                                                                    Exhibit 24

                              AVATAR HOLDINGS INC.

                          LIMITED POWER OF ATTORNEY FOR
                        SECTION 16 REPORTING OBLIGATIONS


           Know all by these present, that the undersigned hereby makes,
constitutes and appoints Juanita I. Kerrigan, acting individually, as the
undersigned's true and lawful attorney-in-fact, with full power and authority as
hereinafter described on behalf of and in the name, place and stead of the
undersigned to:

(1) prepare, execute, acknowledge, deliver and file Forms 3, 4, and 5 (including
any amendments thereto) with respect to the securities of Avatar Holdings Inc.,
a Delaware corporation (the "Company"), with the United States Securities and
Exchange Commission, any national securities exchanges and the Company, as
considered necessary or advisable under Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange
Act of 1934 and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder, as amended
from time to time (the "Exchange Act");

(2) seek or obtain, as the undersigned's representative and on the undersigned's
behalf, information on transactions in the Company's securities from any third
party, including brokers, employee benefit plan administrators and trustees, and
the undersigned hereby authorizes any such person to release any such
information to the undersigned and approves and ratifies any such release of
information; and

(3) perform any and all other acts which in the discretion of the
attorney-in-fact are necessary or desirable for and on behalf of the undersigned
in connection with the foregoing.

           The undersigned acknowledges that:

(1) this Power of Attorney authorizes, but does not require, the
attorney-in-fact to act in her discretion on information provided to the
attorney-in-fact without independent verification of such information;

(2) any documents prepared and/or executed by the attorney-in-fact on behalf of
the undersigned pursuant to this Power of Attorney will be in such form and will
contain such information and disclosure as the attorney-in-fact, in her
discretion, deems necessary or desirable;

(3) neither the Company nor the attorney-in-fact assumes (i) any liability for
the undersigned's responsibility to comply with the requirement of the Exchange
Act, (ii) any liability of the undersigned for any failure to comply with such
requirements, or (iii) any obligation or liability of the undersigned for profit
disgorgement under Section 16(b) of the Exchange Act; and

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(4) this Power of Attorney does not relieve the undersigned from responsibility
for compliance with the undersigned's obligations under the Exchange Act,
including without limitation the reporting requirements under Section 16 of the
Exchange Act.

           The undersigned hereby gives and grants the foregoing
attorney-in-fact full power and authority to do and perform all and every act
and thing whatsoever requisite, necessary or appropriate to be done in and about
the foregoing matters as fully to all intents and purposes as the undersigned
might or could do if present, hereby ratifying all that the attorney-in-fact of,
for and on behalf of the undersigned, shall lawfully do or cause to be done by
virtue of this Limited Power of Attorney.

           This Power of Attorney shall remain in full force and effect until
revoked by the undersigned in a signed writing delivered to the
attorney-in-fact.

           IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has caused this Power of Attorney
to be executed as of this 4th day of October, 2004.


                                            /s/ Beth Stewart
                                            -----------------------------------
                                            Signature


                                            Beth Stewart
                                            -----------------------------------
                                            Print Name


