<SUBMISSION>
<ACCESSION-NUMBER>0001253550-08-000009
<TYPE>3/A
<PUBLIC-DOCUMENT-COUNT>1
<PERIOD>20070531
<FILING-DATE>20080304
<DATE-OF-FILING-DATE-CHANGE>20080304
<REPORTING-OWNER>
<OWNER-DATA>
<CONFORMED-NAME>Barnett Paul D
<CIK>0001305502
</OWNER-DATA>
<FILING-VALUES>
<FORM-TYPE>3/A
<ACT>34
<FILE-NUMBER>001-07395
<FILM-NUMBER>08663396
</FILING-VALUES>
<BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<PHONE>212-351-7940
</BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<MAIL-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>C/O ODYSSEY INVESTMENT PARTNERS, LLC
<STREET2>280 PARK AVENUE, WEST TOWER, 38TH FLOOR
<CITY>NEW YORK
<STATE>NY
<ZIP>10017
</MAIL-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>3/A
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>edgar.xml
<DESCRIPTION>PRIMARY DOCUMENT
<TEXT>
<XML>
<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0202</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>3/A</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2007-05-31</periodOfReport>

    <dateOfOriginalSubmission>2007-06-04</dateOfOriginalSubmission>

    <noSecuritiesOwned>0</noSecuritiesOwned>

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

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001305502</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>Barnett Paul D</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>280 PARK AVENUE, 21 WEST</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></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>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock, $1.00 par value</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>1000</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value></value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeHolding>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">This Amendment is filed to correct the amount of Securities of the Issuer beneficially owned by the Reporting Person on May 31, 2007 from 500 to 1,000 shares of the Common Stock of Avatar Holdings Inc.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <remarks></remarks>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>Juanita I. Kerrigan, Attorney-in-Fact for Paul D. Barnett</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2008-03-04</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
</XML>
</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
</SUBMISSION>
