<SUBMISSION>
<ACCESSION-NUMBER>0000891092-04-004112
<TYPE>8-K
<PUBLIC-DOCUMENT-COUNT>2
<PERIOD>20040817
<ITEMS>9
<FILING-DATE>20040817
<FILER>
<COMPANY-DATA>
<CONFORMED-NAME>AVATAR HOLDINGS INC
<CIK>0000039677
<ASSIGNED-SIC>1531
<IRS-NUMBER>231739078
<STATE-OF-INCORPORATION>DE
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>1231
</COMPANY-DATA>
<FILING-VALUES>
<FORM-TYPE>8-K
<ACT>34
<FILE-NUMBER>001-07395
<FILM-NUMBER>04982246
</FILING-VALUES>
<BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>201 ALHAMBRA CIRCLE
<CITY>CORAL GABLES
<STATE>FL
<ZIP>33134
<PHONE>3054427000
</BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<MAIL-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>201 ALHAMBRA CIRCLE
<CITY>CORAL GABLES
<STATE>FL
<ZIP>33134
</MAIL-ADDRESS>
<FORMER-COMPANY>
<FORMER-CONFORMED-NAME>GAC CORP /DE/
<DATE-CHANGED>19801023
</FORMER-COMPANY>
<FORMER-COMPANY>
<FORMER-CONFORMED-NAME>GENERAL ACCEPTANCE CORP
<DATE-CHANGED>19710208
</FORMER-COMPANY>
</FILER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>8-K
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>e18875_8k.txt
<DESCRIPTION>FORM 8-K
<TEXT>
================================================================================

                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             Washington, D.C. 20549

                                   ----------

                                    FORM 8-K
                             CURRENT REPORT PURSUANT
                          TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE
                         SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

                                   ----------

        Date of Report (Date of Earliest Event Reported): August 17, 2004

                              AVATAR HOLDINGS INC.
             ------------------------------------------------------
             (Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in its Charter)

                                    Delaware
                 ----------------------------------------------
                 (State or Other Jurisdiction of Incorporation)

         0-7616                                         23-1739078
------------------------                    ------------------------------------
(Commission File Number)                    (I.R.S. Employer Identification No.)

           201 Alhambra Circle
          Coral Gables, Florida                                   33134
----------------------------------------                        ----------
(Address of Principal Executive Offices)                        (Zip Code)

                                 (305) 442-7000
              ----------------------------------------------------
              (Registrant's Telephone Number, Including Area Code)

          -------------------------------------------------------------
          (Former Name or Former Address, if Changed Since Last Report)

================================================================================

<PAGE>

Item 9. Regulation FD Disclosure

      On August 17, 2004 Avatar Holdings Inc.  issued a press release  reporting
on the Impact from Hurricane  Charley.  A copy of that press release is attached
hereto as Exhibit 99.1, and is incorporated herein by reference.

      The information in this report, including the exhibit hereto, shall not be
deemed to be  "filed"  for the  purposes  of Section  18 of the  Securities  and
Exchange Act of 1934, or otherwise  subject to the  liabilities of that Section.
The  information  in this report,  including  the exhibit  hereto,  shall not be
incorporated  by  reference  into any  filing  of the  registrant  with the SEC,
whether  made  before  or  after  the date  hereof,  regardless  of any  general
incorporation  language  in such  filings  (unless the  registrant  specifically
states that the information or exhibit in this particular report is incorporated
by reference).

<PAGE>

                                    SIGNATURE

      Pursuant to the  requirements of the Securities  Exchange Act of 1934, the
registrant  has duly  caused  this  report  to be  signed  on its  behalf by the
undersigned hereunto duly authorized.

                                         AVATAR HOLDINGS INC.

                                         By: /s/ Juanita I. Kerrigan
                                             -----------------------------------
                                             Name: Juanita I. Kerrigan
                                             Title: Vice President and Secretary

Date: August 17, 2004

</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>EX-99.1
<SEQUENCE>2
<FILENAME>e18875ex99-1.txt
<DESCRIPTION>PRESS RELEASE
<TEXT>
                                                                    Exhibit 99.1

        Avatar Holdings Reports Short-Term Impact From Hurricane Charley

    CORAL GABLES, Fla., Aug. 17 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Avatar Holdings Inc.
(Nasdaq: AVTR) advised today concerning a short-term impact on its business as
a result of Hurricane Charley.  The hurricane has resulted in minor damage to
Avatar's communities and operations in Osceola and Polk counties.  Most damage
was landscape related.  There is very little or no structural damage to Avatar
owned facilities.  All Avatar communities, including Bellalago and Solivita,
have full power, with one exception.

    Osceola County has placed a temporary hold on issuing new home permits to
enable County officials to focus on rebuilding efforts.  Avatar is not aware
of any such action by Polk County.  Currently, approximately 75% of
homebuilding profits generated by Avatar's Central Florida operations are from
Osceola County.  Additionally, certain of Avatar's suppliers are not yet
operational or fully operational.  Avatar anticipates that its schedule for
construction and closing of homes in Polk and Osceola counties will be delayed
by approximately three to six weeks as a consequence of the hurricane.

    Avatar has not yet reopened its sales offices in Polk and Osceola
Counties, as its efforts have been directed at assisting homeowners in its
communities, and in cleanup and repair operations.  Avatar anticipates
reopening for sales within seven to ten days.


    Avatar Holdings Inc. is primarily engaged in real estate operations in
Florida and Arizona.  Its principal real estate operations are conducted at
Poinciana, Solivita and Bellalago in central Florida near Orlando, Harbor
Islands on Florida's east coast, Cory Lake Isles in Tampa, Florida, and at Rio
Rico, south of Tucson, AZ. Avatar's common shares trade on The Nasdaq Stock
Market under the symbol AVTR.


    Certain statements discussed herein constitute "forward-looking
statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act
of 1995.  Such forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks,
uncertainties and other important factors that could cause the actual results,
performance or achievements of results to differ materially from any future
results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-
looking statements.  Such risks, uncertainties and other important factors
include, among others: the successful implementation of Avatar's business
strategy; shifts in demographic trends affecting demand for active adult
communities and other real estate development; the level of immigration and
in-migration into areas in which Avatar conducts real estate activities;
international (in particular Latin America), national and local economic
conditions and events, including employment levels, interest rates, consumer
confidence, the availability of mortgage financing and demand for new and
existing housing; access to future financing; geopolitical risks; competition;
changes in, or the failure or inability to comply with, government
regulations; adverse weather conditions and natural disasters; and other
factors as are described in greater detail in Avatar's filings with the
Securities and Exchange Commission, including its Annual Report on Form 10-K
for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2003.



SOURCE  Avatar Holdings Inc.
    -0-                             08/17/2004
    /CONTACT:  Juanita I. Kerrigan of Avatar Holdings Inc., +1-305-442-7000/
    /Web site:  http://www.avatarhomes.com/
    (AVTR)

CO:  Avatar Holdings Inc.
ST:  Florida
IN:  CST RLT
SU:

</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
</SUBMISSION>
