<SUBMISSION>
<ACCESSION-NUMBER>0001253550-08-000015
<TYPE>4
<PUBLIC-DOCUMENT-COUNT>1
<PERIOD>20080229
<FILING-DATE>20080304
<DATE-OF-FILING-DATE-CHANGE>20080304
<REPORTING-OWNER>
<OWNER-DATA>
<CONFORMED-NAME>SIMON JOEL M
<CIK>0001287709
</OWNER-DATA>
<FILING-VALUES>
<FORM-TYPE>4
<ACT>34
<FILE-NUMBER>001-07395
<FILM-NUMBER>08663433
</FILING-VALUES>
<BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>400 MADISON AVE
<STREET2>3RD FL
<CITY>NEW YORK
<STATE>NY
<ZIP>10017
<PHONE>2126105628
</BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
</REPORTING-OWNER>
<ISSUER>
<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>
<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>
</ISSUER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>4
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>edgar.xml
<DESCRIPTION>PRIMARY DOCUMENT
<TEXT>
<XML>
<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0202</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2008-02-29</periodOfReport>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000039677</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>AVATAR HOLDINGS INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>AVTR</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001287709</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>SIMON JOEL M</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>XROADS, LLC</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>400 MADISON AVENUE, 3RD FLOOR</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>NEW YORK</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>NY</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>10017</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>1</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <derivativeTable>
        <derivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Stock Units</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2008-02-29</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>A</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>89.95</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>43.08</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F3"/>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <exerciseDate>
                <footnoteId id="F2"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <footnoteId id="F2"/>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>89.95</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>1133.78</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value></value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeTransaction>
    </derivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">The units convert to Common Stock of the Issuer on a 1-for-1 basis.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">The units, which represent a deferral of a portion of director's fees payable to the Reporting Person, are fully vested at all times and are convertible into shares of Issuer's Common Stock at the earlier of a date specified by the Reporting Person or the date on which the Reporting Person no longer serves as a director of the Issuer.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F3">Represents the closing price of Issuer's Common Stock as of the date for payment of director's fees, which closing price represents the denominator for purposes of determining the number of Stock Units attributable to the Reporting Person's deferral account.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <remarks></remarks>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>Juanita I. Kerrigan, attorney-in-fact for Joel M. Simon</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2008-03-04</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
</XML>
</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
</SUBMISSION>
