-----BEGIN PRIVACY-ENHANCED MESSAGE-----
Proc-Type: 2001,MIC-CLEAR
Originator-Name: webmaster@www.sec.gov
Originator-Key-Asymmetric:
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 TWSM7vrzLADbmYQaionwg5sDW3P6oaM5D3tdezXMm7z1T+B+twIDAQAB
MIC-Info: RSA-MD5,RSA,
 A+ePhr7xrjnLObLYtlLDfax7pSFlkoP7ip2DTPYuoOYUv/fdHzfZT7gdaFHC2UTH
 7RtFdshLZ4hpGp4Vlj4zeQ==

<SEC-DOCUMENT>0001253550-10-000003.txt : 20100105
<SEC-HEADER>0001253550-10-000003.hdr.sgml : 20100105
<ACCEPTANCE-DATETIME>20100105085313
ACCESSION NUMBER:		0001253550-10-000003
CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE:	4
PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT:		1
CONFORMED PERIOD OF REPORT:	20091231
FILED AS OF DATE:		20100105
DATE AS OF CHANGE:		20100105

REPORTING-OWNER:	

	OWNER DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			Nash Joshua Lionel
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0001305016

	FILING VALUES:
		FORM TYPE:		4
		SEC ACT:		1934 Act
		SEC FILE NUMBER:	001-07395
		FILM NUMBER:		10504370

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		ODAV LLC
		STREET 2:		280 PARK AVENUE
		CITY:			NEW YORK
		STATE:			NY
		ZIP:			10017

ISSUER:		

	COMPANY DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			AVATAR HOLDINGS INC
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0000039677
		STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION:	OPERATIVE BUILDERS [1531]
		IRS NUMBER:				231739078
		STATE OF INCORPORATION:			DE
		FISCAL YEAR END:			1231

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		201 ALHAMBRA CIRCLE
		CITY:			CORAL GABLES
		STATE:			FL
		ZIP:			33134
		BUSINESS PHONE:		3054427000

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		201 ALHAMBRA CIRCLE
		CITY:			CORAL GABLES
		STATE:			FL
		ZIP:			33134

	FORMER COMPANY:	
		FORMER CONFORMED NAME:	GAC CORP /DE/
		DATE OF NAME CHANGE:	19801023

	FORMER COMPANY:	
		FORMER CONFORMED NAME:	GENERAL ACCEPTANCE CORP
		DATE OF NAME CHANGE:	19710208
</SEC-HEADER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>4
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>edgar.xml
<DESCRIPTION>PRIMARY DOCUMENT
<TEXT>
<XML>
<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0303</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2009-12-31</periodOfReport>

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

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001305016</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>Nash Joshua Lionel</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>C/O ULYSSES MANAGEMENT, LLC</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>ONE ROCKEFELLER PLAZA, 20TH FLOOR</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>NEW YORK</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>NY</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>10020</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>1</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>1</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle>Chairman of the Board</officerTitle>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <derivativeTable>
        <derivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Stock Units</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2009-12-31</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>A</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>267</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>17.01</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>267</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>3102.1</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 Joshua Nash</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2010-01-05</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
</XML>
</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
</SEC-DOCUMENT>
-----END PRIVACY-ENHANCED MESSAGE-----
