REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT


                      THIS  REGISTRATION  RIGHTS  AGREEMENT  (the  "Agreement"),
dated December 31, 1996, is made by and between  Homeplex  Mortgage  Investments
Corporation,  a Maryland  corporation (the  "Company"),  and William W. Cleverly
(the "Holder").

                      The Company and the Holder agree as follows:

                  1.  Shares.  As used herein,  the term "Shares" shall mean the
shares of common stock,  $.01 par value, of the Company,  acquired by the Holder
pursuant to that  certain  Agreement  and Plan of  Reorganization  (the  "Merger
Agreement") among the Company,  Monterey Homes  Construction II, Inc.;  Monterey
Homes Arizona II, Inc. and the Monterey  Shareholders (as defined therein) dated
September 13, 1996  (including  the  Contingent  Stock (as defined in the Merger
Agreement) and underlying that certain Stock Option Agreement by and between the
Company and the Holder dated  December  31, 1996 (the  "Option  Shares") and any
securities  issued to Holder as a dividend or  distribution  in respect of or in
exchange  for such shares,  whether by  reclassification,  stock split,  reverse
stock split or otherwise) until their sale under this Agreement or in accordance
with Rule 144 (or any similar  provision then in force) under the Securities Act
of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act").

                  2.  Demand  Registration.  (a)  Subject to the  provisions  of
Section 2(b) 
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hereof,  the Holder may at any time after the first  anniversary  of the date of
this Agreement make up to two written  requests to the Company for  registration
under Form S-3 (or such other  appropriate  or successor form if Form S-3 is not
available) and in accordance with the provisions of Rule 415  promulgated  under
the Securities Act of all or a portion of his Shares.  The Company shall prepare
and file with the Securities and Exchange  Commission (the "SEC") a registration
statement on Form S-3 (or such other  appropriate  or successor form if Form S-3
is not available)  under the Securities Act covering such Shares,  shall use its
best efforts to cause such  registration  statement to become  effective  within
ninety  (90) days of the  Holder's  request  and shall file such  post-effective
amendments to such  registration  statement in order for it to remain  effective
without  lapse until the sale of all the Shares and shall  qualify such offering
under applicable blue sky or state securities laws.

                  (b)  Notwithstanding  delivery of any written request referred
to in Section 2(a), the Company will have the prior right at any time to conduct
public offerings of its common stock for its corporate  purposes and may preempt
any  pending  demand  registration,  in which  case  Section 3 will apply to the
offering. Under these circumstances, the Company will not be obligated to effect
the  requested  demand  registration  under this  Section 2 and such  previously
requested  registration  will not count as a demand  registration  under Section
2(a). In addition,  if, prior to the time a written  request is delivered  under
Section 2(a), the Company has given written  notice  pursuant to Section 3(a) of
its  intention  to file a  registration  statement,  the  Company  shall  not be
obligated to cause the requested  
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demand  registration to become effective until 120 days after the effective date
of such registration  statement or until the Company ceases to diligently pursue
the preparation, filing and effectiveness of such registration statement.

                  (c) The Company  shall file a  registration  statement on Form
S-8 with respect to the Option Shares  promptly  after the date hereof and shall
use its best efforts to cause such  registration  statement to remain  effective
until the related stock options have been exercised or expired.

                  (d) The Company shall pay the expenses  described in Section 6
for the registration pursuant to this Section 2.

                  3.  Incidental  Registration  Rights.  (a) If at any  time the
Company  shall  determine  to  proceed  with the  preparation  and  filling of a
registration  statement under the Securities Act in connection with the proposed
offer and sale of any of its  securities  by it or any of its  security  holders
(other than a registration  statement on Form S-4, S-8 or other limited  purpose
form), the Company will give written notice of its  determination to the Holder.
Upon the written request from the Holder,  within ten (10) days after receipt of
any such notice from the Company, the Company will, subject to the provisions of
Section 3(b),  include all Shares  requested by the Holder in such  registration
statement  (and any  related  qualification  under blue sky or state  securities
laws); provided, however, that nothing herein shall prevent the Company from, at
any time,  abandoning or delaying any registration  under 
                                       3

this  Section  3. If any  registration  pursuant  to  this  Section  3 shall  be
underwritten  in whole or in part,  the Company  shall  require  that the Shares
requested  for  inclusion  pursuant  to  this  Section  3  be  included  in  the
underwriting on the same terms and conditions,  including lock-up provisions, as
the securities otherwise being sold through the underwriters.

                  (b) Notwithstanding the foregoing, if the managing underwriter
determines and advises that the inclusion of the Shares  proposed to be included
in the  underwritten  public  offering,  together  with  any  other  issued  and
outstanding  securities proposed to be included therein by holders of securities
other than the Holder who have  registration  rights which are pari passu to the
Holder, would interfere with the successful  marketing of such securities,  then
the number of such Shares that the managing  underwriter believes may be sold in
such  underwritten  public  offering  shall be  allocated  for  inclusion in the
registration  statement  in the  following  order of  priority:  (i) first,  the
securities being offered by the Company, and (ii) secondly, the number of Shares
then owned by the Holder and other holders  entitled to participate  therein who
have registration  rights which are pari passu to the Holder on a pro rata basis
or such other basis as they shall have agreed.

                  (c) The Company shall pay the expenses  described in Section 6
for registration statements filed pursuant to this Section 3.

                  4.  Registration  Procedures.  If and  whenever the Company is
required  by the  provisions  of  Section 2 or 3 to effect the  registration  of
Shares under the Securities 
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Act, the Company will:

                  (a)  prepare  and file with the SEC a  registration  statement
with  respect  to such  securities,  and use its  best  efforts  to  cause  such
registration  statement to become and remain effective for such period as may be
reasonably  necessary  to effect  the sale of such  securities  (the  "Effective
Period").

                  (b)  prepare  and file  with the SEC such  amendments  to such
registration  statement and supplements to the prospectus  contained  therein as
may be necessary to keep such registration statement effective for the Effective
Period as may be reasonably necessary to effect the sale of such securities.

                  (c)  furnish  to the Holder  and to the  underwriters  for the
securities  being   registered,   such  reasonable   number  of  copies  of  the
registration statement,  preliminary prospectus, final prospectus and such other
documents as the Holder and such underwriters may reasonably request in order to
facilitate the public offering of such securities.

                  (d) use its best  efforts to  register  or qualify  the Shares
covered by such  registration  statement under such state securities or blue sky
laws of such  jurisdictions  as the  Holder  may  reasonably  request in writing
within  ten  (10)  days  following  the  original  filing  of such  registration
statement,  except  that the  Company  shall not for any  purpose be required to
execute a general  consent to service of process or to qualify to do business as
a foreign  corporation  in any  jurisdiction  wherein it is not so  qualified or
subject  itself to 
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taxation in a jurisdiction where it had not previously been subject to taxation,
or take any other action that would subject the Company to service of process in
a lawsuit other than one arising out of the registration of the Shares.

                  (e) notify the Holder,  promptly after it shall receive notice
thereof, of the time when such registration  statement has become effective or a
supplement to any prospectus  forming a part of such registration  statement has
been filed.

                  (f) notify the Holder  promptly  of any request by the SEC for
the amending or  supplementing of such  registration  statement or prospectus or
for additional information.

                  (g) prepare and promptly file with the SEC and promptly notify
the Holder of the filing of such  amendment or supplement  to such  registration
statement  or  prospectus  as may be  necessary  to correct  any  statements  or
omissions  if, at any time when a  prospectus  relating  to such  securities  is
required to be delivered under the Securities Act, any event shall have occurred
as the result of which any such  prospectus  or any other  prospectus as then in
effect would include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any
material  fact  necessary to make the  statements  therein,  in the light of the
circumstances in which they were made, not misleading; and

                  (h) advise the Holder,  promptly after it shall receive notice
or  obtain  knowledge  thereof,  of the  issuance  of any stop  order by the SEC
suspending the 
                                       6

effectiveness of such registration statement or the initiation or threatening of
any proceeding for that purpose and promptly use its best efforts to prevent the
issuance of any stop order or to obtain its withdrawal if such stop order should
be issued.

                  5.   Underwriting.   The   Holder   agrees   that  any  demand
registration  involving the issuance of Common Stock by the Company will, at the
Company's option, be effected pursuant to an underwritten  public offering.  The
Holder will select the  book-running  managing  underwriter  and any  additional
investment  bankers  and  managers  to be used in  connection  with  the  demand
registration,  provided that such underwriter and additional  investment bankers
and managers are reasonably  acceptable to the Company and that the underwriting
discounts,  fees, discounts and any other compensation proposed to be charged by
such  persons is  competitive  with that  obtainable  from  other  underwriters,
bankers and managers of comparable  quality and  reputation.  The Holder may not
participate  in an  incidental  registration  hereunder  unless  such Holder (a)
agrees  to  sell  the  Shares  on  the  basis   provided  in  the   underwriting
arrangements, if any, and (b) completes and executes all questionnaires,  powers
of attorney, indemnities, underwriting agreements and other documents reasonably
required under the terms of such  underwriting  arrangements,  if any, and these
registration rights.

                  6. Expenses.  (a) With respect to any  registration  requested
pursuant to Section 2 hereof,  and with  respect to an  inclusion of Shares in a
registration  statement  
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pursuant to Section_3 hereof, all fees, costs and expenses of such registration,
inclusion  and public  offering (as further  specified  in paragraph  (b) below)
shall be borne by the Company; provided, however, that the Holder shall bear the
underwriting discounts and commissions and transfer taxes in respect of the sale
of his Shares.

                  (b) The fees,  costs and expenses of  registration to be borne
by the  Company  as  provided  in  Section  6(a) above  shall  include,  without
limitation, all registration, filing, and NASD fees, printing expenses, fees and
disbursements  of legal  counsel and  accountants  for the Company and all legal
fees and  disbursements and other expenses of complying with state securities or
blue sky laws of any  jurisdictions in which the securities to be offered are to
be registered and qualified.

                  7.  Indemnification.  (a) The Company will  indemnify and hold
harmless the Holder and any  underwriter  (as defined in the Securities Act) for
the Holder and each  person,  if any, who  controls  such Holder or  underwriter
within the meaning of the  Securities  Act, from and against and will  reimburse
the Holder and each such underwriter and controlling person with respect to, any
and all loss,  damage,  liability,  cost and  expense to which the Holder or any
such  underwriter or controlling  person may become subject under the Securities
Act or  otherwise,  insofar  as such  losses,  damages,  liabilities,  costs  or
expenses are caused by any untrue  statement or alleged untrue  statement of any
material fact contained in such registration statement, any prospectus contained
therein or any  amendment or  supplement  thereto,  or arise out of or are based
upon the omission or alleged  omission to 
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state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make
the statements  therein,  in light of the circumstances in which they were made,
not misleading;  provided,  however,  that the Company will not be liable in any
such case to the extent that any such loss, damage,  liability, cost or expenses
arises out of or is based upon an untrue  statement or alleged untrue  statement
or omission or alleged omission so made in conformity with information furnished
in  writing  by  the  Holder,   such  underwriter  or  such  controlling  person
specifically for use in the preparation thereof. The Company will not be subject
to any  liability  for any  settlement  made without its consent,  which consent
shall not be unreasonably withheld.

                  (b) The Holder will  indemnify  and hold harmless the Company,
its directors and officers,  any controlling person and any underwriter  thereof
from and against,  and will  reimburse the Company,  its directors and officers,
any controlling person and any underwriter  thereof with respect to, any and all
loss, damage, liability, cost or expense to which the Company or any controlling
person and/or any  underwriter  thereof may become  subject under the Securities
Act or otherwise, insofar as such losses, damages, liabilities, cost or expenses
are caused by any untrue  statement or alleged untrue  statement of any material
fact contained in such registration statement,  any prospectus contained therein
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 
                                       9

necessary to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances in 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 so made in reliance upon and in conformity with information
furnished in writing by or on behalf of the Holder  specifically  for use in the
preparation  thereof.  The Holder will not be subject to any  liability  for any
settlement  made without its consent,  which consent  shall not be  unreasonably
withheld.

                  (c) Promptly after receipt by an indemnified party pursuant to
the  provisions  of  paragraph  (a) or (b) of this  Section  6 of  notice of the
commencement  of any  action  involving  the  subject  matter  of the  foregoing
indemnity  provisions such  indemnified  party will, if a claim thereof is to be
made against the indemnifying party pursuant to the provisions of said paragraph
(a) or (b), promptly notify the indemnifying party of the commencement  thereof;
but the  omission to so notify the  indemnifying  party will not relieve it from
any  liability  which  it may  have  to any  indemnified  party  otherwise  than
hereunder,  except to the extent that such  omission  materially  and  adversely
affects the  indemnifying  party's  ability to defend against or compromise such
claim.  In case such  action is brought  against  any  indemnified  party and it
notifies the indemnifying  party of the commencement  thereof,  the indemnifying
party  shall have the right to  participate  in,  and, to the extent that it may
wish, jointly with any other indemnifying  party similarly  notified,  to assume
the defense  thereof,  with  counsel  satisfactory  to such  indemnified  party;
provided, however, that
                                       10

if the  defendants  in any action  include  both the  indemnified  party and the
indemnifying  party and there are legal  defenses  available to the  indemnified
party and/or other  indemnified  parties which are different from or in addition
to those  available  to the  indemnifying  party,  or if there is a conflict  of
interest  which  would  prevent  counsel  for the  indemnifying  party from also
representing the indemnified  party, the indemnified party or parties shall have
the right to select  separate  counsel  to  participate  in the  defense of such
action on behalf of such  indemnified  party or parties.  After  notice from the
indemnifying  party to an  indemnified  party of its  election  so to assume the
defense thereof,  the indemnifying  party will not be liable to such indemnified
party  pursuant to the  provisions of said paragraph (a) or (b) for any legal or
other expense subsequently incurred by such indemnified party in connection with
the  defense  thereof  other  than  costs  of  investigation,   unless  (i)  the
indemnified  party shall have employed counsel in accordance with the provisions
of the preceding  sentence,  (ii) the indemnifying party shall not have employed
counsel satisfactory to the indemnified party to represent the indemnified party
within a reasonable  time after the notice of the  commencement of the action or
(iii) the  indemnifying  party has  authorized the employment of counsel for the
indemnified party at the expense of the indemnifying party.

                  (d)  If  for  any  reason  the  foregoing  indemnification  is
unavailable,  or is insufficient to hold harmless an indemnified party, then the
indemnifying  party  shall  contribute  to the  amount  paid or  payable  by the
indemnified party as a result of such losses,  
                                       11

claims, damages, liabilities or expenses in such proportion as is appropriate to
reflect the  relative  fault of the  indemnifying  party on the one hand and the
indemnified  party on the other in  connection  with the  statement  or omission
which resulted in the losses, claims, damages,  liabilities or expenses, as well
as any other relevant equitable  considerations.  No person guilty of fraudulent
misrepresentations  (within the meaning of  Section_11(f) of the Securities Act)
shall be  entitled  to  contribution  from any person who was not guilty of such
fraudulent misrepresentation.

         8. Miscellaneous.

                  (a) Notices.  Any notice or other  communications  required or
which  may be  given  hereunder  shall be in  writing  and  shall  be  delivered
personally,  or  telegraphed,  telexed  or  telecopied,  or sent  by  certified,
registered or express mail postage prepaid, and shall be given when so delivered
personally, or telegraphed,  telexed or telecopied, or if mailed, two days after
mailing, as follows (or to such other address as any party may from time to time
specify in writing pursuant to the notice provisions hereof):

                      If to the Company:

                      Homeplex Mortgage Investments Corporation
                      5333 North Seventh Street, Suite 219
                      Phoenix, Arizona 85014
                      Fax:  (602) 230-1690
                      Attention:  Corporate Secretary

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                      If to the Holder:

                      William W. Cleverly
                      5627 N. Casa Blanca Road
                      Paradise Valley, Arizona  85253


                  (b)  Entire  Agreement.  This  Agreement  contains  the entire
agreement  between the Company and the Holder,  in respect of the subject matter
hereof,  and  supersedes  all prior  agreements,  written or oral,  with respect
thereto.

                  (c)  Amendment.  This  Agreement  may  be  amended,  modified,
superseded, cancelled, renewed or extended, and any term or condition hereof may
be waived,  only by a written instrument executed by the Company and the Holder,
in the case of a waiver, by the party waiving compliance.  No delay by any party
in exercising any right, power or privilege  hereunder shall operate as a waiver
thereof,  nor shall any waiver on the part of any party of any  right,  power or
privilege  hereunder,  nor any single or partial exercise of any right, power or
privilege  hereunder,  preclude  any other or  further  exercise  thereof or the
exercise  of any other  right,  power or  privilege  hereunder.  The  rights and
remedies  herein  provided are cumulative and are not exclusive of any rights or
remedies that any party may otherwise have at law or in equity.

                  (d)  Governing  Law.  This  Agreement is made in, and shall be
governed by and construed in accordance  with, the laws of the State of Arizona,
without  
                                       13

giving effect to the provisions  thereof  pertaining to conflicts and choices of
law.

                  (e) Successors and Assigns.  This agreement shall inure to the
benefit  of and be  binding  upon  the  successors  and  assigns  of each of the
parties;  notwithstanding the foregoing,  neither party shall assign its rights,
duties or  obligations  under this  Agreement to any other  person,  without the
other party's  express  written  consent,  except that the Holder may assign the
benefits of this  Agreement to any member of the Holder's  "immediate family" as
such term is defined in Rule 16a-1(e) or any trust,  partnership or other entity
created for the benefit of such persons or to any other  transferee of more than
150,000 shares prior to giving effect to the contemplated reverse stock split of
the Company as set forth in the Merger Agreement.

                  (f)   Counterparts.   This   Agreement   may  be  executed  in
counterparts,  each of which shall be deemed an original  and all of which shall
constitute one and the same instrument.
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              IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have executed this Agreement as of
the date first above written.


                                     HOMEPLEX MORTGAGE
                                     INVESTMENTS CORPORATION



                                     By: /s/ Jay R. Hoffman
                                        ......................................
                                     Name:    Jay R. Hoffman
                                     Title:   President


                                     HOLDER



                                     /s/ William W. Cleverly
                                     .........................................
                                     William W. Cleverly

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