Ryland 10-Q 2004 Q3 Quarterly report

EXHIBIT 32.1

Certification of Principal Executive Officer
Pursuant to 18 U.S.C. 1350
(Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002)

I, R. Chad Dreier, Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer (principal executive officer) of The Ryland Group, Inc. (the “Registrant”), certify, to the best of my knowledge, based upon a review of the Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the period ended September 30, 2004, of the Registrant (the “Report”), that:

(1)	The Report fully complies with the requirements of Section 13(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended; and
(2)	The information contained in the Report fairly presents, in all material respects, the financial condition and results of operations of the Registrant.

/s/ R. Chad Dreier

R. Chad Dreier
November 5, 2004