<SUBMISSION>
<ACCESSION-NUMBER>0001253550-10-000048
<TYPE>4
<PUBLIC-DOCUMENT-COUNT>1
<PERIOD>20100825
<FILING-DATE>20101103
<DATE-OF-FILING-DATE-CHANGE>20101103
<REPORTING-OWNER>
<OWNER-DATA>
<CONFORMED-NAME>FLETCHER PATRICIA K
<CIK>0001384597
</OWNER-DATA>
<FILING-VALUES>
<FORM-TYPE>4
<ACT>34
<FILE-NUMBER>001-07395
<FILM-NUMBER>101160301
</FILING-VALUES>
<MAIL-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>201 ALHAMBRA CIRCLE
<CITY>CORAL GABLES
<STATE>FL
<ZIP>33134
</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>4
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>edgar.xml
<DESCRIPTION>PRIMARY DOCUMENT
<TEXT>
<XML>
<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0303</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2010-08-25</periodOfReport>

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

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001384597</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>FLETCHER PATRICIA K</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>201 ALHAMBRA CIRCLE</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>12TH FLOOR</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>CORAL GABLES</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>FL</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>33134</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>1</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle>EVP &amp; GC</officerTitle>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <derivativeTable>
        <derivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Performance Conditioned Restricted Stock Units</value>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <footnoteId id="F2"/>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2010-08-25</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>A</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>4000</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <exerciseDate>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>4000</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>4000</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value></value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeTransaction>
    </derivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">The award of the Performance Conditioned Restricted Stock Units is conditioned upon (i) the closing price of the Issuer's Common Stock being at least $25.00 per share for 20 trading days out of 30 consecutive trading days during the period beginning August 25, 2010 and ending December 31, 2011, and (ii) the continued employment of the Reporting Person at the time the foregoing condition is satisfied.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">The units convert to Common Stock of the Issuer on a 1-for-1 basis.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <remarks></remarks>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>Patricia K. Fletcher</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2010-11-04</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
</XML>
</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
</SUBMISSION>
