrance or restriction on the ability of
any Subsidiary of the Company to (a) pay dividends or make any other
distributions on its Capital Stock to the Company or any of its Subsidiaries;
(b) make payments in respect of any Debt owed to the Company or any of its
Subsidiaries; or (c) make loans or advances to the Company or any of the
Company's Subsidiaries; provided, however, that the following restrictions
shall not be prohibited pursuant to this provision: (i) those contained in the
Indenture, the Bank Facility, the Warehouse Facility, any Non-Recourse Debt
Incurred by the Carlsbad Subsidiary (to the extent that restrictions in such
Non-Recourse Debt apply only to the Carlsbad Subsidiary or any Subsidiary
thereof) and Refinancing Debt (to the extent restrictions contained in such
Refinancing Debt are not more restrictive than those contained in the Debt
being refinanced); (ii) consensual encumbrances or restrictions binding upon
any person at the time such Person becomes a Subsidiary of the Company,
provided that such encumbrances or restrictions are contained in Acquisition
Debt or are not created, incurred or assumed in contemplation of such Person
becoming a Subsidiary of the Company and do not extend to any other property of
the Company or another of its Subsidiaries; (iii) restrictions contained in
security agreements permitted by the Indenture securing Debt permitted by the
Indenture to the extent such restrictions restrict the transfer of assets
subject to such security agreements; (iv) any encumbrance or restriction
consisting of customary non-assignment provisions in leases to the extent such
provisions restrict the transfer of the leases; (v) any encumbrance or
restriction pursuant to an agreement in effect on the date of the Indenture;
(vi) any restrictions with respect to a Subsidiary of the Company imposed
pursuant to an agreement which has been entered into for the sale or
disposition of all or substantially all the capital stock or assets of such
Subsidiary, or (vii) restrictions with respect to Subsidiaries of the Company
(other than wholly-owned Subsidiaries of the Company) that are not more
restrictive than those contained in the Indenture.
 
 Limitation on Liens.
 
  The Company will not, and will not permit any of its Subsidiaries to,
directly or indirectly, create, incur, assume or permit to exist any Lien upon
or with respect to any of the assets of the Company or any such Subsidiary,
whether now owned or hereafter acquired, or on any income or profits therefrom;
provided that the restrictions in this provision shall not prohibit Permitted
Liens.
 
 Transactions with Affiliates.
 
  The Company will not, and will not permit any of its Subsidiaries to,
directly or indirectly, enter into any transactions with Affiliates of the
Company unless (i) such transactions are between or among the Company and its
Subsidiaries, (ii) such transactions are in the ordinary course of business and
consistent with past practice or (iii) the terms of such transactions are fair
and reasonable to the Company or such Subsidiary, as the case may be, and are
at least as favorable as the terms which could be obtained by the Company or
such Subsidiary, as the case may be, in a comparable transaction made on an
arm's-length basis
 
                                       15
<PAGE>
 
between unaffiliated parties. In the event of any transaction or series of
transactions occurring subsequent to the date of the Indenture with an
Affiliate of the Company which involves in excess of $500,000 and is not
permitted under clause (i) or (ii) of the preceding sentence, all of the
disinterested members of the Board of Directors shall by resolution determine
that such transaction or series of transactions meets the criteria set forth in
clause (iii) of the preceding sentence. Notwithstanding the foregoing, such
provisions do not prohibit the payment of regular fees to directors of the
Company who are not employees of the Company and wages and other compensation
to officers of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries.
 
 Limitation on Certain Transfers by Subsidiaries.
 
  The Company will not, directly or indirectly, (i) permit the Carlsbad
Subsidiary to sell, assign, transfer or otherwise dispose of all or a portion
of the Carlsbad Property to the Company or any of its Subsidiaries (other than
the Carlsbad Subsidiary); or (ii) sell, assign, transfer or otherwise dispose
of any capital stock of KDB or permit KDB to sell, assign, transfer or
otherwise dispose of any of its real property assets to the Company or any of
its Subsidiaries.
 
 Limitation on Asset Sales.
 
  The Company will not, and will not permit any of its Subsidiaries to,
directly or indirectly consummate an Asset Sale, unless (i) the Company or such
Subsidiary, as the case may be, receives consideration at the time of such
Asset Sale at least equal to the fair market value (as determined in good faith
by the board of directors of the Company) of the assets disposed of, and (ii)
the consideration for such Asset Sale consists of at least 85% cash, provided
that the amount of Debt assumed by the transferee and any notes or other
obligations received by the Company or such Subsidiary and immediately
converted into cash shall be deemed to be "cash".
 
  Within 30 days from the date that any Carlsbad Asset Sale or Subsidiary
Common Stock Sale is consummated, the Company or such Subsidiary, as the case
may be, will use the Net Proceeds thereof (less any amounts used to pay
reasonable fees and expenses connected with a Net Proceeds Offer) to make an
offer to repurchase the Notes at a price equal to 100% of the principal amount
thereof, plus accrued interest to the Net Proceeds Repurchase Date (a "Net
Proceeds Offer").
 
  Within 12 months from the date that any Other Asset Sale is consummated, the
Net Proceeds thereof will be reinvested in Additional Assets or applied to the
redemption or repurchase of Debt of the Company under the Bank Facility or Debt
of a Subsidiary of the Company (which, in each case, will be a permanent
reduction of such Debt). To the extent that the Net Proceeds of an Other Asset
Sale are not so applied, the Company or such Subsidiary, as the case may be,
will, within 30 days from the expiration of such 12-month period, use the
remaining Net Proceeds (less any amounts used to pay reasonable fees and
expenses connected with a Net Proceeds Offer) to make a Net Proceeds Offer for
the Notes at a price equal to 100% of the principal amount thereof, plus
accrued interest to the Net Proceeds Repurchase Date.
 
  Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Net Proceeds of an Other Asset Sale are
not required to be applied in accordance with the preceding paragraph, unless
and until the aggregate Net Proceeds for all such Other Asset Sales in a 12-
month period exceeds $1,000,000.
 
  To accept a Net Proceeds Offer a holder shall deliver to the Company (or to a
Paying Agent designated by the Company for such purpose) on or before the 30th
day after the date of the Net Proceeds Offer, a written notice of the holder's
acceptance of the Net Proceeds Offer, together with the Notes with respect to
which the offer is being accepted, duly endorsed for transfer to the Company.
Such written notice may be withdrawn upon further written notice to the Trustee
on or prior to the third day preceding the Net Proceeds Repurchase Date.
 
  If the Net Proceeds Repurchase Date is between a regular record date for the
payment of interest and the next succeeding interest payment date, any Note to
be repurchased must be accompanied by funds equal to the interest payable on
such succeeding interest payment date on the principal amount to be repurchased
 
                                       16
<PAGE>
 
(unless such Note shall have been called for redemption, in which case no such
payment shall be required), and the interest on the principal amount of the
Note being repurchased will be paid on such next succeeding interest payment
date to the registered holder of such Note on the immediately preceding record
date. A Note repurchased on an interest payment date need not be accompanied by
any payment, and the interest on the principal amount of the Note being
repurchased will be paid on such interest payment date to the registered holder
of such Note on the immediately preceding record date.
 
  If any repurchase pursuant to the foregoing provisions constitutes a tender
offer as defined under the Exchange Act, the Company will comply with the
requirements of Rule 14e-1 and any other tender offer rules under the Exchange
Act which then may be applicable.
 
  Any amount of Net Proceeds remaining after a Net Proceeds Offer shall be
returned by the Trustee to the Company and may be used by the Company for any
purpose not inconsistent with the Indenture.
 
Limitation on the Issuance of Preferred Stock of Subsidiaries.
 
  The Company will not permit any of its Subsidiaries, directly or indirectly,
to issue or sell any shares of its Preferred Stock (including options, warrants
or other rights to purchase shares of such Preferred Stock) other than shares
of Preferred Stock that are Acquisition Debt which, if incurred by the Company,
would be Debt (other than Permitted Debt) permitted to be Incurred by the
Company under the "Limitation on Debt" covenant.
 
CERTAIN DEFINITIONS
 
  In addition to the terms defined above, the Indenture contains, among other
things, the following definitions:
 
  "Acquisition Debt" means (i) Debt or Preferred Stock of any Person existing
at the time such Person becomes a Subsidiary of the Company, including but not
limited to Debt or Preferred Stock incurred or created in connection with, or
in contemplation of, such Person becoming a Subsidiary of the Company (but
excluding Debt of such Person which is extinguished, retired or repaid in
connection with such Person becoming a Subsidiary of the Company), (ii) Debt
incurred or created by any Subsidiary of the Company in connection with the
transaction or series of transactions pursuant to which such Person became a
Subsidiary of the Company or (iii) Debt incurred or created by any Subsidiary
of the Company in connection with the acquisition of substantially all of the
assets of an operating unit or business of another Person, provided that, in
the case of Debt incurred or created pursuant to clause (ii) or (iii) hereof,
such Subsidiary had no other prior assets or operations prior to such
acquisition, transaction or series of transactions other than Advances
permitted by the "Limitation on Restricted Payments" covenant or made by a
Person other than the Company or any of its Subsidiaries.
 
  "Additional Assets" means assets used or usable by the Company or any of its
Subsidiaries in the operation of the existing lines of business of the Company
and its Subsidiaries.
 
  "Advances" means any direct or indirect advance, loan or other extension of
credit or capital contribution to, or any purchase or acquisition of capital
stock, bonds, notes, debentures or other securities issued or owned by, any
other Person, including, without limitation, payments by the Company or any of
its Subsidiaries to a Person other than the Company or any of its Subsidiaries
in connection with an acquisition in which Acquisition Debt is Incurred.
 
  "Affiliate" of any Person means (i) any other Person directly or indirectly
controlling or controlled by or under direct or indirect common control with
such Person and (ii) any other Person that beneficially owns at least 10% of
the voting common stock of such Person. For the purposes of this definition,
"control" when used with respect to any Person means the power to direct the
management and policies of such Person, directly or indirectly, whether through
the ownership of voting securities, by contract or otherwise; and the terms
"controlling" and "controlled" have meanings correlative to the foregoing.
 
 
                                       17
<PAGE>
 
  "Asset Sale" means a Carlsbad Asset Sale, Subsidiary Common Stock Sale or
Other Asset Sale, as the case may be.
 
  "Bank Facility" means, collectively, one or more commitments from one or more
banks or other lending institutions to lend funds, together with any and all
agreements, documents and instruments from time to time delivered in connection
therewith as such commitments or any such agreements, documents or instruments
may be in effect or amended, amended and restated, renewed, extended,
restructured, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time and any
credit agreement, loan agreement, note purchase agreement, indenture or other
agreement, document or instrument refinancing, refunding or otherwise replacing
such Bank Facility, whether or not with the same agent, trustee, representative
lenders or holders, and, subject to the proviso to the next succeeding
sentence, irrespective of any changes in the terms and conditions thereof.
Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the term "Bank Facility"
shall include any amendment, amendment and restatement, renewal, extension,
restructuring, supplement or modification to any Bank Facility and all
refundings, refinancings and replacements of any Bank Facility, including any
agreement (i) extending the maturity of any Debt incurred thereunder or
contemplated thereby, (ii) adding or deleting borrowers or guarantors
thereunder, provided that such borrowers and issuers include one or more of the
Company and its Subsidiaries and their respective successors and assigns, (iii)
increasing the amount of Debt incurred thereunder or available to be borrowed
thereunder, provided that on the date thereof such Debt would not be prohibited
by clause (b) of the definition of Permitted Debt set forth under the
"Limitation on Debt" covenant, or (iv) otherwise altering the terms and
conditions thereof in a manner not prohibited by the terms of the Indenture.
 
  "Carlsbad Asset Sale" means the sale of the stock of the Carlsbad Subsidiary
or the sale of all or substantially all of the assets of the Carlsbad
Subsidiary where the Net Proceeds of any such sale are received by the Company
and not one of its Subsidiaries.
 
  "Carlsbad Property" means the 417 acres owned by the Carlsbad Subsidiary in
Carlsbad, California, located in San Diego County.
 
  "Carlsbad Subsidiary" means Rancho Carillo, Inc., a Delaware corporation and
a Subsidiary of the Company.
 
  "Closing Date" means the date on which the Notes are originally issued.
 
  "Common Stock" means the common stock, par value $.01 per share, of the
Company.
 
  "Consolidated Interest Expense" of any Person means, for any period, the
aggregate amount of interest which, in accordance with generally accepted
accounting principles, would be included on an income statement for such Person
and its Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis, whether expensed directly, or
included as a component of cost of goods sold, or allocated to joint ventures
or otherwise (including, but not limited to, imputed interest included on
capitalized lease obligations, all commissions, discounts and other fees and
charges owed with respect to letters of credit and bankers' acceptance
financing, the net costs associated with hedging obligations, amortization of
other financing fees and expenses, the interest portion of any deferred payment
obligation, amortization of discount or premium, if any, and all other non-cash
interest expense), excluding interest expense related to such Person's mortgage
banking operations, plus the product of (x) the sum of (i) cash dividends paid
on any Preferred Stock of such Person plus (ii) cash dividends, the principal
amount of any debt securities issued as a dividend, the liquidation value of
any Preferred Stock issued as a dividend and the fair market value (as
determined by such Person's board of directors in good faith) of any other non-
cash dividends, in each case, paid on any Preferred Stock of any Subsidiary of
such Person (other than a wholly-owned Subsidiary), times (y) a fraction, the
numerator of which is one and the denominator of which is one minus the then
current effective aggregate federal, state and local tax rate of such Person,
expressed as a decimal.
 
 
                                       18
<PAGE>
 
  "Consolidated Interest Incurred" of any Person means, for any period, (a) the
aggregate amount of interest which, in accordance with generally accepted
accounting principles, would be included on an income statement for such Person
and its Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis, whether expensed directly, or
included as a component of cost of goods sold, or allocated to joint ventures
or otherwise (including, but not limited to, imputed interest included on
capitalized lease obligations, all commissions, discounts and other fees and
charges owed with respect to letters of credit and bankers' acceptance
financing, the net costs associated with hedging obligations, amortization of
other financing fees and expenses, the interest portion of any deferred payment
obligation, amortization of discount or premium, if any, and all other non-cash
interest expense), excluding interest expense related to such Person's mortgage
banking operations, plus or minus, without duplication, (b) the difference
between capitalized interest for such period and the interest component of cost
of goods sold for such period, plus (c) the product of (x) the sum of (i) cash
dividends paid on any Preferred Stock of such Person plus (ii) cash dividends,
the principal amount of any debt securities issued as a dividend, the
liquidation value of any Preferred Stock issued as a dividend and the fair
market value (as determined by such Person's board of directors in good faith)
of any other non-cash dividends, in each case, paid on any Preferred Stock of
any Subsidiary of such Person (other than a wholly-owned Subsidiary), times (y)
a fraction, the numerator of which is one and the denominator of which is one
minus the then current effective aggregate federal, state and local tax rate of
such Person, expressed as a decimal.
 
  "Consolidated Net Income" of any Person, for any period, means the net income
(loss) of such Person and its Subsidiaries for such period, determined on a
consolidated basis, in accordance with generally accepted accounting
principles, provided that, without duplication, (i) the net income of any
Person, other than a Subsidiary which is consolidated with such Person, in
which such Person or any of its Subsidiaries has a joint interest with a third
party shall be included only to the extent of the amount of dividends or
distributions actually paid in cash to such Person or a Subsidiary during such
period, (ii) the net income of any Person acquired in a pooling of interests
transaction for any period prior to the date of such acquisition shall be
excluded, (iii) the net income of any Subsidiary of such Person shall be
excluded to the extent such Subsidiary is prohibited, directly or indirectly,
from distributing such net income or any portion thereof to such Person and
(iv) all extraordinary gains and losses (after taxes) that would be included on
an income statement for such Person on a consolidated basis for such period
shall be excluded.
 
  "Consolidated Non-cash Charges" of any Person means, for any period, the
aggregate depreciation, amortization and other non-cash charges (other than
reserves or expenses established in anticipation of future cash requirements
such as reserves for taxes and uncollectible accounts) of such Person and its
Subsidiaries, on a consolidated basis, for such period, as determined in
accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, provided that
Consolidated Non-cash Charges shall exclude (i) any charges that are not
included for the purpose of determining Consolidated Net Income, (ii) any
charges that are included for the purpose of determining Consolidated Interest
Expense or Consolidated Tax Expense and (iii) any charges representing
capitalized selling, general and administrative expenses that are expensed
during such period as cost of goods sold.
 
  "Consolidated Tax Expense" of any Person means, for any period, the aggregate
of the tax expense of such Person and its Subsidiaries for such period,
determined on a consolidated basis, in accordance with generally accepted
accounting principles.
 
  "Convertible Notes" means the Company's 6 7/8% Convertible Subordinated Notes
due 2002.
 
  "Coverage Ratio" of any Person means the ratio of such Person's EBITDA to its
Consolidated Interest Incurred for the four fiscal quarters ending immediately
prior to the date of determination. Notwithstanding clause (ii) of the
definition of Consolidated Net Income, if the Debt which is being Incurred is
Acquisition Debt, the Coverage Ratio shall be determined after giving effect to
both the Consolidated Interest Incurred related to the Incurrence of such
Acquisition Debt and the EBITDA (x) of the Person becoming a Subsidiary of such
Person or (y) in the case of an acquisition of assets that constitute
substantially all of an operating unit or business, relating to the assets
being acquired by such Person.
 
                                       19
<PAGE>
 
  "Debt" means, as to any Person, without duplication, (a) any indebtedness of
such Person, for borrowed money, (b) all indebtedness of such Person evidenced
by bonds, debentures, notes, letters of credit, drafts or similar instruments,
(c) all indebtedness of such Person to pay the deferred purchase price of
property or services, but not including accounts payable and accrued expenses
arising in the ordinary course of business, (d) all capitalized lease
obligations of such Person, (e) all Debt of others secured by a Lien on any
asset of such Person, whether or not such Debt is assumed by such Person or
guaranteed by such Person, (f) Redeemable Stock and (g) all Debt of others
guaranteed by such Person. The amount of Debt of any Person at any date
pursuant to clauses (a)-(d) and (f) above shall be as would appear as a
liability upon a balance sheet of such Person prepared on a consolidated basis
in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles.
 
  "Debt to Equity Ratio" of any Person means the ratio of all of such Person's
then outstanding Debt, on a consolidated basis, excluding Mortgage Debt, to Net
Worth at the end of the fiscal quarter ended immediately preceding the date of
determination.
 
  "EBITDA" for any Person, for any period, means, without duplication, the
Consolidated Net Income of such Person plus, to the extent deducted in
calculating Consolidated Net Income, the sum of (a) Consolidated Tax Expense,
(b) Consolidated Interest Expense and (c) Consolidated Non-cash Charges.
 
  "Existing Debt" means all of the Debt of the Company and its Subsidiaries
that was outstanding on August 1, 1992.
 
  "FHA" means The Federal Housing Administration and any successor thereto.
 
  "guarantee" by any Person means any obligation, contingent or otherwise, of
such Person directly or indirectly guaranteeing any Debt of any other Person
and, without limiting the generality of the foregoing, any obligation, direct
or indirect, contingent or otherwise, of such Person to purchase or pay (or
advance or supply funds for the purchase or payment of) such Debt of such other
Person (whether by agreement to keep-well or to maintain financial condition or
otherwise), provided that the term "guarantee" shall not include endorsements
for collection or deposit in the ordinary course of business.
 
  "KDB" means KDB Homes, Inc., a Delaware corporation and a Subsidiary of the
Company.
 
  "Lien" means, with respect to any asset, any mortgage, lien, pledge,
assignment (including any assignment of rights to receive payments of money
other than in connection with mortgage banking operations in the ordinary
course of business), charge, security interest or encumbrance of any kind
(including any conditional sale or other title retention agreement or any lease
in the nature thereof) in respect of such asset and any agreement to grant to
any Person any such Lien.
 
  "Mortgage" means a first priority mortgage or first priority deed of trust on
improved real property.
 
  "Mortgage Debt" means such mortgage banking debt as would be shown on the
consolidated balance sheet of the Company prepared in accordance with generally
accepted accounting principles.
 
  "Net Proceeds" with respect to any Asset Sale means (i) cash (in U.S. dollars
or freely convertible into U.S. dollars) received by the Company or any of its
Subsidiaries from such Asset Sale (including cash received as consideration for
the assumption or incurrence of liabilities incurred in connection with or in
anticipation of such Asset Sale), after (a) provision for all income or other
taxes measured by or resulting from such Asset Sale to the Company or any of
its Subsidiaries, whether or not offset by net operating loss and tax credit
carry-forwards, (b) payment of all brokerage commissions and the underwriting
fees and, without limitation, all other fees and expenses related to such Asset
Sale, and (c) deduction of appropriate amounts to be provided by the Company or
any of its Subsidiaries as a reserve, in accordance with generally accepted
accounting principles, against any liabilities associated with the assets sold
or otherwise disposed of in such Asset Sale (including, without limitation,
pension and other post-employment benefit liabilities and liabilities related
to
 
                                       20
<PAGE>
 
environmental matters) or against any indemnification obligations associated
with the sale or other disposition of the assets sold or otherwise disposed of
in such Asset Sale, and (ii) all noncash consideration received by the Company
or any of its Subsidiaries from such Asset Sale upon the liquidation or
conversion of such consideration into cash.
 
  "Net Worth" of any Person means, at any date, the aggregate of capital,
surplus and retained earnings of such Person as would be shown on a
consolidated balance sheet of such Person prepared in accordance with generally
accepted accounting principles, adjusted to exclude (to the extent included)
investments by such Person and its Subsidiaries in joint ventures and the
amount of equity attributable to Affiliates other than Subsidiaries of such
Person.
 
  "Non-Recourse Debt" means Debt or other obligations to the extent that the
liability for such Debt or other obligations does not extend to the Company or
any of its Subsidiaries (other than the Subsidiary incurring such Debt or which
holds title to any property securing such Debt) for any deficiency, including
liability by reason of any agreement by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries
to maintain the financial condition of, keep-well or otherwise support the
credit of the Subsidiary incurring such Debt.
 
  "Other Asset Sale" means the sale of all or substantially all of the assets
of any Subsidiary of the Company (other than the Carlsbad Subsidiary) other
than in the ordinary course of business, except sales to a wholly-owned
Subsidiary of the Company, sales of stock of the Carlsbad Subsidiary, and
Subsidiary Common Stock Sales.
 
  "Permitted Liens" with respect to the Company and its Subsidiaries means (i)
Liens on assets of the Company or any Subsidiary of the Company securing a Bank
Facility, provided that the Liens granted in respect of a Bank Facility shall
not extend to assets having a book value in the aggregate in excess of two
times the amount committed under such Bank Facility; (ii) Liens securing a
Warehouse Facility, provided that such Liens shall not extend to any assets
other than the mortgages, promissory notes and other collateral that secures
mortgage loans made by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries; (iii) Liens
securing Non-Recourse Debt incurred by the Carlsbad Subsidiary, provided that
such Liens shall not extend to any assets of the Company or any of its
Subsidiaries other than the Carlsbad Subsidiary; (iv) Liens for taxes,
assessments or governmental charges or claims that either (a) are not yet
delinquent or (b) are being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings
and as to which appropriate reserves have been established or other provisions
have been made in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles; (v)
statutory Liens of landlords and carriers', warehousemen's, mechanics',
suppliers', materialmen's, repairmen's or other Liens imposed by law and
arising in the ordinary course of business; (vi) Liens (other than any Lien
imposed by the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended)
incurred or deposits made in the ordinary course of business in connection with
workers' compensation, unemployment insurance and other types of social
security; (vii) Liens incurred or deposits made to secure the performance of
tenders, bids, leases, statutory obligations, surety and appeal bonds, progress
payments, government contracts and other obligations of like nature (exclusive
of obligations for the payment of borrowed money), in each case, incurred in
the ordinary course of business; (viii) attachment or judgment Liens not giving
rise to a Default or Event of Default; (ix) easements, rights-of-way,
restrictions and other similar charges or encumbrances not materially
interfering with the ordinary conduct of the business of the Company or any of
its Subsidiaries; (x) leases or subleases granted to others not materially
interfering with the ordinary conduct of the business of the Company or any of
its Subsidiaries; (xi) Liens with respect to Acquisition Debt; provided that
such Liens do not extend to any other assets of the Company or the assets of
any of the Company's other Subsidiaries; (xii) Liens securing Refinancing Debt;
provided that such Liens only extend to the assets securing the Debt being
refinanced, such refinanced Debt was previously secured and such Liens do not
extend to any other assets of the Company or the assets of any of the Company's
other Subsidiaries; (xiii) Liens securing Purchase Money Obligations (including
capitalized lease obligations); (xiv) Liens existing on the date of the
Indenture; and (xv) any contract to sell an asset provided such sale is
otherwise permitted under the Indenture.
 
 
                                       21
<PAGE>
 
  "Permitted Payments" means, with respect to the Company or any of its
Subsidiaries, (i) the redemption, repurchase or other acquisition or retirement
of any shares of any class of Capital Stock in exchange for (including any
exchange pursuant to the exercise of a conversion right or privilege in
connection with which cash is paid in lieu of the issuance of fractional
shares), or out of the proceeds of a substantially concurrent issue and sale
(other than to a Subsidiary) of, shares of Capital Stock (other than Redeemable
Stock) of the Company, provided that the proceeds of any such issuance and sale
of shares of Capital Stock of the Company shall not be included in
determination of amounts available for Restricted Payments, (ii) any dividend
or other distribution on any shares of its Capital Stock payable by a
Subsidiary to the Company or another of its Subsidiaries, or (iii) any wages or
other compensation paid by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries to their
employees.
 
  "Person" means any individual, corporation, partnership, association, trust
or other entity or organization, including a government or political
subdivision or agency or instrumentality thereof.
 
  "Preferred Stock" means, with respect to any Person, any and all shares,
interests, participations or other equivalents (however designated) of such
Person's preferred or preference stock whether now outstanding or issued after
the date of the Indenture, and including, without limitation, all classes and
series of preferred or preference stock.
 
  "Purchase Money Obligations" means Debt of any Person secured by Liens (i) on
property purchased, acquired, or constructed by such Person or its Subsidiaries
after the date of the Indenture and used in the ordinary course of business by
such Person and (ii) securing the payment of all or any part of the purchase
price or construction cost of such assets and limited to the property so
acquired and improvements thereof; provided that such Debt is incurred no later
than 90 days after the acquisition of such property or completion of such
construction or improvements.
 
  "Redeemable Stock" means, with respect to any Person, any class or series of
Capital Stock of such Person that is redeemable at the option of the holder
(except pursuant to a change in control provision that does not (i) cause such
Capital Stock to become redeemable in circumstances which would not constitute
a Change in Control and (ii) require the Company to pay the redemption price
therefor prior to the Change in Control Repurchase Date) or is subject to
mandatory redemption or otherwise matures prior to the final stated maturity of
the Notes.
 
  "Refinancing Debt" means Debt that refunds, refinances or extends any Notes,
Existing Debt (other than Existing Debt to be repaid with the net proceeds of
the offering of the Notes) or other Debt incurred by the Company or its
Subsidiaries pursuant to the terms of the Indenture, but only to the extent
that (i) the Refinancing Debt is subordinated to the Notes to the same extent
as the Debt being refunded, refinanced or extended, if at all, (ii) the
Refinancing Debt is scheduled to mature either (a) no earlier than the Debt
being refunded, refinanced or extended, or (b) after the maturity date of the
Notes, (iii) the portion, if any, of the Refinancing Debt that is scheduled to
mature on or prior to the maturity date of the Notes has a Weighted Average
Life to Maturity at the time such Refinancing Debt is Incurred that is equal to
or greater than the Weighted Average Life to Maturity of the portion of the
Debt being refunded, refinanced or extended that is scheduled to mature on or
prior to the maturity date of the Notes, (iv) the obligor of such Refinancing
Debt shall be the Company or the same obligor as the Debt being refunded,
refinanced or extended, (v) the gross proceeds of such Refinancing Debt is an
amount that is equal to or less than the aggregate principal amount then
outstanding under the Debt being refunded, refinanced or extended and (vi) any
guarantees of Debt of the Great Singing Hills joint venture that are
outstanding after the second anniversary of the Closing Date shall be expressly
subordinated to the Notes.
 
  "Restricted Payments" means with respect to any Person (i) any dividend or
other distribution on any shares of such Person's Capital Stock (except
dividends or distributions in additional shares of Capital Stock other than
Redeemable Stock), (ii) any payment on account of the purchase, redemption or
other acquisition of (a) any shares of such Person's Capital Stock or (b) any
option, warrant or other right to acquire shares of
 
                                       22
<PAGE>
 
such Person's Capital Stock, (iii) any Advances to Affiliates Incurred after
the date of the Indenture; provided, that for purposes of this provision an
individual shall not be deemed to be an Affiliate of the Company or any of its
Subsidiaries solely because such individual is employed by the Company or any
of its Subsidiaries or, (iv) any principal payment, redemption, repurchase,
defeasance or other acquisition or retirement, prior to scheduled principal
payment or scheduled maturity, of Debt of the Company or its Subsidiaries which
is subordinated in right of payment to the Notes, provided, however, that with
respect to the Company and its Subsidiaries, Restricted Payments shall not
include (a) any payment described in clause (i), (ii) or (iii) above made to
the Company or any of its Subsidiaries (other than the Carlsbad Subsidiary (in
the case of clause (iii)) or any of its Subsidiaries which has liability in
respect of Acquisition Debt) by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, (b) any
underwritten call of the Convertible Notes or other Debt of the Company which
is convertible into Capital Stock (other than Redeemable Stock) but only to the
extent the Company is not required to make any redemption or principal payments
in respect of Debt subject to such underwritten call (other than redemption and
principal payments which are covered by the net proceeds received by the
Company from a concurrent sale of Capital Stock (other than Redeemable Stock)
to the underwriters effecting such underwritten call), (c) any repurchase,
redemption or defeasance of Existing Debt to be repaid with the net proceeds of
the offering of the Notes as set forth on Schedule I to the Indenture or (d)
the use of any Net Proceeds from Asset Sales remaining after the consummation
of any required Net Proceeds Offer to redeem, repurchase, defease or otherwise
acquire or retire any Debt of the Company that ranks subordinate in right of
payment to the Notes.
 
  "Subsidiary" means, with respect to any Person, (i) any corporation of which
a majority of the capital stock having ordinary voting power to elect a
majority of the board of directors or other Persons performing similar
functions is at the time directly or indirectly owned by such Person or one or
more of the other Subsidiaries of that Person or (ii) any partnership or joint
venture at least a majority of the voting power of which is at the time
directly or indirectly owned by such Person or one or more of the other
Subsidiaries of that Person, or a combination thereof or a successor thereto.
 
  "Subsidiary Common Stock Sale" means the issuance or sale of in excess of 10%
of the common stock of any Subsidiary of the Company to any Person other than
the Company or one of its Subsidiaries, other than a sale of the common stock
of the Carlsbad Subsidiary.
 
  "Tangible Net Worth" of any Person means such Person's Net Worth less
unamortized debt and expense, unamortized deferred charges, goodwill, patents,
trademarks, copyrights, and all other items which would be treated as
intangibles on the consolidated balance sheet of the Company and its
Subsidiaries prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting
principles.
 
  "VA" means the Veterans Administration and any successor thereto.
 
  "Warehouse Facility" means a Bank Facility to finance the making of FHA/VA
and conforming conventional mortgage loans originated by the Company or any of
its Subsidiaries.
 
  "Weighted Average Life to Maturity" means, when applied to any Debt or
portion thereof, if applicable, at any date, the number of years obtained by
dividing (i) the then outstanding principal amount of such Debt or portion
thereof, if applicable, into (ii) the sum of the products obtained by
multiplying (a) the amount of each then remaining installment, sinking fund,
serial maturity or other required payment of principal, including payment at
final maturity, in respect thereof, by (b) the number of years (calculated to
the nearest one-twelfth) that will elapse between such date and the making of
such payment.
 
EVENTS OF DEFAULT
 
  The following shall constitute Events of Default with respect to the Notes:
(i) failure to pay the principal of any Note when such principal becomes due
and payable at maturity, upon acceleration or otherwise, (ii) failure to pay
interest when due, and such failure continues for a 30-day period; (iii) a
default in the
 
                                       23
<PAGE>
 
observance or performance of any other covenant or agreement of the Company in
the Note or the Indenture that continues for the period and after the notice
specified below; (iv) an event of default shall have occurred under any other
evidence of indebtedness of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, whether
such indebtedness now exists or is created hereafter, which event of default
results in the acceleration of such indebtedness which, together with any such
other indebtedness so accelerated, aggregates more than $2,000,000 and such
acceleration shall be in effect; (v) any final judgment or judgments for
payment of money in excess of $2,000,000 in the aggregate shall be rendered
against the Company or any of its Subsidiaries and shall remain unstayed,
unsatisfied or undischarged for the period and after the notice specified
below; and (vi) certain events of bankruptcy, insolvency or reorganization. The
Company is required to deliver to the Trustee within 120 days after the end of
each fiscal year of the Company, an officer's certificate stating whether or
not the signatories know of any default by the Company under the Indenture and
the Notes and, if any default exists, describing such default.
 
  A default under clause (iii) or (v) above is not an Event of Default until
the Trustee or the holders of at least 25% in principal amount of the Notes
then outstanding notify the Company of the default and the Company does not
cure the default within 60 days. The notice must specify the default, demand
that it be remedied and state that the notice is a "Notice of Default." If the
holders of 25% in principal amount of Notes then outstanding request the
Trustee to give such notice on their behalf, the Trustee shall do so.
 
  In case an Event of Default (other than an Event of Default resulting from
bankruptcy, insolvency or reorganization) shall have occurred and be
continuing, the Trustee, by notice to the Company, or the holders of 25% of the
principal amount of the Notes then outstanding, by notice to the Company and
the Trustee, may declare the principal of the Notes, plus accrued interest, to
be immediately due and payable. In case an Event of Default resulting from
certain events of bankruptcy, insolvency or reorganization shall occur, such
amounts shall be due and payable without any declaration or any act on the part
of the Trustee or the holders of the Notes. Any declaration of acceleration may
be rescinded and past defaults may be waived by the holders of a majority of
the principal amount of the Notes then outstanding upon conditions provided in
the Indenture. Except to enforce the right to receive payment of principal or
interest when due, no holder of a Note may institute any proceeding with
respect to the Indenture or for any remedy thereunder unless such holder has
previously given to the Trustee written notice of a continuing Event of Default
and unless the holders of 25% of the principal amount of the Notes then
outstanding have requested the Trustee to institute proceedings in respect of
such Event of Default and have offered the Trustee reasonable indemnity against
loss, liability and expense to be thereby incurred, the Trustee has failed so
to act for 60 days after receipt of the same and during such 60-day period the
holders of a majority of the principal amount of the Notes then outstanding
have not given the Trustee a direction inconsistent with the request. Subject
to certain restrictions, the holders of a majority in principal amount of the
Notes then outstanding will have the right to direct the time, method and place
of conducting any proceeding for any remedy available to the Trustee or
exercising any trust or power conferred on the Trustee. The Trustee, however,
may refuse to follow any direction that conflicts with law or the Indenture,
that is unduly prejudicial to the rights of any holder of a Note or that would
involve the Trustee in personal liability and the Trustee may take any other
action deemed proper by the Trustee which is not inconsistent with such
direction.
 
MODIFICATION OF THE INDENTURE
 
  Except in certain circumstances, the Indenture, and the obligations of the
Company and the rights of the holders of the Notes may be modified by the
Company only with the consent of the holders of more than 50% in aggregate
principal amount of the outstanding Notes; but no modifications of certain
provisions of the Indenture including any modification of the terms of payment
of principal (or premium, if any) or interest (which shall not include required
offers to purchase) or a modification reducing the percentage required for
modification or waiver of compliance with certain provisions of the Indenture
or for waiver of certain defaults will be effective against any holder of Notes
without such holder's consent. Concurrently with this offering, the Company is
soliciting the consents of the holders of the outstanding Notes to certain
amendments to the Indenture, including to permit the sale of the Notes being
offered hereby.
 
 
                                       24
<PAGE>
 
MERGER AND CONSOLIDATION
 
  The Company shall not consolidate or merge with or into any other entity or,
directly or indirectly, sell, assign, transfer, lease or otherwise dispose of
all or substantially all of its assets to any Person unless (i) the surviving
or successor entity in the event of a merger or consolidation, or the person to
which a sale, assignment, transfer or lease is made (the "Surviving Entity")
(a) is an entity organized and existing under the laws of the United States,
any state thereof or the District of Columbia and (b) expressly assumes by
supplemental indenture all the obligations of the Company under the Notes and
the Indenture; (ii) immediately after giving effect to such transaction, no
Event of Default and no event which, after notice or lapse of time, or both,
would become an Event of Default, would exist; (iii) the Tangible Net Worth of
the Company or the Surviving Entity, as the case may be, on a pro forma basis
after giving effect to such consolidation, merger or sale, lease or conveyance
of assets would be at least equal to the Tangible Net Worth of the Company
immediately prior to the date of such transaction; and (iv) immediately after
giving effect to such transaction, the Company or the Surviving Entity, as the
case may be, would be able to incur $1.00 of additional Debt (other than
Permitted Debt) under the "Limitation on Debt" covenant. Notwithstanding the
foregoing, clauses (iii) and (iv) shall not prohibit a transaction, the
principal purpose of which is (as determined in good faith by the board of
directors of the Company) to change the state of incorporation of the Company,
and such transaction does not have as one of its purposes the evasion of the
restrictions of this provision.
 
DEFEASANCE
 
  Under the terms of the Indenture and the Notes, the Company, at its option,
(a) will be Discharged (as defined in the Indenture) from any and all
obligations in respect of the Notes (except in each case for certain
obligations to register the transfer or exchange of Notes, replace stolen, lost
or mutilated Notes, maintain paying agencies and hold moneys for payment in
trust) or (b) need not comply with the covenants of the Indenture nor be
subject to the operation of the cross acceleration provisions described under
"Events of Default," in each case, if the Company irrevocably deposits with the
Trustee, in trust, money or U.S. Government Obligations (as defined in the
Indenture) which through the payment of interest thereon and principal thereof
in accordance with their terms will provide money in an amount sufficient to
pay the principal of and interest on the Notes on the dates such payments are
due in accordance with the terms of the Notes.
 
  To exercise either option above, the Company is required to deliver to the
Trustee an opinion of counsel that the holders of the Notes will not recognize
income, gain or loss for Federal income tax purposes as a result of such
defeasance and will be subject to Federal income tax on the same amounts, in
the same manner and at the same times as would have been the case if such
defeasance had not occurred.
 
  In the event the Company exercises its option under clause (b) of the second
preceding paragraph and the Notes are declared due and payable because of the
occurrence of any Event of Default (other than the cross acceleration
provisions described under "Events of Default" which will be inapplicable), the
amount of money and U.S. Government Obligations on deposit with the Trustee
will be sufficient to pay amounts due on the Notes at the time of their stated
maturity but may not be sufficient to pay amounts due on the Notes at the time
of the acceleration resulting from such Event of Default. However, the Company
shall remain liable for such payments.
 
GOVERNING LAW
 
  The Indenture and the Notes are governed by and construed in accordance with
the laws of the State of New York, without regard to principles of conflicts of
law.
 
 
                                       25
<PAGE>
 
                                  UNDERWRITING
 
  Kidder, Peabody & Co. Incorporated, the Underwriter, has agreed, subject to
the terms and conditions of the Underwriting Agreement, to purchase from the
Company all of the Notes offered hereby. The Underwriting Agreement provides
that the Underwriter is obligated to purchase all the Notes offered hereby if
any are purchased.
 
  The Company has been advised by the Underwriter that it proposes to offer the
Notes offered hereby to the public at the offering price set forth on the cover
page of this Prospectus and to certain dealers at such price less a concession
not in excess of    % of the principal amount of the Notes offered hereby, and
that it and such dealers may re-allow a discount of not more than    % of the
principal amount of the Notes offered hereby to other dealers. After the public
offering of the Notes offered hereby, the public offering price, the selling
concession and discount to dealers may be changed by the Underwriter.
 
  When issued, the Notes offered hereby will be part of a class of securities
with an aggregate principal amount of $110,000,000. The Notes will not be
listed on any national securities exchange and will not be quoted on NASDAQ.
The Company has been advised by the Underwriter that it presently makes a
market in the outstanding Notes and intends to make a market in the Notes
offered hereby, but it is not obligated to do so and may discontinue any market
making at any time without notice. No assurance can be given as to the
liquidity of the trading market for the Notes.
 
  The Company has agreed to indemnify the Underwriter against certain
liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act. The Underwriter is
providing financial advisory services to the Company in connection with the
Company's concurrent solicitation of consents from holders of outstanding
Notes.
 
                                 LEGAL MATTERS
 
  Certain legal matters relating to the issuance and sale of the Notes offered
hereby are being passed upon for the Company by Cahill Gordon & Reindel (a
partnership including a professional corporation), New York, New York, and for
the Underwriter by Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom, New York, New York.
 
                                    EXPERTS
 
  The audited financial statements and schedules of the Company incorporated by
reference in this Prospectus have been audited by Arthur Andersen & Co.,
independent public accountants, as indicated in their reports with respect
thereto, and are included herein in reliance upon the authority of said firm as
experts in giving said reports.
 
  The consolidated financial statements of Milburn Investments, Inc. appearing
in the Continental Homes Holding Corp. report on Form 8-K/A-1 dated July 29,
1993, have been audited by Ernst & Young, independent auditors as set forth in
their report thereon included therein and incorporated herein by reference,
which, as it relates to the years 1991 and 1990, is based in part on the
reports of Price Waterhouse and Pena, Swayze & Co., respectively, on the
financial statements of Miltex Mortgage of Texas, Inc. (a subsidiary) as of and
for the years ended November 30, 1991 and 1990. Such financial statements
referred to above are incorporated herein by reference in reliance upon such
reports given upon the authority of such firms as experts in accounting and
auditing.
 
 
                                       26
<PAGE>
 
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
NO PERSON IS AUTHORIZED TO GIVE ANY INFORMATION OR TO MAKE ANY REPRESENTATION
NOT CONTAINED OR INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE IN THIS PROSPECTUS, AND ANY INFOR-
MATION OR REPRESENTATION NOT CONTAINED OR INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE HEREIN
MUST NOT BE RELIED UPON AS HAVING BEEN AUTHORIZED BY THE COMPANY OR THE UNDER-
WRITER. THIS PROSPECTUS DOES NOT CONSTITUTE AN OFFER OF ANY SECURITY OTHER
THAN THE REGISTERED SECURITIES TO WHICH IT RELATES OR AN OFFER TO ANY PERSON
IN ANY JURISDICTION WHERE SUCH OFFER WOULD BE UNLAWFUL. NEITHER THE DELIVERY
OF THIS PROSPECTUS NOR ANY SALE MADE HEREUNDER SHALL, UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES,
CREATE ANY IMPLICATION THAT THERE HAS BEEN NO CHANGE IN THE AFFAIRS OF THE
COMPANY SINCE THE DATE HEREOF.
 
                               ----------------
 
                               TABLE OF CONTENTS
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                            PAGE
                                                                            ----
<S>                                                                         <C>
Available Information......................................................   2
Incorporation of Documents by Reference....................................   2
Prospectus Summary.........................................................   3
The Residential Real Estate Industry.......................................   8
Use of Proceeds............................................................   9
Capitalization.............................................................   9
Unaudited Pro Forma Combined Financial Data................................  10
Description of Notes.......................................................  11
Underwriting...............................................................  26
Legal Matters..............................................................  26
Experts....................................................................  26
</TABLE>
 
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
                                  $35,000,000
 
                        CONTINENTAL HOMES HOLDING CORP.
 
                           12% SENIOR NOTES DUE 1999
 
                             --------------------
 
                                  PROSPECTUS
 
                             --------------------
 
 
                             KIDDER, PEABODY & CO.
              INCORPORATED
 
 
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<PAGE>
 
                                    PART II
 
                     INFORMATION NOT REQUIRED IN PROSPECTUS
 
ITEM 14.  OTHER EXPENSES OF ISSUANCE AND DISTRIBUTION.
 
  The following expenses (other than the registration and NASD filing fees) are
estimated.
 
<TABLE>
      <S>                                                              <C>
      Securities and Exchange Commission registration fee............. $ 13,216
      NASD filing fee.................................................    4,333
      Blue Sky fees and expenses......................................   20,000
      Printing and engraving..........................................   60,000
      Accountants' fees and expenses..................................   30,000
      Legal fees and expenses.........................................   70,000
      Consent fee.....................................................  375,000
      Miscellaneous...................................................    2,451
                                                                       --------
        Total......................................................... $575,000
                                                                       ========
</TABLE>
 
ITEM 15.  INDEMNIFICATION OF DIRECTORS AND OFFICERS.
 
  The Company's Certificate of Incorporation, as amended, provides that the
Company shall, to the full extent permitted by Sections 102 and 145 of the
General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware, as amended from time to time,
indemnify all persons whom it may indemnify pursuant thereto and eliminates the
personal liability of its directors to the full extent permitted by Section
102(b)(7) of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware, as amended
from time to time.
 
  Section 145 of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware permits a
corporation to indemnify its directors and officers against expenses (including
attorney's fees), judgments, fines and amounts paid in settlements actually and
reasonably incurred by them in connection with any action, suit or proceeding
brought by third parties, if such directors or officers acted in good faith and
in a manner they reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best
interests of the corporation and, with respect to any criminal action or
proceeding, had no reasonable cause to believe their conduct was unlawful. In a
derivative action, i.e., one by or in the right of the corporation,
indemnification may be made only for expenses actually and reasonably incurred
by directors and officers in connection with the defense or settlement of an
action or suit, and only with respect to a matter as to which they shall have
acted in good faith and in a manner they reasonably believed to be in or not
opposed to the best interests of the corporation, except that no
indemnification shall be made if such person shall have been adjudged liable
for negligence or misconduct in the performance of his respective duties to the
corporation, although the court in which the action or suit was brought may
determine upon application that the defendant officers or directors are
reasonably entitled to indemnity for such expenses despite such adjudication of
liability.
 
  Section 102(b)(7) of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware
provides that a corporation may eliminate or limit the personal liability of a
director to the corporation or its stockholders for monetary damages for breach
of fiduciary duty as a director, provided that such provision shall not
eliminate or limit the liability of a director (i) for any breach of the
director's duty of loyalty to the corporation or its stockholders, (ii) for
acts or omissions not in good faith or which involve intentional misconduct or
a knowing violation of law, (iii) under Section 174 of the General Corporation
Law of the State of Delaware, or (iv) for any transaction from which the
director derived an improper personal benefit. No such provision shall
eliminate or limit the liability of a director for any act or omission
occurring prior to the date when such provision becomes effective.
 
                                      II-1
<PAGE>
 
ITEM 16.  EXHIBITS.
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
 NUMBER                                 EXHIBITS
 ------                                 --------
 <C>    <S>
  1     --Form of Underwriting Agreement.
  2.1   --Stock Purchase Agreement between William O. Milburn and the Company
         dated July 28, 1993. Incorporated by reference to the Company's report
         on Form 8-K dated July 29, 1993.
  4.1   --Indenture dated as of March 15, 1992 between the Company and
         Manufacturers and Traders Trust Company, as Trustee. Incorporated by
         reference to Exhibit 4.1 to the Company's report on Form 10-K for the
         year ended May 31, 1992.
  4.2   --Indenture dated as of August 1, 1992 (the "Notes Indenture") between
         the Company and First Fidelity Bank, National Association, as Trustee.
         Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.1 to the Company's report on
         Form 10-Q for the quarter ended August 31, 1992.
  4.3   --Form of First Supplemental Indenture to Notes Indenture.
  5     --Opinion of Cahill Gordon & Reindel.
 12     --Statement of Computation of Ratio of Earnings to Fixed Charges.
 23.1   --Consent of Arthur Andersen & Co.
 23.2   --Consent of Ernst & Young.
 23.3   --Consent of Price Waterhouse.
 23.4   --Consent of Pena Swayze & Co.
 23.5   --Consent of Cahill Gordon & Reindel (included in Exhibit 5).
 24     --Power of Attorney
 25.1   --Statement of Eligibility of Trustee on Form T-1 (the "Original Form
         T-1"). Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 26 to the Company's
         Registration Statement on Form S-2 (File No.
         33-49252).
 25.2   --Amendment to Original Form T-1.
</TABLE>
 
 
ITEM 17.  UNDERTAKINGS.
 
  The undersigned Registrant hereby undertakes that:
 
  For purposes of determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933,
each filing of the Registrant's annual report pursuant to Section 13(a) or
Section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 that is incorporated by
reference in this Registration Statement shall be deemed to be a new
Registration Statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the
offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona
fide offering thereof.
 
  The undersigned Registrant hereby undertakes that:
 
  Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act
of 1933 may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling persons of the
Registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise, the Registrant
has been advised that in the opinion of the Securities and Exchange Commission
such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Act and is,
therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification against
such liabilities (other than the payment by the Registrant of expenses incurred
or paid by a director, officer or controlling person of the Registrant in the
successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such
director, officer or controlling person in connection with the securities being
registered, the Registrant will, unless in the opinion of its counsel the
matter has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of
appropriate jurisdiction the question whether such indemnification by it is
against public policy as expressed in the Act and will be governed by the final
adjudication of such issue.
 
                                      II-2
<PAGE>
 
  The undersigned Registrant hereby undertakes that:
 
     (1) For purposes of determining any liability under the Securities Act of
   1933, the information omitted from the form of prospectus filed as a part of
   this Registration Statement in reliance upon Rule 430A and contained in a
   form of prospectus filed by the Registrant pursuant to Rule 424(b)(1) or (4)
   or 497(h) under the Securities Act shall be deemed to be part of this
   Registration Statement as of the time it was declared effective.
 
     (2) For the purpose of determining any liability under the Securities Act
   of 1933, each post-effective amendment that contains a form of prospectus
   shall be deemed to be a new Registration Statement relating to the
   securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time
   shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.
 
 
                                      II-3
<PAGE>
 
                                   SIGNATURES
 
  PURSUANT TO THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, THE REGISTRANT
CERTIFIES THAT IT HAS REASONABLE GROUNDS TO BELIEVE THAT IT MEETS ALL OF THE
REQUIREMENTS FOR FILING ON FORM S-3 AND HAS DULY CAUSED THIS REGISTRATION
STATEMENT TO BE SIGNED ON ITS BEHALF BY THE UNDERSIGNED, THEREUNTO DULY
AUTHORIZED, IN THE CITY OF PHOENIX AND STATE OF ARIZONA ON MARCH 1, 1994.
 
                                          Continental Homes Holding Corp.
 
                                          By:     /s/  Kenda B. Gonzales
                                            __________________________________
                                             KENDA B. GONZALES SECRETARY AND
                                                        TREASURER
 
  PURSUANT TO THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, THIS REGISTRATION STATEMENT HAS BEEN
SIGNED BY THE FOLLOWING PERSONS IN THE CAPACITIES AND ON THE DATES INDICATED.
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                  SIGNATURES                             TITLE                 DATE
                  ----------                             -----                 ----
 <S>                                            <C>                      <C>
                       *
 ____________________________________________   Co-Chief Executive         March 1, 1994
               (DONALD R. LOBACK)                Officer and Director
                       *
 ____________________________________________   Co-Chief Executive         March 1, 1994
               (KATHLEEN R. WADE)                Officer and Director
             /s/ Kenda B. Gonzales
 ____________________________________________   Secretary and Treasurer    March 1, 1994
               (KENDA B. GONZALES)               (Controller and
                                                 Principal Financial
                                                 Officer)
                       *
 ____________________________________________   President and Director     March 1, 1994
                (ROBERT J. WADE)
                       *
 ____________________________________________   Senior Vice President      March 1, 1994
               (W. THOMAS HICKCOX)               and Director
                       *
 ____________________________________________   Director                   March 1, 1994
              (BRADLEY S. ANDERSON)
                       *
 ____________________________________________   Director                   March 1, 1994
                  (JO ANN RUDD)
                       *
 ____________________________________________   Director                   March 1, 1994
               (WILLIAM STEINBERG)
 *By:
         /s/ Kenda B. Gonzales
   ____________________________________________
    KENDA B. GONZALES, AS ATTORNEY-IN-FACT
</TABLE>
 
                                      II-4
<PAGE>
 
                                 EXHIBIT INDEX
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                        PAGE
 NUMBER                            EXHIBITS                              NO.
 ------                            --------                             ----
 <C>    <S>                                                             <C>
  1     --Form of Underwriting Agreement.
  4.3   --Form of First Supplemental Indenture to Notes Indenture.
  5     --Opinion of Cahill Gordon & Reindel.
 12     --Statement of Computation of Ratio of Earnings to Fixed
         Charges.
 23.1   --Consent of Arthur Andersen & Co.
 23.2   --Consent of Ernst & Young.
 23.3   --Consent of Price Waterhouse.
 23.4   --Consent of Pena Swayze & Co.
 23.5   --Consent of Cahill Gordon & Reindel (included in Exhibit 5).
 24     --Power of Attorney
 25.2   --Amendment to Original Form T-1.
</TABLE>
 

<PAGE>
 
                                                                     Exhibit 1
                                                                     ---------
                                  $ 35,000,000


                        Continental Homes Holding Corp.

                           12% Senior Notes due 1999



                             UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT
                             ----------------------

                                                           ___________ ___, 1994

Kidder, Peabody & Co. Incorporated
10 Hanover Square
New York, New York 10005

Gentlemen:

          Continental Homes Holding Corp., a Delaware corporation (the
"Company"), confirms its agreement with you (the "Underwriter") as follows:

          1.  DESCRIPTION OF THE NOTES.  The Company proposes to issue and sell
$ 35,000,000 aggregate principal amount of its 12% Senior Notes due 1999 (the
"Notes") to the Underwriter pursuant to this underwriting agreement (the
"Agreement").  The Notes will be issued pursuant to the provisions of an
indenture dated as of August 1, 1992, as supplemented by a supplemental
indenture to be dated as of March __, 1994 (as amended, the "Indenture"),
between the Company and First Fidelity Bank, National Association (formerly
Fidelity Bank, National Association), as Trustee (the "Trustee").

          2.  REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF THE COMPANY.  The Company
represents and warrants to, and agrees with, the Underwriter that:

          (a)  The Company has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets the
requirements for use of Form S-3 under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended
(the "Act"), and a registration statement on Form S-3 (File No. 33- _____) with
respect to the Notes, including a
<PAGE>
 
preliminary form of prospectus, has been prepared by the Company in conformity
with the requirements of the Act and the rules and regulations (the "Rules and
Regulations") of the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "Commission")
thereunder and filed with the Commission and has become effective.  Such
registration statement may have been amended prior to the date of this Agree-
ment; any such amendment was so prepared and filed, and any such amendment filed
after the effective date of such registration statement has become effective.
No stop order suspending the effectiveness of the registration statement has
been issued, and no proceeding for that purpose has been instituted or
threatened by the Commission.  No stop order suspending the sale of the Notes
in any jurisdiction has been issued, and no proceeding for that purpose has been
instituted or threatened.  A final form of prospectus has been or will be so
prepared and, if required, will be filed pursuant to Rule 424(b) of the Rules
and Regulations on or before the second business day after the date hereof (or
such earlier time as may be required by the Rules and Regulations); and the
Rules and Regulations do not require the Company to, and, without your consent,
the Company will not, file a post-effective amendment after the time of
execution of this Agreement and prior to the filing of any such final form of
prospectus.  Copies of such registration statement, any such amendments, each
related preliminary prospectus (a "Preliminary Prospectus") and all documents
incorporated by reference therein (the "Incorporated Documents") that were filed
with the Commission prior to the date of this Agreement (including one fully
executed copy of the registration statement and of each amendment thereto for
you and your counsel) have been delivered to you.  Such registration statement,
as it may have heretofore been amended and, if applicable, including any
information deemed by virtue of Rule 430A(a)(3) of the Rules and Regulations to
be part of such registration statement at the time it was declared effective, is
referred to herein as the "Registration Statement," and such final form of
prospectus, if applicable, in the form in which it is first filed pursuant to
Rule 424(b) of the Rules and Regulations, is referred to herein as the
"Prospectus." Any reference herein to the Registration Statement; the
Prospectus, any amendment or supplement thereto or any Preliminary Prospectus
shall be deemed to refer to and include the filing after the execution hereof of
any

                                       2
<PAGE>
 
document with the Commission deemed to be incorporated by reference herein.

          (b)  The Registration Statement when it became effective, each
Preliminary Prospectus, on the date of filing thereof with the Commission, and
the Prospectus and any amendment or supplement thereto, on the date of filing
thereof with the Commission and at the Closing Date (as hereinafter defined),
conformed or will conform in all material respects with the requirements of the
Act and the Rules and Regulations; the Registration Statement, when it became
effective and at the Closing Date, did not or will not contain an untrue
statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be
stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading; each
Preliminary Prospectus, on the date of the filing thereof with the Commission,
and the Prospectus and any amendment or supplement thereto, on the date of
filing thereof with the Commission and at the Closing Date, did not or will not
include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact
required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein, in
the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading;
except that the foregoing shall not apply to statements in or omissions from
any such document made in reliance upon, and in conformity with, written
information furnished to the Company by you specifically for use in the
preparation thereof.

          (c)  Each of the Incorporated Documents when it was filed with the
Commission under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended ("Exchange
Act"), conformed in all material respects with the requirements of the Exchange
Act and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder.

          (d)  The financial statements of the Company and its subsidiaries set
forth in the Registration Statement and Prospectus, or incorporated by refer-
ence therein, fairly present the financial condition of the Company and its
subsidiaries as of the dates indicated and the results of operations and
changes in financial position for the periods therein specified in conformity
with generally accepted accounting principles consistently applied throughout
the periods involved (except as otherwise stated therein).

                                       3
<PAGE>
 
          (e)  The Company and each of its subsidiaries has been duly
incorporated and is an existing corporation in good standing under the laws of
its jurisdiction of incorporation, has all requisite power and authority
(corporate and other) to conduct its business as described in the Registration
Statement and Prospectus and is duly qualified to do business in each
jurisdiction in which it owns or leases real property or in which the conduct of
its business requires such qualification, except where the failure to be so
qualified, considering all such cases in the aggregate, would not have a materi-
al adverse effect on the business, properties, financial position or results of
operations of the Company and its subsidiaries taken as a whole; and all of the
outstanding shares of capital stock of each such subsidiary have been duly
authorized and validly issued, are fully paid and non-assessable and (except as
otherwise stated in the Registration Statement) are owned beneficially by the
Company subject to no security interest, other encumbrance or adverse claim.
Except for the Company's 6 7/8% Convertible Subordinated Notes due 2002 (the
"Convertible Subordinated Notes") and options to purchase common stock granted
pursuant to the Company's stock option plans, there are no outstanding rights,
warrants or options to acquire, or instruments convertible into or exchangeable
for, any shares of capital stock or other equity interest in the Company or any
of its subsidiaries.

          (f)  All of the outstanding shares of the Company's common stock, par
value $.01 per share (the "Common Stock") and all other equity securities of the
Company have been duly authorized and are validly issued, fully paid and non-
assessable.  The stockholders of the Company have no preemptive rights with
respect to the Common Stock.  No person has any rights to the registration of
securities by reason of the Company's filing the Registration Statement with the
Commission or otherwise.

          (g)  Except as contemplated in the Prospectus, subsequent to the
respective dates as of which information is given in the Registration Statement
and the Prospectus, neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has
incurred any liabilities or obligations, direct or contingent, or entered into
any transactions, not in the ordinary course of business, that are material to
the Company and its subsidiaries taken as a whole, and there has not been any
material change, on a consolidated

                                       4
<PAGE>
 
basis, in the capital stock, current liabilities or long-term obligations of the
Company and its subsidiaries taken as a whole, or any material adverse change,
in the condition (financial or other), business, net worth, results of
operations or properties of the Company and its subsidiaries taken as a whole.

          (h)  Except as set forth in the Prospectus, neither the Company nor
any of its subsidiaries is in violation, and, to the best knowledge of the
Company, no director, officer, or employee of the Company or any of its
subsidiaries is in violation, of any law, ordinance, administrative or
governmental rule or regulation or court decree (including, without limitation,
any relating to environmental regulation) applicable to it or them, and there
is not pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened any action, suit
or proceeding (including, without limitation, any relating to environmental
regulation) to which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is a party, or, to
the best knowledge of the Company, to which any director, officer or employee of
the Company is a party, before or by any court or governmental agency or body,
that in any case might result in any material adverse change in the condition
(financial or other), business, net worth or results of operations of the
Company and its subsidiaries taken as a whole, or might materially and adversely
affect the properties or assets thereof.

          (i)   There are no contracts or documents of the Company or any of its
subsidiaries that are required to be filed as exhibits to the Registration
Statement or to the Incorporated Documents by the Act or the Exchange Act or by
the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder that have not been so
filed.

          (j)  Each of this Agreement and the Indenture has been duly
authorized, executed and delivered by the Company and each is a legal, valid and
binding agreement of the Company enforceable in accordance with its terms,
except to the extent that (a) enforcement thereof may be limited by (l)
bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium or other similar laws now or
hereafter in effect relating to creditors' rights generally and (2) general
principles of equity (regardless of whether enforcement is considered in a
proceeding at law or in equity); and (b) with respect to this Agreement, as

                                       5
<PAGE>
 
rights to indemnity and contribution hereunder may be limited by federal or
state laws relating to securities or the policies underlying such laws.

          (k)  The Indenture has been duly qualified under the Trust Indenture
Act of 1939 (the "1939 Act") and conforms in all material respects to the
description thereof in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus.

          (l)  The Notes will conform in all material respects to the
description thereof in the Prospectus. The Notes have been duly authorized and,
when executed by the Company and authenticated by the Trustee in accordance
with the Indenture and delivered to the Underwriter against payment therefor in
accordance with the terms hereof and the Indenture, will have been validly
issued and delivered and will constitute valid and binding obligations of the
Company enforceable against the Company in accordance with their terms, except
as such enforcement may be limited by (l) bankruptcy, insolvency,
reorganization, moratorium or other similar laws now or hereafter in effect
relating to creditors' rights generally and (2) general principles of equity
(regardless of whether enforcement is considered in a proceeding at law or in
equity).

          (m)  The performance of this Agreement and the Indenture and the
consummation of the transactions herein and therein contemplated, will not
result in a breach or violation of any of the terms and provisions of, or
constitute a default under, any agreement or instrument to which the Company or
any of its subsidiaries is a party or by which it or any of them is bound or to
which any of the property of the Company or any of its subsidiaries is subject,
the charter or by-laws of the Company or any of its subsidiaries, or any statute
or any order, rule or regulation of any court or governmental agency or body
having jurisdiction over the Company or any of its subsidiaries or any of their
respective properties, which breach, violation or default, with respect to any
such agreement or instrument, would have a material adverse effect on the
condition (financial or other), business, net worth, results of operations or
properties of the Company and its subsidiaries taken as a whole; no consent,
approval, authorization or order of, or filing with, any court or governmental
agency or body is required for the consummation of the transactions contem-

                                       6
<PAGE>
 
plated by this Agreement or the Indenture in connection with the issuance or
sale of the Notes to be sold by the Company, except such as may be required
under the Act or state securities or Blue Sky laws; and the Company has full
corporate power and authority to authorize, issue and sell the Notes to be sold
by it as contemplated by this Agreement and the Indenture.

          (n)  The Company has not taken and will not take, directly or
indirectly, any action designed to cause or result in stabilization or
manipulation of the price of any security of the Company to facilitate the sale
or resale of the Notes.

          (o)  The Company and each of its subsidiaries has all material
governmental licenses, certificates, permits, authorizations, approvals,
franchises or other rights necessary to engage in the business currently
conducted by it as described in the Prospectus as do not materially adversely
affect the condition (financial or other), business, net worth, results of
operations or properties of the Company and its subsidiaries taken as a whole,
and the Company has no reason to believe that any governmental body or agency is
considering limiting, suspending or revoking any such license, certificate,
permit, authorization, approval, franchise or right.

          (p)  The Company is not in breach or violation of any of the terms
and provisions of, or in default under any agreement or instrument to which the
Company or any of its subsidiaries is a party or by which it or any of them is
bound or to which any of the property of the Company or any of its subsidiaries
is subject, which breach, violation or default would have a material adverse
effect on the condition (financial or other), business, net worth, results of
operations or properties of the Company and its subsidiaries taken as a whole.

          (q)  The Company has complied and will comply with all the provisions
of Florida H.B.  1771, codified as Section 517.075 of the Florida statutes, as
contemplated by the regulations promulgated thereunder relating to issuers doing
business with Cuba.

          3.  PURCHASE, SALE AND DELIVERY OF THE NOTES.  On the basis of the
representations, warranties and

                                       7
<PAGE>
 
agreements contained herein, but subject to the terms and conditions set forth
herein, the Company agrees to sell to the Underwriter, and the Underwriter
agrees to purchase from the Company, the Notes at a purchase price of _______%
of the principal amount thereof.

          The Notes will be delivered by the Company to the Underwriter at the
office of the Underwriter, 10 Hanover Square, New York, New York 10005 against
payment of the purchase price therefor by certified or official bank check in
New York Clearing House (next day) funds payable to the order of the Company, at
such office of the Underwriter, at 10:00 am., Eastern Standard Time, on
_________ __, 1994 (or if the New York or American Stock Exchanges or commercial
banks in the City of New York are not open on such day, the next day on which
such exchanges and banks are open), or at such other time not later than eight
full business days thereafter as you and the Company determine, such time being
herein referred to as the "Closing Date."  The Notes, in definitive form and in
such denominations and registered in such names as you may request upon at least
two business days' prior notice to the Company, will be made available for
checking and packaging at the above office of the Underwriter at least one
business day prior to the Closing Date.

          4.  COVENANTS.  The Company covenants and agrees with the Underwriter
that:

          (a)  The Company will cause the Prospectus to be filed if and as
required by Section 2(a) hereof (but only if you have not reasonably objected
thereto by notice to the Company after having been furnished a copy a reasonable
time prior to filing) and will notify you promptly of such filing; it will
notify you promptly of the time when any subsequent amendment to the Registra-
tion Statement has become effective or any supplement to the Prospectus has been
filed and of any request by the Commission for any amendment or supplement to
the Registration Statement or Prospectus or for additional information; it
will prepare and file with the Commission, promptly upon your request, any
amendments or supplements to the Registration Statement or Prospectus that, in
your reasonable opinion, may be necessary or advisable in connection with the
distribution of the Notes by the Underwriter; and it will file no amendment or
supplement to the Registration Statement or Prospectus (other than

                                       8
<PAGE>
 
any document required to be filed under the Exchange Act that upon filing is
deemed to be incorporated by reference therein) to which you shall reasonably
object by notice to the Company after having been furnished a copy a reasonable
time prior to the filing; and it will furnish to you at or prior to the filing
thereof a copy of any document that upon filing is deemed to be incorporated by
reference in the Registration Statement of Prospectus.

          (b)  The Company will advise you, promptly after it shall receive
notice or obtain knowledge thereof, of the issuance by the Commission of any
stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement, of the
suspension of the qualification of the Notes for offering or sale in any
jurisdiction, or of the initiation or threatening of any proceeding for any
such purpose; and it will use promptly its best efforts to prevent the issuance
of any stop order or to obtain its withdrawal if such a stop order should be
issued.

          (c)  Within the time during which a prospectus relating to the Notes
is required to be delivered under the Act, the Company will comply as far as it
is able with all requirements imposed upon it by the Act and by the Rules and
Regulations, as from time to time in force, so far as necessary to permit the
continuance of sales of or dealings in the Notes as contemplated by the
provisions hereof and the Prospectus.  If during such period any event occurs as
a result of which the Prospectus as then amended or supplemented would include
an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact
necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances then
existing, not misleading, or if during such period it is necessary to amend or
supplement the Registration Statement or Prospectus to comply with the Act, the
Company will promptly notify you and will amend or supplement the Registration
Statement or Prospectus (at the expense of the Company) so as to correct such
statement or omission or effect such compliance.

          (d)  The Company will cooperate with your counsel and will use its
best efforts to register or qualify the Notes for sale under the securities laws
of such jurisdictions as you reasonably designate and to continue such
qualifications in effect so long as re-

                                       9
<PAGE>
 
quired for the distribution of the Notes but in no event longer than nine months
after commencement of the offering of the Notes, except that the Company shall
not be required in connection therewith to qualify as a foreign corporation, to
execute a general consent to service of process or to become subject to taxation
in any jurisdiction.

          (e)  The Company will furnish to the Underwriter copies of the
Registration Statement (two of which will be signed and will include all
exhibits), each Preliminary Prospectus, the Prospectus (including the
Incorporated Documents) and all amendments and supplements to such documents,
in each case as soon as available and in such quantities as you may from time
to time reasonably request.  The Company consents to the use of the Prospectus
and any amendment or supplement thereto by the Underwriter and by all dealers to
whom the Notes may be sold, both in connection with the offering for sale of the
Notes and for such period of time thereafter as the Prospectus is required by
law to be delivered in connection therewith.

          (f)  The Company will make generally available to its security
holders as soon as practicable, but in any event not later than 15 months after
the effective date of the Registration Statement, an earnings statement (which
need not be audited) covering a 12-month period beginning after the date of this
Agreement that shall satisfy the provisions of Section 11(a) of the Act and will
advise you in writing when such statement has been made available.

          (g)  The Company will apply the net proceeds from the sale of the
Notes hereunder for the purposes set forth in the Prospectus.

          The Company agrees with the Underwriter that whether or not the
transactions contemplated hereunder are consummated or this Agreement is
terminated, the Company will pay the costs and charges of any trustee, transfer
agent or registrar, the cost of preparing the Notes, all other expenses incident
to the performance of the obligations of the Company hereunder, the expenses of
printing all documents relating to the offering, and will reimburse the
Underwriter for any expenses (including reasonable fees and disbursements of
counsel) incurred by

                                       10
<PAGE>
 
them in connection with the matters referred to in Section 4(d) hereof and the
preparation of memoranda relating thereto and for any filing fee of the
National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. (the "NASD") relating to the
Notes.

          If the sale of the Notes provided for herein is not consummated by
reason of any failure, refusal or inability on the part of the Company to
perform any agreement on its part to be performed, or because this Agreement is
terminated pursuant to clause (i) or (ii) of Section 8 hereof (other than a
termination arising solely out of the failure of the condition contained in
Section 5(h) hereof to be fulfilled), the Company will reimburse the Underwriter
for all reasonable out-of-pocket disbursements (including fees and
disbursements of counsel) incurred by the Underwriter in connection with its
investigation, preparing to market and marketing the Notes or in contemplation
of performing its obligations hereunder.  The Company shall not in any event be
liable to the Underwriter for loss of anticipated profits from the transactions
covered by this Agreement.

          5.   CONDITIONS OF UNDERWRITER'S OBLIGATIONS.  The obligations of the
Underwriter to purchase and pay for the Notes as provided herein shall be
subject to the conditions that (i) as of the date hereof and the Closing Date
(as if made at the Closing Date), the representations and warranties of the
Company herein shall be true and correct in all material respects and (ii) the
Company shall have performed in all material respects its obligations
hereunder.  In addition, such obligations of the Underwriter shall also be
subject to the following additional conditions:

          (a)  If required, the Prospectus shall have been filed as required by
Section 2(a) hereof; no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registra-
tion Statement shall have been issued and no proceeding for that purpose shall
have been instituted or, to the knowledge of the Company or the Underwriter,
threatened by the Commission, and any request of the Commission for additional
information (to be included in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus or
otherwise) shall have been complied with to the satisfaction of the Underwrit-
er; and neither the Company nor the Underwriter shall have any knowledge that a
stop order suspending the sale

                                       11
<PAGE>
 
of the Notes in any jurisdiction shall have been issued or that any proceeding
for that purpose shall have been instituted or threatened.

          (b)  The Underwriter shall not have advised the Company that the
Registration Statement or Prospectus, or any amendment or supplement thereto,
contains an untrue statement of fact that in the opinion of the Underwriter is
material, or omits to state a fact that in the opinion of the Underwriter is
material and is required to be stated therein or is necessary to make the
statements therein not misleading.

          (c)  Except as contemplated in the Prospectus, subsequent to the
respective dates as of which information is given in the Registration Statement
and the Prospectus, there shall not have been any change, on a consolidated
basis, in the capital stock, current liabilities or long-term obligations of
the Company and its subsidiaries taken as a whole, or any material adverse
change, in the condition (financial or other), business, net worth, results of
operations or properties of the Company and its subsidiaries taken as a whole,
the effect of which, in the judgment of the Underwriter, makes it impractical or
inadvisable to offer or deliver the Notes on the terms and in the manner
contemplated in the Prospectus.

          (d)  The Underwriter shall have received the opinion of Cahill Gordon
& Reindel, counsel for the Company, dated the Closing Date, to the effect that:

               (i)  Each of the Company and each of its subsidiaries
     incorporated in the State of Delaware has been duly incorporated and is an
     existing corporation in good standing under the laws of its jurisdiction of
     incorporation; has all requisite corporate power and authority to conduct
     its business as described in the Registration Statement and Prospectus and
     is duly qualified to do business in each jurisdiction in which such counsel
     has been advised it owns or leases real property or in which the conduct of
     its business requires such qualification, except where the failure to be so
     qualified, considering all such cases in the aggregate, would not have a
     material adverse

                                       12
<PAGE>
 
     effect on the business, net worth, properties, financial position or
     results of operations of the Company and its subsidiaries taken as a whole;
     all of the outstanding shares of capital stock of each such subsidiary have
     been duly authorized and validly issued, are fully paid and non-assessable
     and, to the knowledge of such counsel, (except as otherwise stated in the
     Registration Statement) are owned beneficially by the Company subject to
     no security interest, other encumbrance or adverse claim; and to the
     knowledge of such counsel, except for the Convertible Subordinated Notes
     and options to purchase common stock granted pursuant to the Company's
     stock option plans, there are no outstanding rights, warrants or options to
     acquire, or instruments convertible into or exchangeable for, any shares of
     capital stock or other equity interest in the Company or any of its
     subsidiaries;

               (ii)  The Registration Statement has become effective under the
     Act; if required, the Prospectus has been filed as required by Section
     2(a) hereof; and to such counsel's knowledge, no stop order suspending the
     effectiveness of the Registration Statement has been issued and no
     proceeding for that purpose has been instituted or threatened by the
     Commission;

               (iii)  The Registration Statement when it became effective, and
     the Prospectus and any amendment or supplement thereto, on the date of
     filing thereof with the Commission and at the Closing Date, appeared to
     comply as to form in all material respects with the requirements of the
     Act and the Rules and Regulations; and the Incorporated Documents, when
     they were filed with the Commission under the Exchange Act, appeared to
     comply as to form in all material respects with the requirements of the
     Exchange Act and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder (it
     being understood that such counsel need express no opinion as to the
     financial statements or other financial or statistical data included in
     any of the

                                       13
<PAGE>
 
     documents mentioned in this clause and as to the Statement of Eligibility
     on Form T-1);

               (iv)  There is no statute or contract or other document known to
     such counsel of a character required to be described in the Registration
     Statement, the Prospectus or the Incorporated Documents or to be filed as
     an exhibit to the Registration Statement or the Incorporated Documents,
     which is not described or filed as required;

               (v)  Each of this Agreement and the Indenture has been duly
     authorized, executed and delivered by the Company and each is the legal,
     valid and binding obligation of the Company, enforceable against it in
     accordance with its terms, except as such enforcement may be limited by (a)
     bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium or other similar laws
     now or hereafter in effect relating to creditors' rights generally and (b)
     general principles of equity (regardless of whether enforcement is
     considered in a proceeding at law or in equity);

               (vi)  The Indenture has been duly qualified under the 1939 Act
     and conforms in all material respects to the description thereof in the
     Registration Statement and the Prospectus;

               (vii)  The Notes conform in all material respects to the
     description thereof in the Prospectus.  The Notes have been duly au-
     thorized and, when executed by the Company and authenticated by the Trustee
     in accordance with the Indenture and delivered to the Underwriter against
     payment therefor in accordance with the terms hereof and the Indenture,
     will have been validly issued and delivered and will constitute valid and
     binding obligations of the Company enforceable against the Company in
     accordance with their terms, subject to (a) bankruptcy, insolvency,
     reorganization, moratorium or other similar laws now or hereafter in ef-
     fect relating to creditors' rights generally

                                       14
<PAGE>
 
     and (b) general principles of equity (regardless of whether enforcement is
     considered in a proceeding at law or in equity); and

               (viii)  The execution and delivery of this Agreement, the
     Indenture and the Notes, the performance of this Agreement, the Indenture
     and the Notes and the consummation of the transactions herein and therein
     contemplated, will not result in a breach or violation of any of the terms
     and provisions of, or constitute a default under, any statute or any mate-
     rial agreement or instrument known to such counsel to which the Company is
     a party or by which it is bound or to which any of the property of the
     Company is subject, the Company's charter or by-laws, or any order, rule or
     regulation known to such counsel of any court or governmental agency or
     body having jurisdiction over the Company or any of its properties; and no
     consent, approval, authorization or order of, or filing with, any court or
     governmental agency or body is required for the consummation of the
     transactions contemplated by this Agreement or the Indenture in connection
     with the issuance or sale of the Notes to be sold by the Company, except
     such as have been obtained under the Act and such as may be required under
     state securities laws in connection with the purchase and distribution of
     the Notes by the Underwriter.

          In addition, such counsel shall state that they have participated in
conferences with officers and other representatives of the Company,
representatives of the independent public accountants for the Company, represen-
tatives of the Underwriter and representatives of counsel for the Underwriter at
which the contents of the Registration Statement and the Prospectus and related
matters were discussed and, although such counsel is not passing upon and does
not assume any responsibility for the accuracy, completeness or fairness of the
statements contained in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, on the
basis of the foregoing (relying as to materiality to a large extent upon the
opinions of officers and other representatives of the Company), no facts have
come to such counsel's attention that lead them to believe

                                       15
<PAGE>
 
either that the Registration Statement at the time the Registration Statement
became effective contained an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to
state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the
statements therein not misleading or that the Prospectus as of its date
contained an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state a material
fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in light of the
circumstances under which they were made, not misleading (it being understood
that such counsel is not requested to and need not express any comment with
respect to the financial statements and schedules and other financial and
statistical data included or incorporated by reference in the Registration
Statement or Prospectus and the Statement of Eligibility on Form T-1).

          (e)  The Underwriter shall have received the opinion of Timothy C.
Westfall, general counsel to the Company, dated the Closing Date, to the effect
that:

               (i)  Each of the Company's subsidiaries incorporated in the
     State of Arizona has been duly incorporated and is an existing corporation
     in good standing under the laws of the State of Arizona, has all requisite
     corporate power and authority to conduct its business as described in the
     Registration Statement and Prospectus and is duly qualified to do business
     in each jurisdiction in which it owns or leases real property or in which
     the conduct of its business requires such qualification, except where the
     failure to be so qualified, considering all such cases in the aggregate,
     would not have a material adverse effect on the business, net worth,
     properties, financial position or results of operations of the Company
     and its subsidiaries taken as a whole; all of the outstanding shares of
     capital stock of each such subsidiary have been duly authorized and validly
     issued, are fully paid and non-assessable and, to the knowledge of such
     counsel, (except as otherwise stated in the Registration Statement) are
     owned beneficially by the Company subject to no security interest, other
     encumbrance or adverse claim, and there are no outstanding rights,
     warrants or options to acquire, or instruments convertible into or ex-

                                       16
<PAGE>
 
     changeable for, any shares of capital stock or other equity interest in
     such subsidiaries; and

               (ii)  There are no legal or governmental proceedings pending or
     threatened which are required to be disclosed in the Registration
     Statement, other then those disclosed therein, and all pending legal or
     governmental proceedings to which the Company is a party or to which any of
     its property or assets is subject which are not described in the Registra-
     tion Statement, including ordinary routine litigation incidental to its
     business, which are, considered in the aggregate, not likely to result in
     any material adverse effect on the business, properties, net worth,
     financial position or results of operations of the Company and its
     subsidiaries taken as a whole.

          (f)  The Underwriter shall have received the opinion of Christopher J.
Chambers, Vice President and Division Manager of L&W Investments, Inc., dated
the Closing Date, to the effect that the Company's  subsidiary incorporated in
the State of California has been duly incorporated, is duly organized and a
validly existing Corporation under the laws of the State of California and has
the power and authority to engage in the business authorized by its Certificate
of Incorporation.

          (g)  The Underwriter shall have received an opinion from Holley,
Albertson & Polk, P.C., special counsel to America Western Mortgage Company,
dated the Closing Date, to the effect that such subsidiary incorporated in
Colorado is a corporation duly organized and validly existing under the laws of
the State of Colorado and has the power and authority to engage in the business
authorized by its Articles of Incorporation, as amended.

          (h)  You shall have received the opinion of Terry E. Mitchell, general
counsel to Milburn Investments, Inc., to the effect that each of the Company's
subsidiaries incorporated in the State of Texas is duly organized and validly
existing under the laws of the State of Texas and has the power and authority to
engage in the business authorized by its Articles of Incorporation.
 

                                       17
<PAGE>
 
          (i)  The Underwriter shall have received from Skadden, Arps, Slate,
Meagher & Flom, counsel for the Underwriter, such opinion or opinions, dated the
Closing Date, with respect to the incorporation of the Company, the validity of
the Notes, the Registration Statement, the Prospectus and other related matters
as you reasonably may request, and such counsel shall have received such papers
and information as they request to enable them to pass upon such matters.

          (j)  At the time of execution of this Agreement and at the Closing
Date, the Underwriter shall have received a letter from Arthur Andersen & Co.,
dated the date of delivery thereof, substantially to the effect set forth in
Exhibit I hereto.

          (k)  The Underwriter shall have received from the Company a
certificate, signed by the President or a Co-Chief Executive Officer and by the
principal financial or accounting officer of the Company, dated the Closing
Date, to the effect that, to the best of their knowledge based upon reasonable
investigation:

               (i)  The representations and warranties of the Company in this
     Agreement are true and correct in all material respects, as if made at and
     as of the Closing Date, and the Company has complied in all material
     respects with all the agreements and satisfied all the conditions on its
     part to be performed or satisfied at or prior to the Closing Date;

               (ii)  No stop order suspending the effectiveness of the
     Registration Statement has been issued, and no proceeding for that purpose
     has been instituted or is threatened by the Commission; and

               (iii)  Since the effective date of the Registration Statement,
     there has occurred no event required to be set forth in an amendment or
     supplement to the Registration Statement or Prospectus that has not been so
     set forth.

                                       18
<PAGE>
 
          (l)  The Company shall have furnished to you such further certificates
and documents as you shall have reasonably requested.

          All such opinions, certificates, letters, forms and other documents
will be in compliance with the provisions hereof only if they are satisfactory
in form and substance to you.  The Company will furnish you with such conformed
copies of such opinions, certificates, letters, forms and other documents as you
shall reasonably request.

          6.  INDEMNIFICATION AND CONTRIBUTION.  (a)  The Company will indemnify
and hold harmless the Underwriter against any losses, claims, damages or
liabilities, joint or several, to which the Underwriter may become subject,
under the Act or otherwise, insofar as such losses, claims, damages or
liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) arise out of or are based upon an
untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in
any part of the Registration Statement when such part became effective, or in
the Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus, the Prospectus, or any
amendment or supplement thereto, or arise out of or are based upon the omission
or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated
therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, and will
reimburse the Underwriter for any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by
it in connection with investigating or defending against such loss, claim,
damage, liability or action as such expenses are incurred; provided, however,
that the Company shall not be liable in any such case to the extent that any
such loss, claim, damage or liability arises out of or is based upon an untrue
statement or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission made
therein in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to
the Company by the Underwriter specifically for use in the preparation thereof;
and provided further that the Company shall not be liable to the Underwriter
under the indemnity agreement in this subsection with respect to any Preliminary
Prospectus to the extent that any such loss, claim, damage or liability of the
Underwriter results primarily from an untrue statement of a material fact
contained in, or the omission of a material fact from, such Preliminary
Prospectus which untrue statement or omission was corrected in the Prospectus,
if the

                                       19
<PAGE>
 
Company shall sustain the burden of proving that the Underwriter sold Notes to
the person alleging such loss, claim, damage or liability without sending or
giving, at or prior to the written confirmation of such sale, a copy of the
Prospectus (or of the Prospectus as then amended or supplemented) if the Company
had previously furnished copies thereof to the Underwriter.

          (b)  The Underwriter will indemnify and hold harmless the Company,
each of its directors and each of its officers who signs the Registration
Statement against any losses, claims, damages or liabilities, joint or several,
to which the Company may become subject, under the Act or otherwise, insofar as
such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof)
arise out of or are based upon an untrue statement or alleged untrue statement
of a material fact contained in any part of the Registration Statement when
such part became effective, or in the Registration Statement, any Preliminary
Prospectus, the Prospectus, or any amendment or supplement thereto, or arise out
of or are based upon the omission or alleged omission to state therein a
material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements
therein (i) in the case of any part of the registration statement or the Regis-
tration Statement, not misleading, and (ii) in the case of any Preliminary
Prospectus or the Prospectus, in light of the circumstances under which they
were made, not misleading, in each case to the extent, but only to the extent,
that such untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged
omission was made therein in reliance upon and in conformity with written
information furnished to the Company by the Underwriter specifically for use
in the preparation thereof; and will reimburse the Company for any legal or
other expenses reasonably incurred by the Company in connection with
investigating or defending against any such loss, claim, damage, liability or
action as such expenses are incurred.

          (c)  Promptly after receipt by an indemnified party under subsection
(a) or (b) above of notice of the commencement of any action, such indemnified
party shall, if a claim in respect thereof is to be made against the
indemnifying party under such subsection, notify the indemnifying party in
writing of the commencement thereof; but the omission so to notify the indemni-

                                       20
<PAGE>
 
fying party shall not relieve it from any liability that it may have to any
indemnified party otherwise than under such subsection except to the extent such
omission may materially prejudice the rights of the indemnifying party.  In
case any such action shall be brought against any indemnified party and it shall
notify the indemnifying party of the commencement thereof, the indemnifying
party shall be entitled to participate in, and, to the extent that it shall
wish, jointly with any other indemnifying party similarly notified, to assume
the defense thereof, with counsel reasonably satisfactory to such indemnified
party (who shall not, except with the consent of the indemnified party, be
counsel to the indemnifying party), and after notice from the indemnifying party
to such indemnified party of its election so to assume the defense thereof, the
indemnifying party shall not be liable to such indemnified party under such
subsection for any legal or other expenses subsequently incurred by such
indemnified party in connection with the defense thereof other than reasonable
costs of investigation.

          (d)  If the indemnification provided for in this Section 6 is
unavailable or insufficient to hold harmless an indemnified party under
subsection (a) or (b) above, then each indemnifying party shall contribute to
the amount paid or payable by such indemnified party as a result of the losses,
claims, damages or liabilities referred to in subsection (a) or (b) above, (i)
in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received
by the Company on the one hand and the Underwriter on the other from the
offering of the Notes or (ii) if the allocation provided by clause (i) above is
not permitted by applicable law, in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect
not only the relative benefits referred to in clause (i) above but also the
relative fault of the Company on the one hand and the Underwriter on the other
in connection with the statements or omissions that resulted in such losses,
claims, damages or liabilities, as well as any other relevant equitable
considerations.  The relative benefits received by the Company on the one hand
and the Underwriter on the other shall be deemed to be in the same proportion as
the total net proceeds from the offering of the Notes (before deducting
expenses) received by the Company bear to the total underwriting discounts and
commissions received by the Underwriter, in each case as set forth in the table
on the cover page of the Prospectus.  The relative fault shall be determined

                                       21
<PAGE>
 
by reference to, among other things, whether the untrue or alleged untrue
statement of a material fact or the omission or alleged omission to state a
material fact relates to information supplied by the Company on the one hand or
the Underwriter on the other and the parties' relative intent, knowledge, access
to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such untrue statement or
omission.  The Company and the Underwriter agree that it would not be just and
equitable if contributions pursuant to this subsection (d) were to be
determined by pro rata allocation or by any other method of allocation that does
              --- ----                                                          
not take account of the equitable considerations referred to in the first
sentence of this subsection (d).  The amount paid by an indemnified party as a
result of the losses, claims, damages or liabilities referred to in the first
sentence of this subsection (d) shall be deemed to include any legal or other
expenses reasonably incurred by such indemnified party in connection with
investigating or defending against any action or claim that is the subject of
this subsection (d).  Notwithstanding the provisions of this subsection (d), the
Underwriter shall not be required to contribute any amount in excess of the
amount by which the total price at which the Notes underwritten by it and
distributed to the public were offered to the public exceeds the amount of any
damages that the Underwriter has otherwise been required to pay by reason of
such untrue or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission.  No
person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section
11(f) of the Act) shall be entitled to contribution from any person who was not
guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation.

          (e)  The obligations of the Company under this Section 6 shall be in
addition to any liability that the Company may otherwise have and shall extend,
upon the same terms and conditions, to each person, if any, who controls the
Underwriter within the meaning of the Act; and the obligations of the
Underwriter under this Section 6 shall be in addition to any liability that the
Underwriter may otherwise have and shall extend, upon the same terms and
conditions, to each director of the Company (including any person who, with his
or her consent, is named in the Registration Statement as about to become a
director of the Company), to each officer of the Company who has signed the
Registration Statement and to each

                                       22
<PAGE>
 
person, if any, who controls the Company within the meaning of the Act.

          7.  REPRESENTATIONS AND AGREEMENTS TO SURVIVE DELIVERY.  All
representations, warranties, indemnities and agreements of the Company herein or
in certificates delivered pursuant hereto, and the agreements of the Underwriter
contained in Section 6 hereof, shall remain  operative and in full force and
effect regardless of any investigation made by or on behalf of the Underwriter
or any controlling persons, or by or on behalf of the Company, or any of its
officers, directors or any controlling persons of the Company, and shall survive
delivery of and payment for the Notes hereunder.

          8.  TERMINATION.  You shall have the right by giving notice as
hereinafter specified at any time at or prior to the Closing Date, to terminate
this Agreement if (i) the Company shall have failed, refused or been unable, at
or prior to the Closing Date, to perform any agreement on its part to be
performed hereunder, (ii) any other condition of the Underwriter's obligations
hereunder is not fulfilled, (iii) trading on the New York Stock Exchange or the
American Stock Exchange shall have been wholly suspended, (iv) minimum or
maximum prices for trading shall have been fixed, or maximum ranges for prices
for securities shall have been required, on the New York Stock Exchange or the
American Stock Exchange, by such exchange or by order of the Commission or any
other governmental authority having jurisdiction, (v) a banking moratorium shall
have been declared by federal or New York authorities, or (vi) an outbreak or
major escalation of hostilities in which the United States is involved, a
declaration of war by Congress, any other substantial national or international
calamity or any other event or occurrence of a similar character shall have
occurred since the execution of this Agreement that, in your judgment, makes it
impractical or inadvisable to proceed with the completion of the sale of and
payment for the Notes.  Any such termination shall be without liability of any
party to any other party with respect to Notes not purchased by reason of such
termination except that the provisions of the last two paragraphs of Section 4
and Section 6 shall at all times be effective.  If you elect to terminate this
Agreement as provided in this Section, the Company shall be notified promptly by
you by telephone, telex or telecopy, confirmed by letter.

                                       23
<PAGE>
 
          9.  NOTICES.  All notices or communications hereunder, except as
herein otherwise specifically provided, shall be in writing and if sent to you
shall be mailed, delivered, telexed or telecopied and confirmed to you, at 10
Hanover Square, New York, NY 10005 (telecopy no. (212) 797-8942), or if sent to
the Company, shall be mailed, delivered, telexed or telecopied and confirmed to
the Company at 7001 N. Scottsdale Road, Suite 2050, Scottsdale, Arizona 85253
(telecopy no. (602) 991-1682), Attention: Donald R. Loback, Co-Chief Executive
Officer, with a copy to Cahill Gordon & Reindel, 80 Pine Street, New York, New
York 10005, Attention: John P. Mitchell, Esq.  Notice to the Underwriter
pursuant to Section 6 shall be mailed, delivered, telexed or telecopied and
confirmed to the Underwriter's address set forth above or as it appears in any
other notice furnished to the Company in writing for the purpose of
communications hereunder.  Any party to this Agreement may change such address
for notices by sending to the parties to this Agreement written notice of a new
address for such purpose.

          10.  PARTIES.  This Agreement shall inure to the benefit of and be
binding upon the parties hereto and their respective successors and the
controlling persons, officers and directors referred to in Section 6 and no
other person will have any right or obligation hereunder.

          11.  APPLICABLE LAW.  THIS AGREEMENT SHALL BE GOVERNED BY AND
CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH, THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK.

                                       24
<PAGE>
 
          If the foregoing correctly sets forth the understanding between the
Company and the Underwriter, please so indicate in the space provided below for
that purpose, whereupon this letter shall constitute a binding agreement between
the Company and the Underwriter.

                         Very truly yours,

                         CONTINENTAL HOMES HOLDING CORP.



                         By: __________________________
                             Donald R. Loback
                             Co-Chief Executive Officer



Accepted of the date
first above written:

KIDDER, PEABODY & CO. INCORPORATED


By: _____________________
     Name:
     Title:

                                       25
<PAGE>
 
          EXHIBIT I

          (1) They are independent certified public accountants with respect to
the Company and its subsidiaries within the meaning of the Act and the Rules
and Regulations and the answer to Item 10 of the Registration Statement form is
correct insofar as it relates to them.

          (2) In their opinion, the financial statements and schedules examined
by them and included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement
and Prospectus comply as to form in all material respects with the applicable
accounting requirements of the Act or the Exchange Act, as applicable, and the
published rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder.

          (3) On the basis of procedures referred to in such letter, including a
reading of the latest available interim financial statements of the Company and
inquiries of officials of the Company responsible for financial and accounting
matters, nothing caused them to believe that:

     (A)  the audited information with respect to the financial position at the
          end of each of May 31, 1993 and 1992 and the related information with
          respect to the results of operations for each of the three years in
          the period ended May 31, 1993, included or incorporated by reference
          in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended May 31,
          1993 does not comply as to form in all material respects with the ap-
          plicable accounting requirements of the Exchange Act and the
          published rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder, is not
          fairly stated in all material respects in relation to the audited
          financial statements from which it has been derived, or does not agree
          with the corresponding amounts in the audited financial statements for
          each of the years then ended;

     (B)  the information with respect to the results of operations and
          financial position for and at the end of each of the five years in the
          period ended May 31, 1993 included in the Prospectus under the
          captions "Prospectus Summary" and "Selected Financial Information"
          does not com-

                                       26
<PAGE>
 
          ply as to form in all material respects with the applicable accounting
          requirements of the Act and the Rules and Regulations, is not fairly
          stated in all material respect in relation to the audited financial
          statements from which it has been derived, or does not agree with the
          corresponding amounts in the audited financial statements for each of
          the years then ended;

     (C)  the unaudited financial statements included in the Company's Quarterly
          Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended August 31, 1993 do not
          comply as to form in all material respects with the applicable
          accounting requirements of the Exchange Act and the published rules
          and regulations of the Commission thereunder or are not in conformity
          with generally accepted accounting principles applied on a basis
          substantially consistent with that of the audited financial statements
          included in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year
          ended May 31, 1993;

     (D)  the unaudited information with respect to the results of operations
          and financial position for and at the end of the three months ended
          August 31, 1993 and August 31, 1992 included in the Prospectus under
          the caption "Prospectus Summary" and "Selected Financial Information"
          does not comply as to form in all material respects with the
          applicable accounting requirements of the Act and the Rules and
          Regulations or does not agree with the corresponding amounts in the
          audited financial statements referred to in clause (C) above;

     (E)  at the date of the latest available internal balance sheet of the
          Company and at a subsequent specified date not more than five days
          prior to the date of such letter, there was any change in the capital
          stock or debt of the Company and its subsidiaries consolidated or any
          decrease in consolidated net assets as compared with amounts shown in
          the August 31, 1993 balance sheet incorporated by reference in the
          Prospectus, except in all cases for changes or decreases that the
          Prospectus disclosed have

                                       27
<PAGE>
 
          occurred or may occur or as may be set forth in such letter; or

     (F)  for the period from August 31, 1993 to the date of the latest
          available internal balance sheet of the Company and to a subsequent
          specified date not more than five days prior to the date of such
          letter, there was any decrease, as compared with the corresponding
          period of the previous year and with the period of corresponding
          length ended August 31, 1993, in consolidated total revenues, or
          total or per share amounts of net income, except in all cases for
          changes or decreases that the Prospectus discloses have occurred or
          may occur or as may be set forth in such letter.

     (4) In addition to their examination referred to in their reports included
or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement and Prospectus and
the procedures referred to in (3) above, they have carried out certain other
specified procedures, not constituting an audit, with respect to the dollar
amounts, percentages and other financial information (in each case to the extent
that such dollar amounts, percentages and other financial information are
derived, directly or by analysis or computation, from the general accounting
records of the Company and its subsidiaries) that are included or incorporated
by reference in the Prospectus and have found such dollar amounts, percentages
and financial information to be in agreement with the general account-ing
records of the Company and its subsidiaries.

     (5)  They have proved the arithmetic accuracy of the application of the pro
forma adjustments to the historical amounts in the unaudited pro forma
consolidated statement of income included in the Registration Statement and on
the basis of the foregoing procedure, a reading of the unaudited pro forma
consolidated statement of income included in the Registration Statement, inqui-
ries of officials of the Company who have responsibility for financial and
accounting matters and other specified procedures, nothing came to their
attention that caused them to believe that the unaudited pro forma consolidated
statement of income included in the Registration Statement does not comply in
all material respects with the applicable requirements of the Act and the
related pub-

                                       28
<PAGE>
 
lished Rules and Regulations, including without limitation Article 11 of
Regulation S-X, or that the pro forma adjustments have not been properly applied
to the historical amounts in the compilation of such data.

If the foregoing correctly sets forth the understanding between the Company and
the Underwriter, please so indicate in the space provided below for that
purpose, whereupon this letter shall constitute & binding agreement between the
Company and the Underwriter.

 

                                       29

<PAGE>
                                                                     EXHIBIT 4.3
 
                 FIRST SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURE
                 ----------------------------

          THIS FIRST SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURE, dated as of March
, 1994, to the INDENTURE, dated as of August 1, 1992, between
CONTINENTAL HOMES HOLDING CORP., a Delaware corporation (the
"Issuer"), and FIRST FIDELITY BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION (for-
merly Fidelity Bank, National Association), a national banking
association organized and existing under the laws of the United
States of America, as trustee hereunder (the "Trustee").

                     W I T N E S S E T H :

          WHEREAS, the Issuer and the Trustee have heretofore
executed and delivered an Indenture dated as of August 1, 1992
(the "Indenture") providing for the issuance by the Issuer of
up to $75,000,000 in principal amount of its 12% Senior Notes
Due August 1, 1999 (the "Securities");

          WHEREAS, the Issuer desires to amend the Indenture as
set forth in this First Supplemental Indenture;

          WHEREAS, Section 9.02 of the Indenture provides,
among other things, that, subject to certain exceptions not
herein relevant, with the consent of the Holders of at least a
majority in aggregate principal amount of the Securities at the
time outstanding, the Issuer and the Trustee may amend or sup-
plement the Indenture or the Securities;

          WHEREAS, the Company has received consents to the
amendments to the Indenture contained herein (the "Proposed
Amendments") of Holders of at least a majority in aggregate
principal amount of the Securities outstanding on the date
hereof (the "Requisite Consents"); and

          WHEREAS, all things necessary to make this First Sup-
plemental Indenture a valid agreement of the Issuer and the
Trustee and a valid amendment of and supplement to the Inden-
ture and all of the conditions and requirements set forth in
Section 9.02 of the Indenture have been performed and fulfilled
and the execution and delivery hereof have been in all respects
duly authorized;

          NOW, THEREFORE, the Issuer and the Trustee mutually
covenant and agree for the equal and proportionate benefit of
the respective holders from time to time of the Securities as
follows:
<PAGE>
 
                              -2-



                          ARTICLE 1.

                    AMENDMENTS TO INDENTURE

          Section 1.1.  Section 1.01 of the Indenture is hereby
          -----------
amended as follows:

          (1)  The definition of "Bank Facility" shall be
                                  -------------
amended by (i) deleting the words "a commitment" in the first
line thereof and inserting, in lieu thereof, the words "one or
more commitments", and (ii) deleting the words "for working
capital or other general corporate purposes" in the third line
thereof;

          (2)  The definition of "EBITDA" shall be amended by
                                  ------ 
inserting the language ", to the extent deducted in calculating
Consolidated Net Income," following the word "plus" in the sec-
ond line thereof;

          (3)  The definition of "Permitted Liens" shall be
                                  ---------------
amended by (i) deleting clause (ii) thereof and replacing it in
its entirety with the following language: 

          "Liens securing a Warehouse Facility, pro-
                                                ---  
          vided that such Liens shall not extend to any
          -----
          assets other than the mortgages, promissory
          notes and other collateral that secures mort-
          gage loans made by the Company or any of its
          Subsidiaries;", and

(ii) deleting clauses (xi) and (xii) thereof and replacing them
in their entirety with the following language:

          "(xi) Liens with respect to Acquisition Debt;
          provided that such Liens do not extend to any
          --------
          other assets of the Company or the assets of
          any of the Company's other Subsidiaries;
          (xii) Liens securing Refinancing Debt; pro-
          vided that such Liens only extend to the
          assets securing the Debt being refinanced,
          such refinanced Debt was previously secured,
          and such Liens do not extend to any other
          assets of the Company or to the assets of the
          Company's other Subsidiaries;";

          (4)  The definition of "Subsidiary" shall be amended
                                  ----------
by inserting "(i)" after "Person," in the first line thereof
<PAGE>
 
                              -3-



and inserting immediately before the period the following
language:

          "or (ii) any partnership or joint venture at
          least a majority of the voting power of which
          is at the time directly or indirectly owned
          by such Person or one or more of the other
          Subsidiaries of that Person, or a combination
          thereof or successor thereto"; and

          (5)  The definition of "Warehouse Facility" shall be
                                  ------------------ 
deleted and replaced in its entirety with the following
language:

          "'Warehouse Facility' means a Bank Facility
           ------------------
          to finance the making of FHA/VA and conform-
          ing conventional mortgage loans originated by
          the Company or any of its Subsidiaries.".


          Section 1.2.  Section 2.02 of the Indenture is hereby
          -----------
amended as follows: 

          (1)  The first sentence in the fourth paragraph
thereof shall be deleted and replaced in its entirety with the
following language:

          "The Trustee shall authenticate Securities
          for original issue in the aggregate principal
          amount of up to $110,000,000, upon a written
          order or orders of the Company signed by two
          Officers or by an Officer and an Assistant
          Treasurer or Assistant Secretary of the Com-
          pany."; and


          (2)  The word "such" shall be inserted in the second
sentence of the fourth paragraph thereof after the words "issue
of".

          Section 1.3.  The definition of "Permitted Debt" con-
          -----------
tained in Section 4.10 of the Indenture is hereby amended as
follows:

          (1)  The language in paragraph (b) thereof shall be
deleted and replaced in its entirety with the following
language:
<PAGE>
 
                              -4-



          "Debt incurred under or in respect of a Bank
          Facility (including any guarantees related
          thereto) for working capital or general cor-
          porate purposes, Debt evidenced by letters of
          credit, and guarantees of Debt of the Great
          Singing Hills joint venture in excess of
          amounts committed on the date of the Inden-
          ture and which are Incurred after the date of
          the Indenture; provided that the aggregate
                         --------
          amount of all such Debt outstanding at any
          time pursuant to this clause (b) may not
          exceed $30,000,000;";

          (2)  The language in paragraph (c) thereof shall be
deleted and replaced in its entirety with the following
language:

          "Debt incurred under a Warehouse Facility;
          provided that the amount of such Debt
          --------
          (including funding drafts issued thereunder)
          outstanding at any time pursuant to this
          clause (c) may not exceed $30,000,000 and the
          amount of such Debt (excluding funding drafts
          issued thereunder) may not exceed 98% of the
          value of the Mortgages available to be
          pledged to secure Debt thereunder;";

          (3)  The word "the" in the parenthetical in paragraph
(d) thereof shall be replaced with the word "a"; and

          (4)  The number "$500,000" in paragraph (h) thereof
shall be replaced with "$5,000,000".
<PAGE>
 
                              -5-




                          ARTICLE 2.

                 AMENDMENT TO FORM OF SECURITY
                 -----------------------------

          Section 2.1.  Paragraph 1 of the reverse of the secu-
          ----------- 
rity is hereby amended by deleting "February 1, 1993" in the
second sentence thereof and replacing it with "on the first of
such dates following the original issuance hereof."

          Section 2.1.  Paragraph 4 of the reverse of the secu-
          -----------
rity is hereby amended by deleting "$75,000,000" in the fourth
sentence thereof and replacing it with "$110,000,000".


                          ARTICLE 3.

                         MISCELLANEOUS


          SECTION 3.1.  Defined Terms.  All capitalized terms
                        -------------
not otherwise defined herein shall have the meanings ascribed
to them in the Indenture.

          SECTION 3.2.  Effectiveness of Proposed Amendments.
                        ------------------------------------
The Proposed Amendments contained herein shall become effective
upon the execution and delivery of this First Supplemental
Indenture by the Trustee and the Issuer.

          SECTION 3.3.  Trustee.  The recitals contained herein
                        -------
shall be taken as the statements of the Issuer, and the Trustee
assumes no responsibility for the correctness of the same.  The
Trustee makes no representation as to the validity of this
First Supplemental Indenture.  The Indenture, as supplemented
and amended by this First Supplemental Indenture, is in all
respects hereby ratified and confirmed.

          SECTION 3.4.  Binding Effect.  This First Supplemen-
                        --------------
tal Indenture shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of
the parties hereto and their respective successors and assigns.
Except as amended herein, the terms, provisions and covenants
of the Indenture shall remain in full force and effect and con-
tinue to govern the parties thereto.

          SECTION 3.5.  Counterparts.  This First Supplemental
                        ------------
Indenture may be executed in two or more counterparts, each of
<PAGE>
 
                              -6-



which shall be deemed original and all of which together will
constitute the same agreement, whether or not all parties exe-
cute each counterpart.

          SECTION 3.6.  Governing Law.  The laws of the State
                        -------------
of New York, without regard to principles of conflicts of law,
shall govern this First Supplemental Indenture and the
Securities.
<PAGE>
 
                              -7-



          IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have caused this
First Supplemental Indenture to be duly executed, all as of the
date first above written.

                              CONTINENTAL HOMES HOLDING CORP.


                              By: _______________________________
                              Name:
                              Title:




                              FIRST FIDELITY BANK, NATIONAL 
                                ASSOCIATION, as Trustee


                              By: _______________________________
                              Name
                              Title:

<PAGE>
 
                                                             EXHIBIT 5












                             March 1, 1994






                                                        (212) 701-3000




Continental Homes Holding Corp.
7001 N. Scottsdale Road
Suite 2050
Scottsdale, Arizona  85253


               Re:  Registration Statement on Form S-3
                    of Continental Homes Holding Corp.
                    ---------------------------------

Gentlemen/Ladies:

          As counsel to Continental Homes Holding Corp. (the "Com-
pany"), we have examined a copy of the Company's Registration
Statement on Form S-3 (the "Registration Statement") filed with
the Securities and Exchange Commission on March 1, 1994 relating
to the registration pursuant to the Securities Act of 1933, as
amended (the "Act"), of $35,000,000 aggregate principal amount of
12% Senior Notes due August 1, 1999 (the "Notes") of the Company.
The Notes are proposed to be issued under an Indenture (the
"Indenture") between the Company and First Fidelity Bank, National
Association (formerly Fidelity Bank, National Association), as
<PAGE>
 
                                 -2-



trustee (the "Trustee"), as amended by the first supplemental
indenture thereto (the "Amendment").  

          In rendering this opinion, we have reviewed such docu-
ments, including documents and corporate records relating to the
Company and the issuance and sale of the Notes covered by the Reg-
istration Statement, and made such investigations as we have
deemed appropriate for purposes of rendering this opinion.
In all examinations of documents, instruments and other papers, we
have assumed the genuineness of all signatures on original or cer-
tified documents of all copies submitted to us as conformed, pho-
tostatic or other copies.  As to matters of fact which have not
been independently established, we have relied upon representa-
tions of officers of the Company.

          Based upon the foregoing examination, information sup-
plied and assumptions, it is our opinion that (subject to compli-
ance with the pertinent provisions of the Act and to compliance
with such securities or "blue sky" laws of any jurisdictions as
may be applicable) when the Amendment has been duly executed and
delivered by the proper officers of the Company and the Trustee,
and when the Notes have been duly executed, authenticated, regis-
tered, issued and delivered in accordance with the terms of the
Indenture and the Amendment, the Notes will constitute valid and
binding obligations of the Company, enforceable against the Com-
pany in accordance with their terms and entitled to the benefits
of the Indenture, except that (a) the enforceability thereof may
be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, fraudulent conveyance, reor-
ganization, moratorium or other similar laws hereinafter in effect
relating to creditors' and debtors' rights and remedies generally
and (b) the remedy of specific performance and injunctive and
other forms of equitable relief may be subject to equitable
defenses and to the discretion of the court before which any pro-
ceedings therefor may be brought.

          We hereby consent to the reference to our firm in the
Registration Statement under the Prospectus caption "Legal Mat-
ters," and to the inclusion of this opinion as an exhibit to the
Registration Statement.  

                                   Very truly yours,

<PAGE>
 
                                                                      EXHIBIT 12
 
                        CONTINENTIAL HOMES HOLDING CORP.
 
               COMPUTATION OF RATIO OF EARNINGS TO FIXED CHARGES
 
                             (DOLLARS IN THOUSANDS)
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                      SIX MONTHS ENDED
                                   YEARS ENDED MAY 31,                  NOVEMBER 30,
                         -------------------------------------------  ------------------
                          1989     1990     1991     1992     1993      1992      1993
                         -------  -------  -------  -------  -------  --------  --------
<S>                      <C>      <C>      <C>      <C>      <C>      <C>       <C>
Fixed Charges:
  Rent expense.......... $   128  $   163  $   197  $   178  $   165  $     54  $     86
  Interest (expensed or
   capitalized)--home-
   building.............   9,085    8,412    8,889    8,662   11,896     5,867     6,497
  Interest (expensed or
   capitalized)--joint
   ventures(1)..........   1,471    2,134    2,868      885      144       144       --
  Interest--mortgage       2,405    2,221    2,364    1,557    1,343       746     1,384
   banking.............. -------  -------  -------  -------  -------  --------  --------
    Total fixed charges. $13,089  $12,930  $14,318  $11,282  $13,548  $  6,811  $  7,967
                         =======  =======  =======  =======  =======  ========  ========
Earnings:
  Income before taxes
   and extraordinary
   credits.............. $ 2,433  $ 5,879  $   477  $ 2,155  $12,083  $  5,983  $ 11,462
  Fixed charges.........  13,089   12,930   14,318   11,282   13,548     6,811     7,967
  Interest capital-          414     (362)  (3,486)   2,783      202       520      (292)
   ized(1)(2)........... -------  -------  -------  -------  -------  --------  --------
    Total earnings be-   $15,936  $18,447  $11,309  $16,220  $25,833  $ 13,314  $ 19,137
     fore fixed charges. =======  =======  =======  =======  =======  ========  ========
Ratio of earnings to        1.22x    1.43x     (3)     1.44x    1.91x     1.95x     2.40x
 fixed charges.......... =======  =======  =======  =======  =======  ========  ========
</TABLE>
- --------
(1)Reflects the Company's proportionate share of the joint venture.
(2) Since interest capitalized is charged to interest expense when the related
    assets are sold, this amount represents the change in capitalized interest
    from the previous period end.
(3) Fiscal 1991 includes a pre-tax writedown of $5,000,000. After giving effect
    to such writedown, earnings for the fiscal year ended May 31, 1991 were
    inadequate to cover fixed charges and resulted in a coverage deficiency of
    $3,009,000.

<PAGE>
 
                                                                    EXHIBIT 23.1
 
                   CONSENT OF INDEPENDENT PUBLIC ACCOUNTANTS
 
As independent public accountants, we hereby consent to the use and
incorporation by reference of our reports (and to all references to our firm)
included in or made part of this registration statement of Continental Homes
Holding Corp.
 
Arthur Andersen & Co.
 
Phoenix, Arizona,
February 28, 1994

<PAGE>
 
                                                                    EXHIBIT 23.2
 
                       CONSENT OF INDEPENDENT ACCOUNTANTS
 
  We consent to the reference to our firm under the caption "Experts" in the
Registration Statement (Form S-3) and related Prospectus of Continental Homes
Holding Corp. for the registration of $35,000,000 of 12% of Senior Notes and to
the incorporation by reference therein of our report dated August 11, 1993,
with respect to the consolidated financial statements of Milburn Investments,
Inc. and subsidiaries included in Continental Homes Holding Corp. Report on
Form 8-K/A-1, amending Form 8-K dated July 29, 1993, filed with the Securities
and Exchange Commission.
 
Austin, Texas                             Ernst & Young
February 28, 1994

<PAGE>
 
                                                                    EXHIBIT 23.3
 
                       CONSENT OF INDEPENDENT ACCOUNTANTS
 
We hereby consent to the incorporation by reference in the Prospectus
constituting part of this Registration Statement on Form S-3 of Continental
Homes Holding Corp. of our report dated December 20, 1991 relating to the
November 30, 1991 financial statements of Miltex Mortgage of Texas, Inc. (a
wholly-owned subsidiary of Milburn Investment, Inc.), which appears in the
Current Report on Form 8-K/A-1 of Continental Homes Holding Corp. dated July
29, 1993. We also consent to the reference to us under the heading "Experts" in
such Prospectus.
 
Price Waterhouse
 
Austin, Texas
February 28, 1994

<PAGE>
 
                                                                    EXHIBIT 23.4
                   CONSENT OF INDEPENDENT PUBLIC ACCOUNTANTS
 
  As independent public accountants, we hereby consent to the incorporation by
reference in this registration statement of our report dated January 16, 1991,
on the financial statements of Miltex Mortgage of Texas, Inc., for the year
ended November 30, 1990, included in Continental Homes Holding Corp.'s
Registration Statement Form S-3 dated March 1, 1994 and to all references to
our firm included in this registration statement.
 
Round Rock, Texas                         Pena Swayze & Co.
February 28, 1994

<PAGE>
 
                                                                    EXHIBIT 24
                 CONTINENTAL HOMES HOLDING CORP.

                        POWER OF ATTORNEY


          KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS, that each person whose
signature appears below hereby constitutes and appoints Donald R.
Loback, Kathleen R. Wade and Kenda B. Gonzales, or any one of
them, his true and lawful attorneys-in-fact and agents, with full
power of substitution and resubstitution, for him and in his name,
place and stead, in any and all capacities, to sign a Registration
Statement on Form S-3 (the "Registration Statement") relating to
securities of Continental Homes Holding Corp., and to sign any and
all amendments to the Registration Statement, including
post-effective amendments, and to file the same, with all exhibits
thereto, and other documents in connection therewith, with the
Securities and Exchange Commission, granting unto said
attorneys-in-fact and agents full power and authority to do and
perform each and every act and thing requisite and necessary to be
done in and about the premises, as fully to all intents and pur-
poses as he might or could do in person, hereby ratifying and con-
forming all the said attorneys-in-fact and agents, each acting
alone, or their substitute or substitutes, may lawfully do or
cause to be done by virtue hereof.

      Signatures               Title                     Date
      ----------               -----                     ----

/s/ Donald R. Loback     Co-Chief Executive     February 28, 1994
- --------------------
   (Donald R. Loback)    Office and Director


/s/ Kathleen R. Wade     Co-Chief Executive     February 28, 1994
- --------------------
   (Kathleen R. Wade)    Office and Director


/s/ Kenda B. Gonzales    Secretary and          February 28, 1994
- ---------------------
   (Kenda B. Gonzales)   Treasurer
                         (Controller and
                         Principal Financial
                         Officer)

/s/ Robert J. Wade       President and          February 28, 1994
- ------------------
   (Robert J. Wade)      Director


/s/ W. Thomas Hickcox    Senior Vice President  February 28, 1994
- ---------------------
   (W. Thomas Hickcox)   and Director


/s/ Bradley S. Anderson  Director               February 28, 1994
- -----------------------
   (Bradley S. Anderson) 
<PAGE>
 
                               -2-




/s/ Jo Ann Rudd          Director               February 28, 1994
- ---------------
   (Jo Ann Rudd)       


/s/ William Steinberg    Director               February 28, 1994
- ---------------------
   (William Steinberg) 

<PAGE>
 
                                                                    EXHIBIT 25.2

           Amendment to Registration No. 33-49252 as filed with the
              Securities and Exhange Commission on July 24, 1992

                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549

                                    FORM T-1

     STATEMENT OF ELIGIBILITY UNDER THE TRUST INDENTURE ACT OF 1939 OF A
     CORPORATION DESIGNATED TO ACT AS TRUSTEE

     CHECK IF AN APPLICATION TO DETERMINE ELIGIBILITY OF A TRUSTEE PURSUANT TO
     SECTION 305(b)(2) __


                   FIRST FIDELITY BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
                               (Name of Trustee)


                                   22-1147033
                      (I.R.S. Employer Identification No.)


                      175 WEST BROADWAY, SALEM, NEW JERSEY
                    (Address of Principal Executive Offices)

                                     08079
                                   (Zip Code)


                        CONTINENTAL HOMES HOLDING CORP.
                               (Name of Obligor)


                                    DELAWARE
                            (State of Incorporation)


                                   86-0554624
                      (I.R.S. Employer Identification No.)


                            7001 N. SCOTTSDALE ROAD
                           SUITE 2000, SCOTTSDALE, AZ
                    (Address of Principal Executive Offices)

                                     85253
                                   (Zip Code)

                     $35,000,000 12% SENIOR NOTES DUE 1999
           Application relates to all securities registered pursuant
                         to the registration statement.
                        (Title of Indenture Securities)
<PAGE>
 
      1.  GENERAL INFORMATION.

          FURNISH THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION AS TO THE TRUSTEE:

          (A)  NAME AND ADDRESS OF EACH EXAMINING OR SUPERVISORY AUTHORITY TO
               WHICH IT IS SUBJECT:

               Comptroller of the Currency
               United States Department of the Treasury
               Washington, D.C.  20219

               Federal Reserve Bank (3rd District)
               Philadelphia, Pennsylvania  19106

               Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation
               Washington, D.C.  20429

          (B)  WHETHER IT IS AUTHORIZED TO EXERCISE CORPORATE TRUST POWERS.

               Yes.


     2.   AFFILIATIONS WITH OBLIGOR.

          IF THE OBLIGOR IS AN AFFILIATE OF THE TRUSTEE, DESCRIBE EACH SUCH
     AFFILIATION.

          None.


     3.   VOTING SECURITIES OF THE TRUSTEE.

          FURNISH  THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION AS TO EACH CLASS OF VOTING
     SECURITIES OF THE TRUSTEE:

          Not applicable - see answer to item 13.


     4.   TRUSTEESHIPS UNDER OTHER INDENTURES.

          IF THE TRUSTEE IS A TRUSTEE UNDER ANOTHER INDENTURE UNDER WHICH ANY
     OTHER SECURITIES, OR CERTIFICATES OF INTEREST OR PARTICIPATION IN ANY OTHER
     SECURITIES, OF THE OBLIGOR ARE OUTSTANDING, FURNISH THE FOLLOWING
     INFORMATION:

          Not applicable - see answer to item 13.

                                       2
<PAGE>
 
     5.   INTERLOCKING DIRECTORATES AND SIMILAR RELATIONSHIPS WITH THE OBLIGOR
          OR UNDERWRITERS.

          IF THE TRUSTEE OR ANY OF THE DIRECTORS OR EXECUTIVE OFFICERS OF THE
     TRUSTEE IS A DIRECTOR, OFFICER, PARTNER, EMPLOYEE, APPOINTEE, OR
     REPRESENTATIVE OF THE OBLIGOR OR OF ANY UNDERWRITER FOR THE OBLIGOR,
     IDENTIFY EACH SUCH PERSON HAVING ANY SUCH CONNECTION AND STATE THE NATURE
     OF EACH SUCH CONNECTION.

          Not applicable - see answer to item 13.


     6.   VOTING SECURITIES OF THE TRUSTEE OWNED BY THE OBLIGOR OR ITS
          OFFICIALS.

          FURNISH THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION AS TO THE VOTING SECURITIES OF THE
     TRUSTEE OWNED BENEFICIALLY BY THE OBLIGOR AND EACH DIRECTOR, PARTNER, AND
     EXECUTIVE OFFICER OF THE OBLIGOR:

          Not applicable - see answer to item 13.


     7.   VOTING SECURITIES OF THE TRUSTEE OWNED BY UNDERWRITERS OR THEIR
          OFFICIALS.

          FURNISH THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION AS TO THE VOTING SECURITIES OF THE
     TRUSTEE OWNED BENEFICIALLY BY EACH UNDERWRITER FOR THE OBLIGOR AND EACH
     DIRECTOR, PARTNER, AND EXECUTIVE OFFICER OF EACH SUCH UNDERWRITER:

          Not applicable - see answer to item 13.


     8.   SECURITIES OF THE OBLIGOR OWNED OR HELD BY THE TRUSTEE.

          FURNISH THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION AS TO SECURITIES OF THE OBLIGOR
     OWNED BENEFICIALLY OR HELD AS COLLATERAL SECURITY FOR OBLIGATIONS IN
     DEFAULT BY THE TRUSTEE:

          Not applicable - see answer to item 13.


     9.   SECURITIES OF UNDERWRITERS OWNED OR HELD BY THE TRUSTEE.

          IF THE TRUSTEE OWNS BENEFICIALLY OR HOLDS AS COLLATERAL SECURITY FOR
     OBLIGATIONS IN DEFAULT ANY SECURITIES OF AN UNDERWRITER FOR THE OBLIGOR,
     FURNISH THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION

                                       3
<PAGE>
 
     AS TO EACH CLASS OF SECURITIES OF SUCH UNDERWRITER ANY OF WHICH ARE SO
     OWNED OR HELD BY THE TRUSTEE:

          Not applicable - see answer to item 13.


     10.  OWNERSHIP OR HOLDINGS BY THE TRUSTEE OF VOTING SECURITIES OF CERTAIN
          AFFILIATES OR SECURITY HOLDERS OF THE OBLIGOR.

          IF THE TRUSTEE OWNS BENEFICIALLY OR HOLDS AS COLLATERAL SECURITY FOR
     OBLIGATIONS IN DEFAULT VOTING SECURITIES OF A PERSON WHO, TO THE KNOWLEDGE
     OF THE TRUSTEE (1) OWNS 10 PERCENT OR MORE OF THE VOTING STOCK OF THE
     OBLIGOR OR (2) IS AN AFFILIATE, OTHER THAN A SUBSIDIARY, OF THE OBLIGOR,
     FURNISH THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION AS TO THE VOTING SECURITIES OF SUCH
     PERSON:

          Not applicable - see answer to item 13.


     11.  OWNERSHIP OR HOLDINGS BY THE TRUSTEE OF ANY SECURITIES OF A PERSON
          OWNING 50 PERCENT OR MORE OF THE VOTING SECURITIES OF THE OBLIGOR.

          IF THE TRUSTEE OWNS BENEFICIALLY OR HOLDS AS COLLATERAL SECURITY FOR
     OBLIGATIONS IN DEFAULT ANY SECURITIES OF A PERSON WHO, TO THE KNOWLEDGE OF
     THE TRUSTEE, OWNS 50 PERCENT OR MORE OF THE VOTING SECURITIES OF THE
     OBLIGOR, FURNISH THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION AS TO EACH CLASS OF SECURITIES
     OF SUCH PERSON ANY OF WHICH ARE SO OWNED OR HELD BY THE TRUSTEE:

          Not applicable - see answer to item 13.


     12.  INDEBTEDNESS OF THE OBLIGOR TO THE TRUSTEE.

          EXCEPT AS NOTED IN THE INSTRUCTIONS, IF THE OBLIGOR IS INDEBTED TO THE
     TRUSTEE, FURNISH THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION:

          Not applicable - see answer to item 13.


     13.  DEFAULTS BY THE OBLIGOR.

          (A)  STATE WHETHER THERE IS OR HAS BEEN A DEFAULT WITH RESPECT TO THE
     SECURITIES UNDER THIS INDENTURE.  EXPLAIN THE NATURE OF ANY SUCH DEFAULT.

          None.

          (B)  IF THE TRUSTEE IS A TRUSTEE UNDER ANOTHER INDENTURE UNDER WHICH
     ANY OTHER SECURITIES, OR CERTIFICATES OF INTEREST

                                       4
<PAGE>
 
     OR PARTICIPATION IN ANY OTHER SECURITIES, OF THE OBLIGOR ARE OUTSTANDING,
     OR IS TRUSTEE FOR MORE THAN ONE OUTSTANDING SERIES OF SECURITIES UNDER THE
     INDENTURE, STATE WHETHER THERE HAS BEEN A DEFAULT UNDER ANY SUCH INDENTURE
     OR SERIES, IDENTIFY THE INDENTURE OR SERIES AFFECTED, AND EXPLAIN THE
     NATURE OF ANY SUCH DEFAULT.

          None.

     14.  AFFILIATIONS WITH THE UNDERWRITERS.

          IF ANY UNDERWRITER IS AN AFFILIATE OF THE TRUSTEE, DESCRIBE EACH SUCH
     AFFILIATION.

          Not applicable - see answer to item 13.

     15.  FOREIGN TRUSTEE.

          IDENTIFY THE ORDER OR RULE PURSUANT TO WHICH THE TRUSTEE IS AUTHORIZED
     TO ACT AS SOLE TRUSTEE UNDER INDENTURES QUALIFIED OR TO BE QUALIFIED UNDER
     THE ACT.

          Not applicable - trustee is a national banking association organized
     under the laws of the United States.

     16.  LIST OF EXHIBITS.

          LIST BELOW ALL EXHIBITS FILED AS PART OF THIS STATEMENT OF
     ELIGIBILITY.

          ___  1. Copy of Articles of Association of the trustee as now in
               effect.*

          ___  2. Copy of the Certificate of the Comptroller of the Currency
               dated January 11, 1994, evidencing the authority of the trustee
               to transact business.*

          ___  3. Copy of the authorization of the trustee to exercise fiduciary
               powers.*

          ___  4. Copy of existing by-laws of the trustee.* 

          ___  5. Copy of each indenture referred to in Item 4, if the obligor
               is in default, not applicable.

           X   6.  Consent of the trustee required by Section 321(b) of the Act.
          ---                                                                   

                                       5
<PAGE>
 
           X   7.  Copy of report of condition of the trustee at the close of
          ---                                                                
               business on December 31, 1993, published pursuant to the
               requirements of its supervising authority.

          ___  8. Copy of any order pursuant to which the foreign trustee is
               authorized to act as sole trustee under indentures qualified or
               to be qualified under the Act, not applicable.

          ___  9. Consent to service of process required of foreign trustees
               pursuant to Rule 10a-4 under the Act, not applicable.
     _____________________
          *    Previously filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission in
               February 11, 1994 as an Exhibit to Form T-1 in connetion with
               Registration Statement No. 22-73340.



                                      NOTE

          The trustee disclaims responsibility for the accuracy or completeness
     of information contained in this Statement of Eligibility and Qualification
     not known to the trustee, and not obtainable by it through reasonable
     investigation, and as to which information it has obtained from the obligor
     and has had to rely or will obtain from the principal underwriters and will
     have to rely.

                                       6
<PAGE>
 
                                   SIGNATURE

          Pursuant to the requirements of the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, the
     trustee, First Fidelity Bank, National Association, a national banking
     association organized and existing under the laws of the United States of
     America, has duly caused this Statement of Eligibility to be signed on its
     behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, all in the City of
     Philadelphia and Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, on the 28th day of February,
     1994.

          FIRST FIDELITY BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION



          By:s/Howard R. Parker
             ------------------
             Howard R. Parker
             Assistant Vice President



 

                                       7
<PAGE>
 
                                                                       EXHIBIT 6



                               CONSENT OF TRUSTEE



          Pursuant to the requirements of Section 321(b) of the Trust Indenture
     Act of 1939, and in connection with the proposed issue of Continental Homes
     Holding Corp., we hereby consent that reports of examinations by Federal,
     State, Territorial or District authorities may be furnished by such
     authorities to the Securities and Exchange Commission upon request
     therefor.



          FIRST FIDELITY BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION



          By:s/Howard R. Parker
             ------------------
             Howard R. Parker
             Assistant Vice President



     Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

     February 28, 1994
<PAGE>
 
                                  EXHIBIT T-7

             Consolidating domestic and foreign subsidiaries of the
                   FIRST FIDELITY BANK, National Association


                     STATEMENT OF RESOURCES AND LIABILITIES
                         REPORT AS OF DECEMBER 31, 1993


                         ASSETS                            Thousand of Dollars
                                                           -------------------

<TABLE>
<S>                                                             <C>
Cash and balance due from depository institutions:
  Noninterest-bearing balances and currency and coin..........   1,641,541
  Interest-bearing balances...................................     981,089
Securities....................................................   6,308,986
Federal funds sold and securities purchased under agreements    //////////
   to resell in domestic offices of the bank and of it          //////////
   Edge and Agreement subsidiaries, and in IBFs:                //////////
   Federal funds sold.........................................     224,000
   Securities purchased under agreements to resell............     726,193
Loans and lease financing receivables:
   Loan and leases, net of unearned income......18,539,519
   LESS: Allowance for loan and lease losses.......534,731
   LESS: Allocated transfer risk reserve..............-0-
   Loans and leases, net of unearned income, allowance, and
   reserve....................................................  18,004,788
Assets held in trading accounts...............................     149,302
Premises and fixed assets (including capitalized leases)......     345,683
Other real estate owned.......................................     139,285
Investment in unconsolidated subsidiaries and associated        //////////
companies.....................................................      12,065
Customer's liability to this bank on acceptance outstanding...     187,843
Intangible assets.............................................     227,207
Other assets..................................................     494,059
Total assets..................................................  29,442,041
</TABLE>
                                  LIABILITIES
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
 
<S>                                                               <C>
Deposits:
      In domestic offices.......................................   23,510,802
        Noninterest-bearing..........................4,612,154
        Interest-bearing............................18,898,648
      In foreign offices, Edge and Agreement subsidiaries,
      and IBFs..................................................      231,829
        Noninterest-bearing.............................18,874
        Interest-bearing...............................212,955
Federal funds purchased and securities sold under agreements....  ///////////
      to repurchase in domestic offices of the bank and of its    ///////////
      Edge and Agreement subsidiaries, and IBFs                   ///////////
      Federal fund purchased....................................    1,077,979
      Securities sold under agreements to repurchase............    1,369,926
Demand notes issued to the U.S. Treasury........................          -0-
Other borrowed money............................................        6,490
Mortgage indebtedness and obligations under capitalized.........  //////////
      leases....................................................        7,213
Bank's liability on acceptances executed and outstanding........      196,057
Notes and debentures subordinated to deposits...................      175,000
Other liabilities...............................................      383,756
Total liabilities...............................................   26,959,052
Limited-life preferred stock....................................          -0-
</TABLE>
                                 EQUITY CAPITAL
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
 
<S>                                                           <C>
Perpetual preferred stock...................................         -0-
Common Stock................................................     356,434
Surplus.....................................................     972,520
Undivided profits and capital reserves......................   1,129,107
LESS: Net realized loss on marketable equity securities.....     (24,928)
Cumulative foreign currency translation.....................         -0-
Total equity capital........................................   2,482,989
Total liabilities, limited-life preferred stock and equity..  //////////
  capital...................................................  29,442,041
 
chhc.T-7
</TABLE>


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