content: <html>
  
  <head>
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  </head>
  
  <body lang="EN-US">
  
  <div style="font-family:Times New Roman;">
   <p align="center" style="margin:0pt 0pt .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on April 27, 2007</font></p> <p align="center" style="margin:0pt 0pt 12.0pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Registration No. 333-_____</font></p>
  
  <p style="font-weight:bold;margin:0pt 0pt .0001pt;page-break-after:avoid;text-align:center;"><b><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:normal;">SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION</font></b></p>
  
  <p style="font-weight:bold;margin:0pt 0pt 12.0pt;page-break-after:avoid;text-align:center;"><b><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:normal;">WASHINGTON, D.C.&#160; 20549</font></b></p>
  
  <p style="font-weight:bold;margin:0pt 0pt 12.0pt;page-break-after:avoid;text-align:center;"><b><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">FORM
  S-8</font></b></p>
  
  <p style="font-weight:bold;margin:0pt 0pt .0001pt;page-break-after:avoid;text-align:center;"><b><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:normal;">REGISTRATION STATEMENT</font></b></p>
  
  <p style="font-weight:bold;margin:0pt 0pt .0001pt;page-break-after:avoid;text-align:center;"><b><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:normal;">UNDER</font></b></p>
  
  <p style="font-weight:bold;margin:0pt 0pt 12.0pt;page-break-after:avoid;text-align:center;"><b><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:normal;">THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933</font></b></p>
  
  <p style="font-weight:bold;margin:0pt 0pt .0001pt;page-break-after:avoid;text-align:center;"><b><font size="3" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:12.0pt;">THE RYLAND GROUP, INC.</font></b></p>
  
  <p align="center" style="margin:0pt 0pt 12.0pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">(Exact name of
  registrant as specified in its charter)</font></p>
  
  <div align="center">
  
  <table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="100%" style="border-collapse:collapse;width:100.0%;">
   <tr>
    <td width="48%" valign="top" style="padding:0pt .7pt 0pt .7pt;width:48.8%;">
    <p align="center" style="font-size:10.0pt;margin:0pt 0pt .0001pt;text-align:center;"><!-- SET mrlNoTableShading --><b>Maryland</b></p>
    </td>
    <td width="2%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0pt .7pt 0pt .7pt;width:2.38%;">
    <p align="center" style="margin:0pt 0pt .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
    </td>
    <td width="48%" valign="top" style="padding:0pt .7pt 0pt .7pt;width:48.8%;">
    <p align="center" style="margin:0pt 0pt .0001pt;text-align:center;"><b><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:bold;">52-0849948</font></b></p>
    </td>
   </tr>
   <tr>
    <td width="48%" valign="top" style="padding:0pt .7pt 0pt .7pt;width:48.8%;">
    <p align="center" style="margin:0pt 0pt .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">(State or other
    jurisdiction of</font></p>
    </td>
    <td width="2%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0pt .7pt 0pt .7pt;width:2.38%;">
    <p align="center" style="margin:0pt 0pt .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
    </td>
    <td width="48%" valign="top" style="padding:0pt .7pt 0pt .7pt;width:48.8%;">
    <p align="center" style="margin:0pt 0pt .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">(I.R.S. Employer
    Identification No.)</font></p>
    </td>
   </tr>
   <tr>
    <td width="48%" valign="top" style="padding:0pt .7pt 0pt .7pt;width:48.8%;">
    <p align="center" style="margin:0pt 0pt .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">incorporation or
    organization)</font></p>
    </td>
    <td width="2%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0pt .7pt 0pt .7pt;width:2.38%;">
    <p align="center" style="margin:0pt 0pt .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
    </td>
    <td width="48%" valign="top" style="padding:0pt .7pt 0pt .7pt;width:48.8%;">
    <p align="center" style="margin:0pt 0pt .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
    </td>
   </tr>
   <tr>
    <td width="48%" valign="top" style="padding:0pt .7pt 0pt .7pt;width:48.8%;">
    <p align="center" style="margin:0pt 0pt .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
    </td>
    <td width="2%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0pt .7pt 0pt .7pt;width:2.38%;">
    <p align="center" style="margin:0pt 0pt .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
    </td>
    <td width="48%" valign="top" style="padding:0pt .7pt 0pt .7pt;width:48.8%;">
    <p align="center" style="margin:0pt 0pt .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
    </td>
   </tr>
   <tr>
    <td width="48%" valign="top" style="padding:0pt .7pt 0pt .7pt;width:48.8%;">
    <p align="center" style="margin:0pt 0pt .0001pt;text-align:center;"><b><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:bold;">24025
    Park Sorrento</font></b></p>
    </td>
    <td width="2%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0pt .7pt 0pt .7pt;width:2.38%;">
    <p align="center" style="margin:0pt 0pt .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
    </td>
    <td width="48%" valign="top" style="padding:0pt .7pt 0pt .7pt;width:48.8%;">
    <p align="center" style="margin:0pt 0pt .0001pt;text-align:center;"><b><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;font-weight:bold;">&nbsp;</font></b></p>
    </td>
   </tr>
   <tr>
    <td width="48%" valign="top" style="padding:0pt .7pt 0pt .7pt;width:48.8%;">
    <p align="center" style="margin:0pt 0pt .0001pt;text-align:center;"><b><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:bold;">Suite
    400</font></b></p>
    </td>
    <td width="2%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0pt .7pt 0pt .7pt;width:2.38%;">
    <p align="center" style="margin:0pt 0pt .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
    </td>
    <td width="48%" valign="top" style="padding:0pt .7pt 0pt .7pt;width:48.8%;">
    <p align="center" style="margin:0pt 0pt .0001pt;text-align:center;"><b><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;font-weight:bold;">&nbsp;</font></b></p>
    </td>
   </tr>
   <tr>
    <td width="48%" valign="top" style="padding:0pt .7pt 0pt .7pt;width:48.8%;">
    <p align="center" style="margin:0pt 0pt .0001pt;text-align:center;"><b><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:bold;">Calabasas,
    California</font></b></p>
    </td>
    <td width="2%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0pt .7pt 0pt .7pt;width:2.38%;">
    <p align="center" style="margin:0pt 0pt .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
    </td>
    <td width="48%" valign="top" style="padding:0pt .7pt 0pt .7pt;width:48.8%;">
    <p align="center" style="margin:0pt 0pt .0001pt;text-align:center;"><b><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:bold;">91302</font></b></p>
    </td>
   </tr>
   <tr>
    <td width="48%" valign="top" style="padding:0pt .7pt 0pt .7pt;width:48.8%;">
    <p align="center" style="margin:0pt 0pt .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">(Address of
    principal executive offices)</font></p>
    </td>
    <td width="2%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0pt .7pt 0pt .7pt;width:2.38%;">
    <p align="center" style="margin:0pt 0pt .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
    </td>
    <td width="48%" valign="top" style="padding:0pt .7pt 0pt .7pt;width:48.8%;">
    <p align="center" style="margin:0pt 0pt .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">(Zip Code)</font></p>
    </td>
   </tr>
  </table>
  
  </div>
  
  <p style="line-height:1.0pt;margin:0pt 0pt 12.0pt;"><font size="1" face="Times New Roman">&nbsp;</font></p>
  
  <div align="center">
  
  <table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="100%" style="border-collapse:collapse;width:100.0%;">
   <tr>
    <td width="100%" valign="top" style="padding:0pt .7pt 0pt .7pt;width:100.0%;">
    <p align="center" style="font-size:10.0pt;margin:0pt 0pt .0001pt;text-align:center;"><!-- SET mrlNoTableShading --><b>THE RYLAND GROUP, INC. 2007 EQUITY INCENTIVE PLAN</b></p>
    </td>
   </tr>
   <tr>
    <td width="100%" valign="top" style="padding:0pt .7pt 0pt .7pt;width:100.0%;">
    <p align="center" style="margin:0pt 0pt .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">(Full title of
    plan)</font></p>
    </td>
   </tr>
  </table>
  
  </div>
  
  <p style="line-height:1.0pt;margin:0pt 0pt 12.0pt;"><font size="1" face="Times New Roman">&nbsp;</font></p>
  
  <div align="center">
  
  <table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="100%" style="border-collapse:collapse;width:100.0%;">
   <tr>
    <td width="100%" valign="top" style="padding:0pt .7pt 0pt .7pt;width:100.0%;">
    <p align="center" style="font-size:10.0pt;margin:0pt 0pt .0001pt;text-align:center;"><!-- SET mrlNoTableShading --><b>Timothy J. Geckle</b></p>
    </td>
   </tr>
   <tr>
    <td width="100%" valign="top" style="padding:0pt .7pt 0pt .7pt;width:100.0%;">
    <p align="center" style="margin:0pt 0pt .0001pt;text-align:center;"><b><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:bold;">Senior
    Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary</font></b></p>
    </td>
   </tr>
   <tr>
    <td width="100%" valign="top" style="padding:0pt .7pt 0pt .7pt;width:100.0%;">
    <p align="center" style="margin:0pt 0pt .0001pt;text-align:center;"><b><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:bold;">The
    Ryland Group, Inc.</font></b></p>
    </td>
   </tr>
   <tr>
    <td width="100%" valign="top" style="padding:0pt .7pt 0pt .7pt;width:100.0%;">
    <p align="center" style="margin:0pt 0pt .0001pt;text-align:center;"><b><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:bold;">24025
    Park Sorrento, Suite 400</font></b></p>
    </td>
   </tr>
   <tr>
    <td width="100%" valign="top" style="padding:0pt .7pt 0pt .7pt;width:100.0%;">
    <p align="center" style="margin:0pt 0pt .0001pt;text-align:center;"><b><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:bold;">Calabasas,
    California 91302</font></b></p>
    </td>
   </tr>
   <tr>
    <td width="100%" valign="top" style="padding:0pt .7pt 0pt .7pt;width:100.0%;">
    <p align="center" style="margin:0pt 0pt .0001pt;text-align:center;"><b><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:bold;">818-223-7500</font></b></p>
    </td>
   </tr>
   <tr>
    <td width="100%" valign="top" style="padding:0pt .7pt 0pt .7pt;width:100.0%;">
    <p align="center" style="margin:0pt 0pt .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">(Name, address
    and telephone</font></p>
    </td>
   </tr>
   <tr>
    <td width="100%" valign="top" style="padding:0pt .7pt 0pt .7pt;width:100.0%;">
    <p align="center" style="margin:0pt 0pt .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">number of agent
    for service)</font></p>
    </td>
   </tr>
  </table>
  
  </div>
  
  <p style="line-height:1.0pt;margin:0pt 0pt 12.0pt;"><font size="1" face="Times New Roman">&nbsp;</font></p>
  
  <p align="center" style="margin:0pt 0pt 12.0pt;text-align:center;"><b><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:bold;">CALCULATION
  OF REGISTRATION FEE</font></b></p>
  
  <table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="100%" style="border-collapse:collapse;width:100.0%;">
   <tr style="page-break-inside:avoid;">
    <td width="32%" valign="bottom" style="border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.0pt;border-left:none;border-right:solid windowtext 1.0pt;border-top:double windowtext 1.5pt;padding:0pt .7pt 0pt 0pt;width:32.3%;">
    <p style="font-size:8.0pt;font-weight:bold;line-height:8.0pt;margin:0pt 0pt .0001pt;page-break-after:avoid;text-align:center;"><!-- SET mrlNoTableShading -->Title&nbsp;of&nbsp;each&nbsp;Class&nbsp;of&nbsp;Securities&nbsp;to&nbsp;be&nbsp;<br>
    Registered</p>
    </td>
    <td width="16%" colspan="2" valign="bottom" style="border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.0pt;border-left:none;border-right:solid windowtext 1.0pt;border-top:double windowtext 1.5pt;padding:0pt .7pt 0pt 0pt;width:16.9%;">
    <p style="font-weight:bold;line-height:8.0pt;margin:0pt 0pt .0001pt;page-break-after:avoid;text-align:center;"><b><font size="1" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:8.0pt;">Amount<br>
    to&nbsp;be<br>
    Registered</font></b></p>
    </td>
    <td width="15%" valign="bottom" style="border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.0pt;border-left:none;border-right:solid windowtext 1.0pt;border-top:double windowtext 1.5pt;padding:0pt .7pt 0pt 0pt;width:15.48%;">
    <p style="font-weight:bold;line-height:8.0pt;margin:0pt 0pt .0001pt;page-break-after:avoid;text-align:center;"><b><font size="1" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:8.0pt;">Proposed<br>
    Maximum<br>
    Offering<br>
    Price&nbsp;Per&nbsp;Unit&nbsp;(3)</font></b></p>
    </td>
    <td width="17%" valign="bottom" style="border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.0pt;border-left:none;border-right:solid windowtext 1.0pt;border-top:double windowtext 1.5pt;padding:0pt .7pt 0pt 0pt;width:17.68%;">
    <p style="font-weight:bold;line-height:8.0pt;margin:0pt 0pt .0001pt;page-break-after:avoid;text-align:center;"><b><font size="1" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:8.0pt;">Proposed<br>
    Maximum<br>
    Aggregate<br>
    Offering&nbsp;Price&nbsp;(3)</font></b></p>
    </td>
    <td width="17%" valign="bottom" style="border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.0pt;border-left:none;border-right:none;border-top:double windowtext 1.5pt;padding:0pt .7pt 0pt 0pt;width:17.64%;">
    <p style="font-weight:bold;line-height:8.0pt;margin:0pt 0pt .0001pt;page-break-after:avoid;text-align:center;"><b><font size="1" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:8.0pt;">Amount&nbsp;of&nbsp;<br>
    Registration<br>
    Fee</font></b></p>
    </td>
   </tr>
   <tr style="page-break-inside:avoid;">
    <td width="32%" valign="top" style="border:none;border-bottom:double windowtext 1.5pt;padding:0pt .7pt 0pt 0pt;width:32.3%;">
    <p style="margin:0pt 0pt .0001pt 14.0pt;page-break-after:avoid;text-indent:-14.0pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Common
    Stock, $1.00 par value (1)(2) Shares not previously registered<br>
    Shares registered under Prior Plan</font></p>
    </td>
    <td width="13%" valign="bottom" style="border-bottom:double windowtext 1.5pt;border-left:solid windowtext 1.0pt;border-right:none;border-top:none;padding:0pt .7pt 0pt 0pt;width:13.24%;">
    <p style="margin:0pt 0pt .0001pt;page-break-after:avoid;text-align:right;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">1,800,000 <br>
    284,168</font></p>
    </td>
    <td width="3%" valign="bottom" style="border:none;border-bottom:double windowtext 1.5pt;padding:0pt .7pt 0pt 0pt;width:3.66%;">
    <p style="margin:0pt 0pt .0001pt;page-break-after:avoid;text-align:right;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
    </td>
    <td width="15%" valign="bottom" style="border-bottom:double windowtext 1.5pt;border-left:solid windowtext 1.0pt;border-right:none;border-top:none;padding:0pt 10.0pt 0pt 10.0pt;width:15.48%;">
    <p align="center" style="margin:0pt 0pt .0001pt;page-break-after:avoid;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">$&nbsp;45.31<br>
    N/A (1)</font></p>
    </td>
    <td width="17%" valign="bottom" style="border-bottom:double windowtext 1.5pt;border-left:solid windowtext 1.0pt;border-right:none;border-top:none;padding:0pt .7pt 0pt 0pt;width:17.68%;">
    <p align="center" style="margin:0pt 0pt .0001pt;page-break-after:avoid;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">$&nbsp;81,558,000<br> &nbsp;N/A (1)</font></p>
    </td>
    <td width="17%" valign="bottom" style="border-bottom:double windowtext 1.5pt;border-left:solid windowtext 1.0pt;border-right:none;border-top:none;padding:0pt .7pt 0pt 0pt;width:17.64%;">
    <p align="center" style="margin:0pt 0pt .0001pt;page-break-after:avoid;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">$&nbsp;2,504<br>
    N/A (1)</font></p>
    </td>
   </tr>
   <tr style="page-break-inside:avoid;">
    <td width="32%" valign="top" style="border:none;border-bottom:double windowtext 1.5pt;padding:0pt .7pt 0pt 0pt;width:32.3%;">
    <p style="margin:0pt 0pt .0001pt 10.0pt;text-indent:-10.0pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">TOTAL</font></p>
    </td>
    <td width="13%" valign="bottom" style="border-bottom:double windowtext 1.5pt;border-left:solid windowtext 1.0pt;border-right:none;border-top:none;padding:0pt .7pt 0pt 0pt;width:13.24%;">
    <p style="margin:0pt 0pt .0001pt;text-align:right;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">2,084,168</font></p>
    </td>
    <td width="3%" valign="bottom" style="border:none;border-bottom:double windowtext 1.5pt;padding:0pt .7pt 0pt 0pt;width:3.66%;">
    <p style="margin:0pt 0pt .0001pt;text-align:right;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
    </td>
    <td width="15%" valign="bottom" style="border-bottom:double windowtext 1.5pt;border-left:solid windowtext 1.0pt;border-right:none;border-top:none;padding:0pt .7pt 0pt 0pt;width:15.48%;">
    <p align="center" style="margin:0pt 0pt .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">$&nbsp;45.31</font></p>
    </td>
    <td width="17%" valign="bottom" style="border-bottom:double windowtext 1.5pt;border-left:solid windowtext 1.0pt;border-right:none;border-top:none;padding:0pt .7pt 0pt 0pt;width:17.68%;">
    <p align="center" style="margin:0pt 0pt .0001pt 8.5pt;text-align:center;text-indent:-10.0pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">$&nbsp;81,558,000</font></p>
    </td>
    <td width="17%" valign="bottom" style="border-bottom:double windowtext 1.5pt;border-left:solid windowtext 1.0pt;border-right:none;border-top:none;padding:0pt .7pt 0pt 0pt;width:17.64%;">
    <p align="center" style="margin:0pt 0pt .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">$&nbsp;2,504</font></p>
    </td>
   </tr>
  </table>
  
  <p style="margin:0pt 0pt 12.0pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">(1)&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160; Shares to be offered or sold under
  The Ryland Group, Inc. 2007 Equity Incentive Plan (the &#147;<b><i style="font-weight:bold;">2007 Plan</i></b>&#148;) include
  1,800,000 shares not previously registered, and 284,168 shares previously
  registered for offer or sale under The Ryland Group, Inc. 2005 Equity Incentive
  Plan (the &#147;<b><i style="font-weight:bold;">Prior Plan</i></b>&#148;)
  that were not issued under the Prior Plan and that may be offered or sold under
  the 2007 Equity Incentive Plan (the &#147;<b><i style="font-weight:bold;">Carried Forward Shares</i></b>&#148;).&#160; The Carried Forward Shares were registered on
  Form S-8 filed on July 21, 2005 (file no. 333-126783) and The Ryland Group,
  Inc. (&#147;<b><i style="font-weight:bold;">Ryland</i></b>&#148;)
  paid a total fee of $4,413, of which $2,640 related to the unissued Carried
  Forward Shares.&#160; Pursuant to Interpretation&nbsp;89
  under Section&nbsp;G of the Manual of Publicly Available Telephone
  Interpretations of the Division of Corporation Finance of the Securities and
  Exchange Commission (July 1997) and Instruction E to the General Instructions
  to Form S-8, Ryland has carried forward the registration fee for the Carried
  Forward Shares.&#160; Ryland is concurrently
  filing a Post-Effective Amendment No. 1 to the Registration Statement on Form
  S-8 (file no. 333-126783), registering shares pursuant to the Prior Plan, to
  deregister the issuance of unissued shares pursuant to the Prior Plan.</font></p>
  
  <p style="margin:12.0pt 0pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">(2)&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160; In addition, pursuant to Rule 416
  under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the &#147;<b><i style="font-weight:bold;">Securities Act</i></b>&#148;),
  this Registration Statement also covers an indeterminate number of shares of
  Common Stock that may be offered or issued by reason of stock splits, stock
  dividends or similar transactions.</font></p>
  
  <p style="margin:12.0pt 0pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">(3)&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160; Estimated solely for purposes of
  calculating the registration fee pursuant to Rule 457(c) and (h) of the
  Securities Act.&#160; The proposed maximum
  offering price per share, proposed maximum aggregate offering price and the
  amount of the registration fee are based on the average of the high and low
  sale prices of Ryland&#146;s Common Stock reported on the New York Stock Exchange on
  April 24, 2007 (i.e., $45.31).</font></p>
  
  
  
  </div><br><hr size="3" width="100%" noshade color="#010101" align="center">
  
  <!-- SEQ.=1,FOLIO='',FILE='C:\fc\117155855278_H10182_2059835\12440-1-ba.htm',USER='jmsproofassembler',CD='Apr 27 15:59 2007' -->
  
  
  
  <br clear="all" style="page-break-before:always;">
  <div>
  
  
  <p align="center" style="margin:0pt 0pt 12.0pt;text-align:center;"><b><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:bold;">PART I</font></b></p>
  
  <p align="center" style="margin:0pt 0pt 12.0pt;text-align:center;"><b><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:bold;">INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE SECTION 10(a) PROSPECTUS</font></b></p>
  
  <p style="margin:0pt 0pt 12.0pt;text-indent:36.0pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Not required to be included in this Form S-8 Registration Statement
  pursuant to introductory Note to Part&nbsp;I of Form&nbsp;S-8.</font></p>
  
  <p style="margin:0pt 0pt 12.0pt;text-indent:36.0pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  
  <p align="center" style="margin:0pt 0pt 12.0pt;text-align:center;"><b><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:bold;">PART II</font></b></p>
  
  <p align="center" style="margin:0pt 0pt 12.0pt;text-align:center;"><b><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:bold;">INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT</font></b></p>
  
  <p style="font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:10.0pt;margin:0pt 0pt 12.0pt;"><b><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:bold;">Item 3.</font></b><b><font size="1" style="font-size:3.0pt;font-weight:bold;">&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160; </font></b><b>Incorporation of Documents
  by Reference.</b></p>
  
  <p style="margin:0pt 0pt 12.0pt;text-indent:36.0pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">The following documents which have been filed by Ryland with the
  Securities and Exchange Commission (the &#147;<b><i style="font-weight:bold;">Commission</i></b>&#148;) are incorporated herein by
  reference:</font></p>
  
  <p style="font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:10.0pt;margin:0pt 0pt 12.0pt 72.0pt;text-indent:-36.0pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">(a)</font><font size="1" style="font-size:3.0pt;">&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160; </font>Ryland&#146;s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the
  fiscal year ended December 31, 2006;</p>
  
  <p style="font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:10.0pt;margin:0pt 0pt 12.0pt 72.0pt;text-indent:-36.0pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">(b)</font><font size="1" style="font-size:3.0pt;">&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160; </font>All other reports filed pursuant to
  Sections&nbsp;13(a) or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended
  (&#147;<b><i style="font-weight:bold;">Exchange Act</i></b>&#148;),
  since December 31, 2006; and</p>
  
  <p style="font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:10.0pt;margin:0pt 0pt 12.0pt 72.0pt;text-indent:-36.0pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">(c)</font><font size="1" style="font-size:3.0pt;">&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160; </font>Description of Ryland&#146;s Common Stock
  contained or incorporated in the registration statements filed by Ryland under
  the Exchange Act, including any amendments or reports filed for the purpose of
  updating such description.</p>
  
  <p style="margin:0pt 0pt 12.0pt;text-indent:36.0pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">All documents subsequently filed by Ryland with the Commission pursuant
  to Sections&nbsp;13(a), 13(c), 14 and 15(d) of the Exchange Act, prior to the
  filing of a post-effective amendment which indicates that all securities
  offered have been sold or which deregisters all securities remaining unsold,
  shall be deemed to be incorporated by reference into this Registration
  Statement and to be a part of this Registration Statement from the date of
  filing of such documents.</font></p>
  
  <p style="font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:10.0pt;margin:0pt 0pt 12.0pt 36.0pt;text-indent:-36.0pt;"><b><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:bold;">Item 4.</font></b><b><font size="1" style="font-size:3.0pt;font-weight:bold;">&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160; </font></b><b>Description of Securities.</b></p>
  
  <p style="margin:0pt 0pt 12.0pt;text-indent:36.0pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Not applicable.</font></p>
  
  <p style="font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:10.0pt;margin:0pt 0pt 12.0pt 36.0pt;text-indent:-36.0pt;"><b><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:bold;">Item 5.</font></b><b><font size="1" style="font-size:3.0pt;font-weight:bold;">&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160; </font></b><b>Interests of Named Experts
  and Counsel.</b></p>
  
  <p style="margin:0pt 0pt 12.0pt;text-indent:36.0pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Timothy J. Geckle, Senior Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary
  of Ryland, provides the opinion regarding the legal validity of the shares of
  Common Stock being registered for issuance under the 2007 Plan.&#160; As of the date of this filing, Mr. Geckle
  owns approximately 56,318 shares of Ryland&#146;s Common Stock, has 18,333 unvested
  restricted stock units and had the right to purchase up to 255,400 shares of
  Ryland&#146;s Common Stock pursuant to outstanding stock options awarded under the
  Prior Plan and its predecessor plans.</font></p>
  
  
   <p style="font-size:10.0pt;margin:24.0pt 0pt .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">-</font><font face="Times New Roman">2</font><font face="Times New Roman">-</font></p> <br><hr size="3" width="100%" noshade color="#010101" align="center">
  
  <!-- SEQ.=1,FOLIO='-2-',FILE='C:\fc\11715572478_H10182_2059835\12440-1-bc.htm',USER='jmsproofassembler',CD='Apr 27 15:57 2007' -->
  <br clear="all" style="page-break-before:always;">
  
  
  
  <p style="font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:10.0pt;margin:0pt 0pt 12.0pt 36.0pt;text-indent:-36.0pt;"><b><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:bold;">Item 6.</font></b><b><font size="1" style="font-size:3.0pt;font-weight:bold;">&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160; </font></b><b>Indemnification of Directors
  and Officers.</b></p>
  
  <p style="margin:0pt 0pt 12.0pt;text-indent:36.0pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">As permitted by the Maryland General Corporation Law (&#147;<b><i style="font-weight:bold;">MGCL</i></b>&#148;), Article
  Eighth, Paragraph&nbsp;(8) of Ryland&#146;s Articles of Restatement (the &#147;<b><i style="font-weight:bold;">Charter</i></b>&#148;) provides
  for indemnification of directors and officers of Ryland, as follows:</font></p>
  
  <p style="margin:0pt 0pt 12.0pt 36.0pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">(8)&#160;
  The Corporation shall indemnify its directors and officers, in all
  capacities in which such directors and officers serve the Corporation, to the
  full extent required or permitted by the General Laws of the State of Maryland
  now or hereafter in force, including the advance of expenses under the
  procedures and to the full extent permitted by law.&#160; The Corporation shall indemnify other
  employees and agents, in all capacities in which such employees and agents
  serve the Corporation, to such extent as shall be authorized by the Board of
  Directors or the By-laws and be permitted by law.&#160; The foregoing shall not limit in any manner
  the authority of the Corporation to indemnify directors, officers, employees or
  agents of the Corporation to the extent authorized by the Board of Directors or
  the stockholders and permitted by law.&#160;
  The Board of Directors may take such action as is necessary to carry out
  these provisions and is expressly empowered to adopt, approve and amend from
  time to time such By-laws, resolutions or contracts implementing provisions or
  such further indemnification arrangements as may be permitted by law.&#160; No amendment or repeal of this Article
  Eighth, paragraph 8 of the Corporation&#146;s Charter shall apply to or have any
  effect on any right to indemnification provided hereunder with respect to acts
  or omissions occurring prior to such amendment or repeal.</font></p>
  
  <p style="margin:0pt 0pt 12.0pt;text-indent:36.0pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">The MGCL permits a corporation to indemnify its directors and officers
  (which include any person who is, or was, serving at the request of the
  corporation as a director, officer, partner, trustee, employee, or agent of
  another foreign or domestic corporation, joint venture, trust, other enterprise
  or employee benefit plan), among others, against judgments, penalties, fines,
  settlements and reasonable expenses actually incurred by them in connection
  with any proceedings to which they may be a party by reason of their service in
  those or other capacities, unless it is established that (a) the act or
  omission of the director or officer was material to the matter giving rise to
  such proceedings and (i) was committed in bad faith or (ii) was the result of
  active and deliberate dishonesty, (b) the director or officer actually received
  an improper personal benefit in money, property or services, or (c) in the case
  of any criminal proceedings, the director or officer had reasonable cause to
  believe that the action or omission was unlawful.</font></p>
  
  <p style="margin:0pt 0pt 12.0pt;text-indent:36.0pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">As permitted by the MGCL, Article Ninth of the Charter provides for
  limitation of liability of directors and officers of Ryland, as follows:</font></p>
  
  <p style="margin:0pt 0pt 12.0pt 36.0pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">To the fullest extent permitted by Maryland
  statutory or decisional law, as amended or interpreted, no director or officer
  of this Corporation shall be personally liable to the Corporation or its
  stockholders for money damages.&#160; No
  amendment of the Charter of the Corporation or repeal of any of its provisions
  shall limit or eliminate the benefits provided to directors and officers under
  this provision with respect to any act or omission which occurs prior to such
  amendment or repeal.</font></p>
  
  <p style="margin:0pt 0pt 12.0pt;text-indent:36.0pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">The MGCL permits the charter of a Maryland corporation to include a
  provision limiting the liability of its directors and officers to the
  corporation and its stockholders for money damages, except to the extent that
  (i) the person actually received an improper benefit or profit in money,
  property or services or (ii) a judgment or other final adjudication is entered
  in a proceeding based on a finding that the person&#146;s action, or failure to act,
  was the result of active and deliberate dishonesty and was material to the
  cause of action adjudicated in the proceeding.</font></p>
  
  <p style="margin:0pt 0pt 12.0pt;text-indent:36.0pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">As permitted under Section&nbsp;2-418(k) of the MGCL, Ryland has
  purchased and maintains insurance on behalf of its directors and officers
  against any liability asserted against such directors and </font></p>
  
  
   <p style="font-size:10.0pt;margin:24.0pt 0pt .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">-</font><font face="Times New Roman">3</font><font face="Times New Roman">-</font></p> <br><hr size="3" width="100%" noshade color="#010101" align="center">
  
  <!-- SEQ.=1,FOLIO='-3-',FILE='C:\fc\11715572478_H10182_2059835\12440-1-bc.htm',USER='jmsproofassembler',CD='Apr 27 15:57 2007' -->
  <br clear="all" style="page-break-before:always;">
  
  
  
  <p style="margin:0pt 0pt 12.0pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">officers
  in their capacities as such, whether or not Ryland would have the power to
  indemnify such persons under the provisions of Maryland law governing
  indemnification.</font></p>
  
  <p style="font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:10.0pt;margin:0pt 0pt 12.0pt 36.0pt;text-indent:-36.0pt;"><b><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:bold;">Item 7.</font></b><b><font size="1" style="font-size:3.0pt;font-weight:bold;">&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160; </font></b><b>Exemption from Registration Claimed.</b></p>
  
  <p style="margin:0pt 0pt 12.0pt;text-indent:36.0pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Not applicable.</font></p>
  
  <p style="font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:10.0pt;margin:0pt 0pt 12.0pt 36.0pt;text-indent:-36.0pt;"><b><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:bold;">Item 8.</font></b><b><font size="1" style="font-size:3.0pt;font-weight:bold;">&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160; </font></b><b>Exhibits.</b></p>
  
  <p style="margin:0pt 0pt 12.0pt;text-indent:36.0pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">A list of exhibits is set forth on the Exhibit Index which immediately
  precedes the exhibits and which is incorporated by reference herein.</font></p>
  
  <p style="font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:10.0pt;margin:0pt 0pt 12.0pt 36.0pt;text-indent:-36.0pt;"><b><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:bold;">Item 9.</font></b><b><font size="1" style="font-size:3.0pt;font-weight:bold;">&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160; </font></b><b>Undertakings.</b></p>
  
  <p style="margin:0pt 0pt 12.0pt;text-indent:36.0pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">The undersigned Registrant hereby undertakes:</font></p>
  
  <p style="font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:10.0pt;margin:0pt 0pt 12.0pt 36.0pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">(1)</font><font size="1" style="font-size:3.0pt;">&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160; </font>To file, during any period in which offers or
  sales are being made, a post-effective amendment to this Registration
  Statement:</p>
  
  <p style="margin:0pt 0pt 12.0pt 36.0pt;text-indent:72.0pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">(i) To include any prospectus required by Section&nbsp;10(a)(3) of the
  Securities Act;</font></p>
  
  <p style="margin:0pt 0pt 12.0pt 36.0pt;text-indent:72.0pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">(ii) To reflect in the prospectus any facts or events arising after the
  effective date of the Registration Statement (or the most recent post-effective
  amendment thereof) which, individually or in the aggregate, represent a
  fundamental change in the information set forth in the Registration Statement;</font></p>
  
  <p style="margin:0pt 0pt 12.0pt 36.0pt;text-indent:72.0pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">(iii) To include any material information with respect to the plan of
  distribution not previously disclosed in the Registration Statement or any
  material change to such information in the Registration Statement.</font></p>
  
  <p style="margin:0pt 0pt 12.0pt 36.0pt;text-indent:36.0pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Paragraphs (l)(i) and (l)(ii) above do not apply if the information
  required to be included in a post-effective amendment by those paragraphs is
  contained in periodic reports filed with or furnished to the Commission by the
  Registrant pursuant to Section&nbsp;13 or Section&nbsp;15(d) of the Exchange
  Act that are incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement.</font></p>
  
  <p style="font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:10.0pt;margin:0pt 0pt 12.0pt 36.0pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&#160;(2)</font><font size="1" style="font-size:3.0pt;">&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160; </font>That, for the purpose of determining any liability under the Securities
  Act, each such post-effective amendment 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 <u>bona</u>
  <u>fide</u> offering thereof.</p>
  
  <p style="font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:10.0pt;margin:0pt 0pt 12.0pt 36.0pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">(3)</font><font size="1" style="font-size:3.0pt;">&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160; </font>To remove from registration by means of a
  post-effective amendment any of the securities being registered which remain
  unsold at the termination of the offering.</p>
  
  <p style="margin:0pt 0pt 12.0pt;text-indent:36.0pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">The undersigned Registrant hereby undertakes that, for purposes of
  determining any liability under the Securities Act, each filing of the
  Registrant&#146;s annual report pursuant to Section&nbsp;13(a) or 15(d) of the
  Exchange Act (and, where applicable, each filing of an employee benefit plan&#146;s
  annual report pursuant to Section&nbsp;15(d) of the Exchange Act) that is
  incorporated by reference in the 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 <u>bona</u>
  <u>fide</u> offering thereof.</font></p>
  
  <p style="margin:0pt 0pt 12.0pt;text-indent:36.0pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities
  Act 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 Commission such indemnification is
  against public policy as expressed in the Act and is, therefore,
  unenforceable.&#160; In the event that a claim
  for </font></p>
  
  
   <p style="font-size:10.0pt;margin:24.0pt 0pt .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">-</font><font face="Times New Roman">4</font><font face="Times New Roman">-</font></p> <br><hr size="3" width="100%" noshade color="#010101" align="center">
  
  <!-- SEQ.=1,FOLIO='-4-',FILE='C:\fc\11715572478_H10182_2059835\12440-1-bc.htm',USER='jmsproofassembler',CD='Apr 27 15:57 2007' -->
  <br clear="all" style="page-break-before:always;">
  
  
  
  <p style="margin:0pt 0pt 12.0pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">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.</font></p>
  
  
   <p style="font-size:10.0pt;margin:24.0pt 0pt .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">-</font><font face="Times New Roman">5</font><font face="Times New Roman">-</font></p> <br><hr size="3" width="100%" noshade color="#010101" align="center">
  
  <!-- SEQ.=1,FOLIO='-5-',FILE='C:\fc\11715572478_H10182_2059835\12440-1-bc.htm',USER='jmsproofassembler',CD='Apr 27 15:57 2007' -->
  <br clear="all" style="page-break-before:always;">
  
  
  
  <p align="center" style="margin:0pt 0pt 12.0pt;text-align:center;"><b><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:bold;">SIGNATURES</font></b></p>
  
  <p style="font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:10.0pt;margin:0pt 0pt 24.0pt;text-indent:36.0pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act, the Registrant
  certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all of the
  requirements for filing on Form S-8 and has duly caused this Registration
  Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly
  authorized, in the City of Calabasas, State of California, on the 27</font><font size="1" style="font-size:6.5pt;position:relative;top:-3.0pt;">th</font>&#160;day of April, 2007.</p>
  
  <table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="100%" style="border-collapse:collapse;font-family:Times New Roman;width:100.0%;">
   <tr style="page-break-inside:avoid;">
    <td width="49%" valign="top" style="padding:0pt .7pt 0pt 0pt;width:49.42%;">
    <p style="font-size:10.0pt;margin:0pt 0pt .0001pt;"><!-- SET mrlNoTableShading --></p>
    </td>
    <td width="50%" colspan="3" valign="top" style="padding:0pt .7pt 0pt 0pt;width:50.58%;">
    <p style="margin:0pt 0pt .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">THE RYLAND GROUP, INC.</font></p>
    </td>
   </tr>
   <tr style="page-break-inside:avoid;">
    <td width="49%" valign="top" style="padding:0pt .7pt 0pt 0pt;width:49.42%;">
    <p style="margin:0pt 0pt .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
    </td>
    <td width="50%" colspan="3" valign="top" style="padding:0pt .7pt 0pt 0pt;width:50.58%;">
    <p style="margin:0pt 0pt .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
    </td>
   </tr>
   <tr style="page-break-inside:avoid;">
    <td width="49%" valign="top" style="padding:0pt .7pt 0pt 0pt;width:49.42%;">
    <p style="margin:0pt 0pt .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
    </td>
    <td width="50%" colspan="3" valign="top" style="padding:0pt .7pt 0pt 0pt;width:50.58%;">
    <p style="margin:0pt 0pt .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
    </td>
   </tr>
   <tr style="page-break-inside:avoid;">
    <td width="49%" valign="top" style="padding:0pt .7pt 0pt 0pt;width:49.42%;">
    <p style="margin:0pt 0pt .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
    </td>
    <td width="50%" colspan="3" valign="top" style="padding:0pt .7pt 0pt 0pt;width:50.58%;">
    <p style="margin:0pt 0pt .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
    </td>
   </tr>
   <tr style="page-break-inside:avoid;">
    <td width="49%" valign="top" style="padding:0pt .7pt 0pt 0pt;width:49.42%;">
    <p style="margin:0pt 0pt .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
    </td>
    <td width="4%" valign="top" style="padding:0pt .7pt 0pt 0pt;width:4.16%;">
    <p style="margin:0pt 0pt .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">By: </font></p>
    </td>
    <td width="46%" colspan="2" valign="top" style="border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.0pt;padding:0pt .7pt 0pt 0pt;width:46.42%;">
    <p style="margin:0pt 0pt .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">/s/ Timothy J. Geckle</font></p>
    </td>
   </tr>
   <tr style="page-break-inside:avoid;">
    <td width="49%" valign="top" style="padding:0pt .7pt 0pt 0pt;width:49.42%;">
    <p style="margin:0pt 0pt .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
    </td>
    <td width="5%" colspan="2" valign="top" style="padding:0pt .7pt 0pt 0pt;width:5.34%;">
    <p style="margin:0pt 0pt .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
    </td>
    <td width="45%" valign="top" style="border:none;border-top:solid windowtext 1.0pt;padding:0pt .7pt 0pt 0pt;width:45.22%;">
    <p style="margin:0pt 0pt .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Timothy J.
    Geckle</font></p>
    </td>
   </tr>
   <tr style="page-break-inside:avoid;">
    <td width="49%" valign="top" style="padding:0pt .7pt 0pt 0pt;width:49.42%;">
    <p style="margin:0pt 0pt .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
    </td>
    <td width="5%" colspan="2" valign="top" style="padding:0pt .7pt 0pt 0pt;width:5.34%;">
    <p style="margin:0pt 0pt .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
    </td>
    <td width="45%" valign="top" style="padding:0pt .7pt 0pt 0pt;width:45.22%;">
    <p style="margin:0pt 0pt .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Senior Vice
    President, General Counsel and</font></p>
    </td>
   </tr>
   <tr style="page-break-inside:avoid;">
    <td width="49%" valign="top" style="padding:0pt .7pt 0pt 0pt;width:49.42%;">
    <p style="margin:0pt 0pt .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
    </td>
    <td width="5%" colspan="2" valign="top" style="padding:0pt .7pt 0pt 0pt;width:5.34%;">
    <p style="margin:0pt 0pt .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
    </td>
    <td width="45%" valign="top" style="padding:0pt .7pt 0pt 0pt;width:45.22%;">
    <p style="margin:0pt 0pt .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Secretary</font></p>
    </td>
   </tr>
   <tr height="0">
    <td width="370" style="border:none;"></td>
    <td width="31" style="border:none;"></td>
    <td width="9" style="border:none;"></td>
    <td width="338" style="border:none;"></td>
   </tr>
  </table>
  
  <p style="line-height:1.0pt;margin:0pt 0pt 12.0pt;"><font size="1" face="Times New Roman">&nbsp;</font></p>
  
  <p style="margin:0pt 0pt 12.0pt;text-indent:36.0pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act, this Form S-8
  Registration Statement has been signed below by the following persons in the
  capacities and on the dates indicated.</font></p>
  
  <table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="100%" style="border-collapse:collapse;font-family:Times New Roman;width:100.0%;">
   <tr style="page-break-inside:avoid;">
    <td width="21%" valign="top" style="padding:0pt .7pt 0pt 0pt;width:21.56%;">
    <p style="font-size:10.0pt;margin:0pt 0pt .0001pt;"><!-- SET mrlNoTableShading --><u>Signature</u></p>
    </td>
    <td width="2%" valign="top" style="padding:0pt .7pt 0pt 0pt;width:2.62%;">
    <p style="margin:0pt 0pt .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
    </td>
    <td width="42%" valign="top" style="padding:0pt .7pt 0pt 0pt;width:42.4%;">
    <p align="center" style="margin:0pt 0pt .0001pt;text-align:center;"><u><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Title</font></u></p>
    </td>
    <td width="2%" valign="top" style="padding:0pt .7pt 0pt 0pt;width:2.62%;">
    <p style="margin:0pt 0pt .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
    </td>
    <td width="30%" valign="top" style="padding:0pt .7pt 0pt 0pt;width:30.8%;">
    <p align="center" style="margin:0pt 0pt .0001pt;text-align:center;"><u><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Date</font></u></p>
    </td>
   </tr>
   <tr style="page-break-inside:avoid;">
    <td width="21%" valign="top" style="padding:0pt .7pt 0pt 0pt;width:21.56%;">
    <p style="margin:0pt 0pt .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
    </td>
    <td width="2%" valign="top" style="padding:0pt .7pt 0pt 0pt;width:2.62%;">
    <p style="margin:0pt 0pt .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
    </td>
    <td width="42%" valign="top" style="padding:0pt .7pt 0pt 0pt;width:42.4%;">
    <p style="margin:0pt 0pt .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
    </td>
    <td width="2%" valign="top" style="padding:0pt .7pt 0pt 0pt;width:2.62%;">
    <p style="margin:0pt 0pt .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
    </td>
    <td width="30%" valign="top" style="padding:0pt .7pt 0pt 0pt;width:30.8%;">
    <p style="margin:0pt 0pt .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
    </td>
   </tr>
   <tr style="page-break-inside:avoid;">
    <td width="21%" valign="top" style="padding:0pt .7pt 0pt 0pt;width:21.56%;">
    <p style="margin:0pt 0pt .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
    </td>
    <td width="2%" valign="top" style="padding:0pt .7pt 0pt 0pt;width:2.62%;">
    <p style="margin:0pt 0pt .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
    </td>
    <td width="42%" valign="top" style="padding:0pt .7pt 0pt 0pt;width:42.4%;">
    <p align="center" style="margin:0pt 0pt .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">R. Chad Dreier</font></p>
    </td>
    <td width="2%" valign="top" style="padding:0pt .7pt 0pt 0pt;width:2.62%;">
    <p style="margin:0pt 0pt .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
    </td>
    <td width="30%" valign="top" style="padding:0pt .7pt 0pt 0pt;width:30.8%;">
    <p align="center" style="margin:0pt 0pt .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">April 27, 2007</font></p>
    </td>
   </tr>
   <tr style="page-break-inside:avoid;">
    <td width="21%" valign="top" style="border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.0pt;padding:0pt .7pt 0pt 0pt;width:21.56%;">
    <p style="margin:0pt 0pt .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">/s/ R. Chad
    Dreier </font></p>
    </td>
    <td width="2%" valign="top" style="padding:0pt .7pt 0pt 0pt;width:2.62%;">
    <p style="margin:0pt 0pt .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
    </td>
    <td width="42%" valign="top" style="padding:0pt .7pt 0pt 0pt;width:42.4%;">
    <p align="center" style="margin:0pt 0pt .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Chairman of the
    Board, President and </font></p>
    </td>
    <td width="2%" valign="top" style="padding:0pt .7pt 0pt 0pt;width:2.62%;">
    <p style="margin:0pt 0pt .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
    </td>
    <td width="30%" valign="top" style="padding:0pt .7pt 0pt 0pt;width:30.8%;">
    <p align="center" style="margin:0pt 0pt .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
    </td>
   </tr>
   <tr style="page-break-inside:avoid;">
    <td width="21%" valign="top" style="border:none;padding:0pt .7pt 0pt 0pt;width:21.56%;">
    <p style="margin:0pt 0pt .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">R. Chad Dreier</font></p>
    </td>
    <td width="2%" valign="top" style="padding:0pt .7pt 0pt 0pt;width:2.62%;">
    <p style="margin:0pt 0pt .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
    </td>
    <td width="42%" valign="top" style="padding:0pt .7pt 0pt 0pt;width:42.4%;">
    <p align="center" style="margin:0pt 0pt .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Chief Executive
    Officer <br>
    (Principal Executive Officer)</font></p>
    </td>
    <td width="2%" valign="top" style="padding:0pt .7pt 0pt 0pt;width:2.62%;">
    <p style="margin:0pt 0pt .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
    </td>
    <td width="30%" valign="top" style="padding:0pt .7pt 0pt 0pt;width:30.8%;">
    <p align="center" style="margin:0pt 0pt .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
    </td>
   </tr>
   <tr style="page-break-inside:avoid;">
    <td width="21%" valign="top" style="padding:0pt .7pt 0pt 0pt;width:21.56%;">
    <p style="margin:0pt 0pt .0001pt;"><b><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:bold;">&nbsp;</font></b></p>
    </td>
    <td width="2%" valign="top" style="padding:0pt .7pt 0pt 0pt;width:2.62%;">
    <p style="margin:0pt 0pt .0001pt;"><b><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:bold;">&nbsp;</font></b></p>
    </td>
    <td width="42%" valign="top" style="padding:0pt .7pt 0pt 0pt;width:42.4%;">
    <p style="margin:0pt 0pt .0001pt;"><b><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:bold;">&nbsp;</font></b></p>
    </td>
    <td width="2%" valign="top" style="padding:0pt .7pt 0pt 0pt;width:2.62%;">
    <p style="margin:0pt 0pt .0001pt;"><b><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:bold;">&nbsp;</font></b></p>
    </td>
    <td width="30%" valign="top" style="padding:0pt .7pt 0pt 0pt;width:30.8%;">
    <p align="center" style="margin:0pt 0pt .0001pt;text-align:center;"><b><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:bold;">&nbsp;</font></b></p>
    </td>
   </tr>
   <tr style="page-break-inside:avoid;">
    <td width="21%" valign="top" style="padding:0pt .7pt 0pt 0pt;width:21.56%;">
    <p style="margin:0pt 0pt .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
    </td>
    <td width="2%" valign="top" style="padding:0pt .7pt 0pt 0pt;width:2.62%;">
    <p style="margin:0pt 0pt .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
    </td>
    <td width="42%" valign="top" style="padding:0pt .7pt 0pt 0pt;width:42.4%;">
    <p align="center" style="margin:0pt 0pt .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Gordon A. Milne</font></p>
    </td>
    <td width="2%" valign="top" style="padding:0pt .7pt 0pt 0pt;width:2.62%;">
    <p style="margin:0pt 0pt .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
    </td>
    <td width="30%" valign="top" style="padding:0pt .7pt 0pt 0pt;width:30.8%;">
    <p align="center" style="margin:0pt 0pt .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">April 27, 2007</font></p>
    </td>
   </tr>
   <tr style="page-break-inside:avoid;">
    <td width="21%" valign="top" style="border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.0pt;padding:0pt .7pt 0pt 0pt;width:21.56%;">
    <p style="margin:0pt 0pt .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">/s/ Gordon A.
    Milne </font></p>
    </td>
    <td width="2%" valign="top" style="padding:0pt .7pt 0pt 0pt;width:2.62%;">
    <p style="margin:0pt 0pt .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
    </td>
    <td width="42%" valign="top" style="padding:0pt .7pt 0pt 0pt;width:42.4%;">
    <p align="center" style="margin:0pt 0pt .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Executive Vice
    President and </font></p>
    </td>
    <td width="2%" valign="top" style="padding:0pt .7pt 0pt 0pt;width:2.62%;">
    <p style="margin:0pt 0pt .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
    </td>
    <td width="30%" valign="top" style="padding:0pt .7pt 0pt 0pt;width:30.8%;">
    <p align="center" style="margin:0pt 0pt .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
    </td>
   </tr>
   <tr style="page-break-inside:avoid;">
    <td width="21%" valign="top" style="border:none;padding:0pt .7pt 0pt 0pt;width:21.56%;">
    <p style="margin:0pt 0pt .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Gordon A. Milne</font></p>
    </td>
    <td width="2%" valign="top" style="padding:0pt .7pt 0pt 0pt;width:2.62%;">
    <p style="margin:0pt 0pt .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
    </td>
    <td width="42%" valign="top" style="padding:0pt .7pt 0pt 0pt;width:42.4%;">
    <p align="center" style="margin:0pt 0pt .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Chief Financial
    Officer <br>
    (Principal Financial Officer)</font></p>
    </td>
    <td width="2%" valign="top" style="padding:0pt .7pt 0pt 0pt;width:2.62%;">
    <p style="margin:0pt 0pt .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
    </td>
    <td width="30%" valign="top" style="padding:0pt .7pt 0pt 0pt;width:30.8%;">
    <p align="center" style="margin:0pt 0pt .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
    </td>
   </tr>
   <tr style="page-break-inside:avoid;">
    <td width="21%" valign="top" style="padding:0pt .7pt 0pt 0pt;width:21.56%;">
    <p style="margin:0pt 0pt .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
    </td>
    <td width="2%" valign="top" style="padding:0pt .7pt 0pt 0pt;width:2.62%;">
    <p style="margin:0pt 0pt .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
    </td>
    <td width="42%" valign="top" style="padding:0pt .7pt 0pt 0pt;width:42.4%;">
    <p style="margin:0pt 0pt .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
    </td>
    <td width="2%" valign="top" style="padding:0pt .7pt 0pt 0pt;width:2.62%;">
    <p style="margin:0pt 0pt .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
    </td>
    <td width="30%" valign="top" style="padding:0pt .7pt 0pt 0pt;width:30.8%;">
    <p align="center" style="margin:0pt 0pt .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
    </td>
   </tr>
   <tr style="page-break-inside:avoid;">
    <td width="21%" valign="top" style="padding:0pt .7pt 0pt 0pt;width:21.56%;">
    <p style="margin:0pt 0pt .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
    </td>
    <td width="2%" valign="top" style="padding:0pt .7pt 0pt 0pt;width:2.62%;">
    <p style="margin:0pt 0pt .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
    </td>
    <td width="42%" valign="top" style="padding:0pt .7pt 0pt 0pt;width:42.4%;">
    <p align="center" style="margin:0pt 0pt .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">David L. Fristoe</font></p>
    </td>
    <td width="2%" valign="top" style="padding:0pt .7pt 0pt 0pt;width:2.62%;">
    <p style="margin:0pt 0pt .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
    </td>
    <td width="30%" valign="top" style="padding:0pt .7pt 0pt 0pt;width:30.8%;">
    <p align="center" style="margin:0pt 0pt .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">April 27, 2007</font></p>
    </td>
   </tr>
   <tr style="page-break-inside:avoid;">
    <td width="21%" valign="top" style="border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.0pt;padding:0pt .7pt 0pt 0pt;width:21.56%;">
    <p style="margin:0pt 0pt .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">/s/ David L.
    Fristoe </font></p>
    </td>
    <td width="2%" valign="top" style="padding:0pt .7pt 0pt 0pt;width:2.62%;">
    <p style="margin:0pt 0pt .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
    </td>
    <td width="42%" valign="top" style="padding:0pt .7pt 0pt 0pt;width:42.4%;">
    <p align="center" style="margin:0pt 0pt .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Senior Vice
    President, Controller and </font></p>
    </td>
    <td width="2%" valign="top" style="padding:0pt .7pt 0pt 0pt;width:2.62%;">
    <p style="margin:0pt 0pt .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
    </td>
    <td width="30%" valign="top" style="padding:0pt .7pt 0pt 0pt;width:30.8%;">
    <p align="center" style="margin:0pt 0pt .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
    </td>
   </tr>
   <tr style="page-break-inside:avoid;">
    <td width="21%" valign="top" style="border:none;padding:0pt .7pt 0pt 0pt;width:21.56%;">
    <p style="margin:0pt 0pt .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">David L. Fristoe</font></p>
    </td>
    <td width="2%" valign="top" style="padding:0pt .7pt 0pt 0pt;width:2.62%;">
    <p style="margin:0pt 0pt .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
    </td>
    <td width="42%" valign="top" style="padding:0pt .7pt 0pt 0pt;width:42.4%;">
    <p align="center" style="margin:0pt 0pt .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Chief Accounting
    Officer <br>
    (Principal Accounting Officer)</font></p>
    </td>
    <td width="2%" valign="top" style="padding:0pt .7pt 0pt 0pt;width:2.62%;">
    <p style="margin:0pt 0pt .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
    </td>
    <td width="30%" valign="top" style="padding:0pt .7pt 0pt 0pt;width:30.8%;">
    <p style="margin:0pt 0pt .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
    </td>
   </tr>
  </table>
  
  <p style="line-height:1.0pt;margin:0pt 0pt 12.0pt;"><font size="1" face="Times New Roman">&nbsp;</font></p>
  
  <p style="margin:0pt 0pt 12.0pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">A majority of the Board of Directors:</font></p>
  
  <p style="margin:0pt 0pt 12.0pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Daniel T. Bane, Leslie M. Fr&#233;con, Roland A. Hernandez, William L. Jews,
  Ned Mansour, Robert E. Mellor, Norman J. Metcalfe, Charlotte St. Martin and
  Paul J. Varello</font></p>
  
  <table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="100%" style="border-collapse:collapse;font-family:Times New Roman;width:100.0%;">
   <tr style="page-break-inside:avoid;">
    <td width="21%" valign="top" style="border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.0pt;padding:0pt .7pt 0pt 0pt;width:21.56%;">
    <p style="font-size:10.0pt;margin:0pt 0pt .0001pt;"><!-- SET mrlNoTableShading -->/s/ Timothy J. Geckle</p>
    </td>
    <td width="2%" valign="top" style="padding:0pt .7pt 0pt 0pt;width:2.62%;">
    <p style="margin:0pt 0pt .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
    </td>
    <td width="42%" valign="top" style="padding:0pt .7pt 0pt 0pt;width:42.4%;">
    <p align="center" style="margin:0pt 0pt .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">As Attorney-in-Fact</font></p>
    </td>
    <td width="2%" valign="top" style="padding:0pt .7pt 0pt 0pt;width:2.62%;">
    <p style="margin:0pt 0pt .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
    </td>
    <td width="30%" valign="top" style="padding:0pt .7pt 0pt 0pt;width:30.8%;">
    <p align="center" style="margin:0pt 0pt .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">April 27, 2007</font></p>
    </td>
   </tr>
   <tr style="page-break-inside:avoid;">
    <td width="21%" valign="top" style="border:none;padding:0pt .7pt 0pt 0pt;width:21.56%;">
    <p style="margin:0pt 0pt .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Timothy J. Geckle</font></p>
    </td>
    <td width="2%" valign="top" style="padding:0pt .7pt 0pt 0pt;width:2.62%;">
    <p style="margin:0pt 0pt .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
    </td>
    <td width="42%" valign="top" style="padding:0pt .7pt 0pt 0pt;width:42.4%;">
    <p align="center" style="margin:0pt 0pt .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
    </td>
    <td width="2%" valign="top" style="padding:0pt .7pt 0pt 0pt;width:2.62%;">
    <p style="margin:0pt 0pt .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
    </td>
    <td width="30%" valign="top" style="padding:0pt .7pt 0pt 0pt;width:30.8%;">
    <p style="margin:0pt 0pt .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
    </td>
   </tr>
  </table>
  
  <p style="line-height:1.0pt;margin:0pt 0pt 12.0pt;"><font size="1" face="Times New Roman">&nbsp;</font></p>
  
  
   <p style="font-size:10.0pt;margin:24.0pt 0pt .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">-</font><font face="Times New Roman">6</font><font face="Times New Roman">-</font></p> <br><hr size="3" width="100%" noshade color="#010101" align="center">
  
  <!-- SEQ.=1,FOLIO='-6-',FILE='C:\fc\11715572478_H10182_2059835\12440-1-bc.htm',USER='jmsproofassembler',CD='Apr 27 15:57 2007' -->
  <br clear="all" style="page-break-before:always;">
  
  
  
  <p align="center" style="margin:0pt 0pt 12.0pt;text-align:center;"><b><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:bold;">EXHIBIT INDEX</font></b></p>
  
  <table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="100%" style="border-collapse:collapse;font-family:Times New Roman;width:100.0%;">
   <tr style="page-break-inside:avoid;">
    <td width="14%" valign="top" style="padding:0pt .7pt 0pt 0pt;width:14.88%;">
    <p style="font-size:10.0pt;margin:0pt 0pt .0001pt;"><!-- SET mrlNoTableShading -->EXHIBIT<br>
    <u>NUMBER</u></p>
    </td>
    <td width="2%" valign="top" style="padding:0pt .7pt 0pt 0pt;width:2.5%;">
    <p style="margin:0pt 0pt .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
    </td>
    <td width="82%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0pt .7pt 0pt 0pt;width:82.62%;">
    <p style="margin:0pt 0pt .0001pt;"><u><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">DESCRIPTION</font></u></p>
    </td>
   </tr>
   <tr style="page-break-inside:avoid;">
    <td width="14%" valign="top" style="padding:0pt .7pt 0pt 0pt;width:14.88%;">
    <p style="margin:0pt 0pt .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">4.1</font></p>
    </td>
    <td width="2%" valign="top" style="padding:0pt .7pt 0pt 0pt;width:2.5%;">
    <p style="margin:0pt 0pt .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
    </td>
    <td width="82%" valign="top" style="padding:0pt .7pt 0pt 0pt;width:82.62%;">
    <p style="margin:0pt 0pt .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">The Ryland Group, Inc. Articles of Restatement
    (incorporated by reference from Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31,
    2005)</font></p>
    </td>
   </tr>
   <tr style="page-break-inside:avoid;">
    <td width="14%" valign="top" style="padding:0pt .7pt 0pt 0pt;width:14.88%;">
    <p style="margin:0pt 0pt .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
    </td>
    <td width="2%" valign="top" style="padding:0pt .7pt 0pt 0pt;width:2.5%;">
    <p style="margin:0pt 0pt .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
    </td>
    <td width="82%" valign="top" style="padding:0pt .7pt 0pt 0pt;width:82.62%;">
    <p style="margin:0pt 0pt .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
    </td>
   </tr>
   <tr style="page-break-inside:avoid;">
    <td width="14%" valign="top" style="padding:0pt .7pt 0pt 0pt;width:14.88%;">
    <p style="margin:0pt 0pt .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">4.2</font></p>
    </td>
    <td width="2%" valign="top" style="padding:0pt .7pt 0pt 0pt;width:2.5%;">
    <p style="margin:0pt 0pt .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
    </td>
    <td width="82%" valign="top" style="padding:0pt .7pt 0pt 0pt;width:82.62%;">
    <p style="margin:0pt 0pt .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">By-laws of The Ryland Group, Inc., as amended
    (incorporated by reference from Form 10-K for the year ended December 31,
    1996)</font></p>
    </td>
   </tr>
   <tr style="page-break-inside:avoid;">
    <td width="14%" valign="top" style="padding:0pt .7pt 0pt 0pt;width:14.88%;">
    <p style="margin:0pt 0pt .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
    </td>
    <td width="2%" valign="top" style="padding:0pt .7pt 0pt 0pt;width:2.5%;">
    <p style="margin:0pt 0pt .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
    </td>
    <td width="82%" valign="top" style="padding:0pt .7pt 0pt 0pt;width:82.62%;">
    <p style="margin:0pt 0pt .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
    </td>
   </tr>
   <tr style="page-break-inside:avoid;">
    <td width="14%" valign="top" style="padding:0pt .7pt 0pt 0pt;width:14.88%;">
    <p style="margin:0pt 0pt .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">5.1*</font></p>
    </td>
    <td width="2%" valign="top" style="padding:0pt .7pt 0pt 0pt;width:2.5%;">
    <p style="margin:0pt 0pt .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
    </td>
    <td width="82%" valign="top" style="padding:0pt .7pt 0pt 0pt;width:82.62%;">
    <p style="margin:0pt 0pt .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Opinion of Timothy J. Geckle, counsel for The Ryland
    Group, Inc., regarding the legal validity of the shares of Common Stock being
    registered for issuance under the Plan</font></p>
    </td>
   </tr>
   <tr style="page-break-inside:avoid;">
    <td width="14%" valign="top" style="padding:0pt .7pt 0pt 0pt;width:14.88%;">
    <p style="margin:0pt 0pt .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
    </td>
    <td width="2%" valign="top" style="padding:0pt .7pt 0pt 0pt;width:2.5%;">
    <p style="margin:0pt 0pt .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
    </td>
    <td width="82%" valign="top" style="padding:0pt .7pt 0pt 0pt;width:82.62%;">
    <p style="margin:0pt 0pt .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
    </td>
   </tr>
   <tr style="page-break-inside:avoid;">
    <td width="14%" valign="top" style="padding:0pt .7pt 0pt 0pt;width:14.88%;">
    <p style="margin:0pt 0pt .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">10.1*</font></p>
    </td>
    <td width="2%" valign="top" style="padding:0pt .7pt 0pt 0pt;width:2.5%;">
    <p style="margin:0pt 0pt .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
    </td>
    <td width="82%" valign="top" style="padding:0pt .7pt 0pt 0pt;width:82.62%;">
    <p style="margin:0pt 0pt .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">The Ryland Group, Inc. 2007 Equity Incentive Plan</font></p>
    </td>
   </tr>
   <tr style="page-break-inside:avoid;">
    <td width="14%" valign="top" style="padding:0pt .7pt 0pt 0pt;width:14.88%;">
    <p style="margin:0pt 0pt .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
    </td>
    <td width="2%" valign="top" style="padding:0pt .7pt 0pt 0pt;width:2.5%;">
    <p style="margin:0pt 0pt .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
    </td>
    <td width="82%" valign="top" style="padding:0pt .7pt 0pt 0pt;width:82.62%;">
    <p style="margin:0pt 0pt .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
    </td>
   </tr>
   <tr style="page-break-inside:avoid;">
    <td width="14%" valign="top" style="padding:0pt .7pt 0pt 0pt;width:14.88%;">
    <p style="margin:0pt 0pt .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">10.2*</font></p>
    </td>
    <td width="2%" valign="top" style="padding:0pt .7pt 0pt 0pt;width:2.5%;">
    <p style="margin:0pt 0pt .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
    </td>
    <td width="82%" valign="top" style="padding:0pt .7pt 0pt 0pt;width:82.62%;">
    <p style="margin:0pt 0pt .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Form of Non-Qualified Stock Option Agreement
    pursuant to The Ryland Group, Inc. 2007 Equity Incentive Plan</font></p>
    </td>
   </tr>
   <tr style="page-break-inside:avoid;">
    <td width="14%" valign="top" style="padding:0pt .7pt 0pt 0pt;width:14.88%;">
    <p style="margin:0pt 0pt .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
    </td>
    <td width="2%" valign="top" style="padding:0pt .7pt 0pt 0pt;width:2.5%;">
    <p style="margin:0pt 0pt .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
    </td>
    <td width="82%" valign="top" style="padding:0pt .7pt 0pt 0pt;width:82.62%;">
    <p style="margin:0pt 0pt .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
    </td>
   </tr>
   <tr style="page-break-inside:avoid;">
    <td width="14%" valign="top" style="padding:0pt .7pt 0pt 0pt;width:14.88%;">
    <p style="margin:0pt 0pt .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">23.1*</font></p>
    </td>
    <td width="2%" valign="top" style="padding:0pt .7pt 0pt 0pt;width:2.5%;">
    <p style="margin:0pt 0pt .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
    </td>
    <td width="82%" valign="top" style="padding:0pt .7pt 0pt 0pt;width:82.62%;">
    <p style="margin:0pt 0pt .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Consent of Counsel (contained in Exhibit 5.1)</font></p>
    </td>
   </tr>
   <tr style="page-break-inside:avoid;">
    <td width="14%" valign="top" style="padding:0pt .7pt 0pt 0pt;width:14.88%;">
    <p style="margin:0pt 0pt .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
    </td>
    <td width="2%" valign="top" style="padding:0pt .7pt 0pt 0pt;width:2.5%;">
    <p style="margin:0pt 0pt .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
    </td>
    <td width="82%" valign="top" style="padding:0pt .7pt 0pt 0pt;width:82.62%;">
    <p style="margin:0pt 0pt .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
    </td>
   </tr>
   <tr style="page-break-inside:avoid;">
    <td width="14%" valign="top" style="padding:0pt .7pt 0pt 0pt;width:14.88%;">
    <p style="margin:0pt 0pt .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">23.2*</font></p>
    </td>
    <td width="2%" valign="top" style="padding:0pt .7pt 0pt 0pt;width:2.5%;">
    <p style="margin:0pt 0pt .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
    </td>
    <td width="82%" valign="top" style="padding:0pt .7pt 0pt 0pt;width:82.62%;">
    <p style="margin:0pt 0pt .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Consent of Ernst &amp; Young LLP, Independent
    Registered Public Accounting Firm</font></p>
    </td>
   </tr>
   <tr style="page-break-inside:avoid;">
    <td width="14%" valign="top" style="padding:0pt .7pt 0pt 0pt;width:14.88%;">
    <p style="margin:0pt 0pt .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
    </td>
    <td width="2%" valign="top" style="padding:0pt .7pt 0pt 0pt;width:2.5%;">
    <p style="margin:0pt 0pt .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
    </td>
    <td width="82%" valign="top" style="padding:0pt .7pt 0pt 0pt;width:82.62%;">
    <p style="margin:0pt 0pt .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
    </td>
   </tr>
   <tr style="page-break-inside:avoid;">
    <td width="14%" valign="top" style="padding:0pt .7pt 0pt 0pt;width:14.88%;">
    <p style="margin:0pt 0pt .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">24.1*</font></p>
    </td>
    <td width="2%" valign="top" style="padding:0pt .7pt 0pt 0pt;width:2.5%;">
    <p style="margin:0pt 0pt .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
    </td>
    <td width="82%" valign="top" style="padding:0pt .7pt 0pt 0pt;width:82.62%;">
    <p style="margin:0pt 0pt .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Powers of Attorney</font></p>
    </td>
   </tr>
  </table>
  
  <p style="margin:0pt 0pt .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">------------</font></p>
  
  <p style="margin:0pt 0pt 12.0pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">* Filed herewith.</font></p>
  
  
   <p style="font-size:10.0pt;margin:24.0pt 0pt .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">-</font><font face="Times New Roman">7</font><font face="Times New Roman">-</font></p>
  </div><br><hr size="3" width="100%" noshade color="#010101" align="center">
  
  <!-- SEQ.=1,FOLIO='-7-',FILE='C:\fc\11715572478_H10182_2059835\12440-1-bc.htm',USER='jmsproofassembler',CD='Apr 27 15:57 2007' -->
  
  
  </body>
  
  </html>
metadata_documents: [{"type": "S-8", "sequence": "1", "filename": "a07-12440_1s8.htm", "description": "S-8", "secsgml_size_bytes": 80385}]
metadata_filer: {"company-data": {"conformed-name": "RYLAND GROUP INC", "cik": "0000085974", "assigned-sic": "1531", "irs-number": "520849948", "state-of-incorporation": "MD", "fiscal-year-end": "1231"}, "filing-values": {"form-type": "S-8", "act": "33", "file-number": "333-142431", "film-number": "07796976"}, "business-address": {"street1": "24025 PARK SORRENTO", "street2": "SUITE 400", "city": "CALABASAS", "state": "CA", "zip": "91302", "phone": "8182237500"}, "former-company": {"former-conformed-name": "RYAN JAMES P CO", "date-changed": "19720414"}}
text: As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on April 27, 2007
  Registration No. 333-_____
  SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
  WASHINGTON, D.C.  20549
  FORM
  S-8
  REGISTRATION STATEMENT
  UNDER
  THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933
  THE RYLAND GROUP, INC.
  (Exact name of
  registrant as specified in its charter)
  Maryland
  52-0849948
  (State or other
    jurisdiction of
  (I.R.S. Employer
    Identification No.)
  incorporation or
    organization)
  24025
    Park Sorrento
  Suite
    400
  Calabasas,
    California
  91302
  (Address of
    principal executive offices)
  (Zip Code)
  THE RYLAND GROUP, INC. 2007 EQUITY INCENTIVE PLAN
  (Full title of
    plan)
  Timothy J. Geckle
  Senior
    Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary
  The
    Ryland Group, Inc.
  24025
    Park Sorrento, Suite 400
  Calabasas,
    California 91302
  818-223-7500
  (Name, address
    and telephone
  number of agent
    for service)
  CALCULATION
  OF REGISTRATION FEE
  Title of each Class of Securities to be
  Registered
  Amount
  to be
  Registered
  Proposed
  Maximum
  Offering
  Price Per Unit (3)
  Proposed
  Maximum
  Aggregate
  Offering Price (3)
  Amount of
  Registration
  Fee
  Common
    Stock, $1.00 par value (1)(2) Shares not previously registered
  Shares registered under Prior Plan
  1,800,000
  284,168
  $ 45.31
  N/A (1)
  $ 81,558,000
  N/A (1)
  $ 2,504
  N/A (1)
  TOTAL
  2,084,168
  $ 45.31
  $ 81,558,000
  $ 2,504
  (1)           Shares to be offered or sold under
  The Ryland Group, Inc. 2007 Equity Incentive Plan (the "
  2007 Plan
  ") include
  1,800,000 shares not previously registered, and 284,168 shares previously
  registered for offer or sale under The Ryland Group, Inc. 2005 Equity Incentive
  Plan (the "
  Prior Plan
  ")
  that were not issued under the Prior Plan and that may be offered or sold under
  the 2007 Equity Incentive Plan (the "
  Carried Forward Shares
  ").  The Carried Forward Shares were registered on
  Form S-8 filed on July 21, 2005 (file no. 333-126783) and The Ryland Group,
  Inc. ("
  Ryland
  ")
  paid a total fee of $4,413, of which $2,640 related to the unissued Carried
  Forward Shares.  Pursuant to Interpretation 89
  under Section G of the Manual of Publicly Available Telephone
  Interpretations of the Division of Corporation Finance of the Securities and
  Exchange Commission (July 1997) and Instruction E to the General Instructions
  to Form S-8, Ryland has carried forward the registration fee for the Carried
  Forward Shares.  Ryland is concurrently
  filing a Post-Effective Amendment No. 1 to the Registration Statement on Form
  S-8 (file no. 333-126783), registering shares pursuant to the Prior Plan, to
  deregister the issuance of unissued shares pursuant to the Prior Plan.
  (2)           In addition, pursuant to Rule 416
  under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "
  Securities Act
  "),
  this Registration Statement also covers an indeterminate number of shares of
  Common Stock that may be offered or issued by reason of stock splits, stock
  dividends or similar transactions.
  (3)           Estimated solely for purposes of
  calculating the registration fee pursuant to Rule 457(c) and (h) of the
  Securities Act.  The proposed maximum
  offering price per share, proposed maximum aggregate offering price and the
  amount of the registration fee are based on the average of the high and low
  sale prices of Ryland's Common Stock reported on the New York Stock Exchange on
  April 24, 2007 (i.e., $45.31).
  PART I
  INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE SECTION 10(a) PROSPECTUS
  Not required to be included in this Form S-8 Registration Statement
  pursuant to introductory Note to Part I of Form S-8.
  PART II
  INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT
  Item 3.
  Incorporation of Documents
  by Reference.
  The following documents which have been filed by Ryland with the
  Securities and Exchange Commission (the "
  Commission
  ") are incorporated herein by
  reference:
  (a)
  Ryland's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the
  fiscal year ended December 31, 2006;
  (b)
  All other reports filed pursuant to
  Sections 13(a) or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended
  ("
  Exchange Act
  "),
  since December 31, 2006; and
  (c)
  Description of Ryland's Common Stock
  contained or incorporated in the registration statements filed by Ryland under
  the Exchange Act, including any amendments or reports filed for the purpose of
  updating such description.
  All documents subsequently filed by Ryland with the Commission pursuant
  to Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14 and 15(d) of the Exchange Act, prior to the
  filing of a post-effective amendment which indicates that all securities
  offered have been sold or which deregisters all securities remaining unsold,
  shall be deemed to be incorporated by reference into this Registration
  Statement and to be a part of this Registration Statement from the date of
  filing of such documents.
  Item 4.
  Description of Securities.
  Not applicable.
  Item 5.
  Interests of Named Experts
  and Counsel.
  Timothy J. Geckle, Senior Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary
  of Ryland, provides the opinion regarding the legal validity of the shares of
  Common Stock being registered for issuance under the 2007 Plan.  As of the date of this filing, Mr. Geckle
  owns approximately 56,318 shares of Ryland's Common Stock, has 18,333 unvested
  restricted stock units and had the right to purchase up to 255,400 shares of
  Ryland's Common Stock pursuant to outstanding stock options awarded under the
  Prior Plan and its predecessor plans.
  -
  2
  -
  Item 6.
  Indemnification of Directors
  and Officers.
  As permitted by the Maryland General Corporation Law ("
  MGCL
  "), Article
  Eighth, Paragraph (8) of Ryland's Articles of Restatement (the "
  Charter
  ") provides
  for indemnification of directors and officers of Ryland, as follows:
  (8) 
  The Corporation shall indemnify its directors and officers, in all
  capacities in which such directors and officers serve the Corporation, to the
  full extent required or permitted by the General Laws of the State of Maryland
  now or hereafter in force, including the advance of expenses under the
  procedures and to the full extent permitted by law.  The Corporation shall indemnify other
  employees and agents, in all capacities in which such employees and agents
  serve the Corporation, to such extent as shall be authorized by the Board of
  Directors or the By-laws and be permitted by law.  The foregoing shall not limit in any manner
  the authority of the Corporation to indemnify directors, officers, employees or
  agents of the Corporation to the extent authorized by the Board of Directors or
  the stockholders and permitted by law. 
  The Board of Directors may take such action as is necessary to carry out
  these provisions and is expressly empowered to adopt, approve and amend from
  time to time such By-laws, resolutions or contracts implementing provisions or
  such further indemnification arrangements as may be permitted by law.  No amendment or repeal of this Article
  Eighth, paragraph 8 of the Corporation's Charter shall apply to or have any
  effect on any right to indemnification provided hereunder with respect to acts
  or omissions occurring prior to such amendment or repeal.
  The MGCL permits a corporation to indemnify its directors and officers
  (which include any person who is, or was, serving at the request of the
  corporation as a director, officer, partner, trustee, employee, or agent of
  another foreign or domestic corporation, joint venture, trust, other enterprise
  or employee benefit plan), among others, against judgments, penalties, fines,
  settlements and reasonable expenses actually incurred by them in connection
  with any proceedings to which they may be a party by reason of their service in
  those or other capacities, unless it is established that (a) the act or
  omission of the director or officer was material to the matter giving rise to
  such proceedings and (i) was committed in bad faith or (ii) was the result of
  active and deliberate dishonesty, (b) the director or officer actually received
  an improper personal benefit in money, property or services, or (c) in the case
  of any criminal proceedings, the director or officer had reasonable cause to
  believe that the action or omission was unlawful.
  As permitted by the MGCL, Article Ninth of the Charter provides for
  limitation of liability of directors and officers of Ryland, as follows:
  To the fullest extent permitted by Maryland
  statutory or decisional law, as amended or interpreted, no director or officer
  of this Corporation shall be personally liable to the Corporation or its
  stockholders for money damages.  No
  amendment of the Charter of the Corporation or repeal of any of its provisions
  shall limit or eliminate the benefits provided to directors and officers under
  this provision with respect to any act or omission which occurs prior to such
  amendment or repeal.
  The MGCL permits the charter of a Maryland corporation to include a
  provision limiting the liability of its directors and officers to the
  corporation and its stockholders for money damages, except to the extent that
  (i) the person actually received an improper benefit or profit in money,
  property or services or (ii) a judgment or other final adjudication is entered
  in a proceeding based on a finding that the person's action, or failure to act,
  was the result of active and deliberate dishonesty and was material to the
  cause of action adjudicated in the proceeding.
  As permitted under Section 2-418(k) of the MGCL, Ryland has
  purchased and maintains insurance on behalf of its directors and officers
  against any liability asserted against such directors and
  -
  3
  -
  officers
  in their capacities as such, whether or not Ryland would have the power to
  indemnify such persons under the provisions of Maryland law governing
  indemnification.
  Item 7.
  Exemption from Registration Claimed.
  Not applicable.
  Item 8.
  Exhibits.
  A list of exhibits is set forth on the Exhibit Index which immediately
  precedes the exhibits and which is incorporated by reference herein.
  Item 9.
  Undertakings.
  The undersigned Registrant hereby undertakes:
  (1)
  To file, during any period in which offers or
  sales are being made, a post-effective amendment to this Registration
  Statement:
  (i) To include any prospectus required by Section 10(a)(3) of the
  Securities Act;
  (ii) To reflect in the prospectus any facts or events arising after the
  effective date of the Registration Statement (or the most recent post-effective
  amendment thereof) which, individually or in the aggregate, represent a
  fundamental change in the information set forth in the Registration Statement;
  (iii) To include any material information with respect to the plan of
  distribution not previously disclosed in the Registration Statement or any
  material change to such information in the Registration Statement.
  Paragraphs (l)(i) and (l)(ii) above do not apply if the information
  required to be included in a post-effective amendment by those paragraphs is
  contained in periodic reports filed with or furnished to the Commission by the
  Registrant pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Exchange
  Act that are incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement.
  (2)
  That, for the purpose of determining any liability under the Securities
  Act, each such post-effective amendment 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.
  (3)
  To remove from registration by means of a
  post-effective amendment any of the securities being registered which remain
  unsold at the termination of the offering.
  The undersigned Registrant hereby undertakes that, for purposes of
  determining any liability under the Securities Act, each filing of the
  Registrant's annual report pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the
  Exchange Act (and, where applicable, each filing of an employee benefit plan's
  annual report pursuant to Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act) that is
  incorporated by reference in the 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.
  Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities
  Act 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 Commission such indemnification is
  against public policy as expressed in the Act and is, therefore,
  unenforceable.  In the event that a claim
  for
  -
  4
  -
  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.
  -
  5
  -
  SIGNATURES
  Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act, the Registrant
  certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all of the
  requirements for filing on Form S-8 and has duly caused this Registration
  Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly
  authorized, in the City of Calabasas, State of California, on the 27
  th
  day of April, 2007.
  THE RYLAND GROUP, INC.
  By:
  /s/ Timothy J. Geckle
  Timothy J.
    Geckle
  Senior Vice
    President, General Counsel and
  Secretary
  Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act, this Form S-8
  Registration Statement has been signed below by the following persons in the
  capacities and on the dates indicated.
  Signature
  Title
  Date
  R. Chad Dreier
  April 27, 2007
  /s/ R. Chad
    Dreier
  Chairman of the
    Board, President and
  R. Chad Dreier
  Chief Executive
    Officer
  (Principal Executive Officer)
  Gordon A. Milne
  April 27, 2007
  /s/ Gordon A.
    Milne
  Executive Vice
    President and
  Gordon A. Milne
  Chief Financial
    Officer
  (Principal Financial Officer)
  David L. Fristoe
  April 27, 2007
  /s/ David L.
    Fristoe
  Senior Vice
    President, Controller and
  David L. Fristoe
  Chief Accounting
    Officer
  (Principal Accounting Officer)
  A majority of the Board of Directors:
  Daniel T. Bane, Leslie M. Frécon, Roland A. Hernandez, William L. Jews,
  Ned Mansour, Robert E. Mellor, Norman J. Metcalfe, Charlotte St. Martin and
  Paul J. Varello
  /s/ Timothy J. Geckle
  As Attorney-in-Fact
  April 27, 2007
  Timothy J. Geckle
  -
  6
  -
  EXHIBIT INDEX
  EXHIBIT
  NUMBER
  DESCRIPTION
  4.1
  The Ryland Group, Inc. Articles of Restatement
    (incorporated by reference from Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31,
    2005)
  4.2
  By-laws of The Ryland Group, Inc., as amended
    (incorporated by reference from Form 10-K for the year ended December 31,
    1996)
  5.1*
  Opinion of Timothy J. Geckle, counsel for The Ryland
    Group, Inc., regarding the legal validity of the shares of Common Stock being
    registered for issuance under the Plan
  10.1*
  The Ryland Group, Inc. 2007 Equity Incentive Plan
  10.2*
  Form of Non-Qualified Stock Option Agreement
    pursuant to The Ryland Group, Inc. 2007 Equity Incentive Plan
  23.1*
  Consent of Counsel (contained in Exhibit 5.1)
  23.2*
  Consent of Ernst & Young LLP, Independent
    Registered Public Accounting Firm
  24.1*
  Powers of Attorney
  ------------
  * Filed herewith.
  -
  7
  -