-----BEGIN PRIVACY-ENHANCED MESSAGE-----
Proc-Type: 2001,MIC-CLEAR
Originator-Name: webmaster@www.sec.gov
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MIC-Info: RSA-MD5,RSA,
 CYMklA20034RGE0jYgFCvN/xXwuTpfjw9+tYggIpYpm+LhjWGjhEvZTwFTUnICR/
 31wPq9GcCQnWSBU4lUDvIg==

<SEC-DOCUMENT>0001253550-11-000006.txt : 20110104
<SEC-HEADER>0001253550-11-000006.hdr.sgml : 20110104
<ACCEPTANCE-DATETIME>20110104083043
ACCESSION NUMBER:		0001253550-11-000006
CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE:	4
PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT:		1
CONFORMED PERIOD OF REPORT:	20101231
FILED AS OF DATE:		20110104
DATE AS OF CHANGE:		20110104

REPORTING-OWNER:	

	OWNER DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			DONNELL JON M
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0001199409

	FILING VALUES:
		FORM TYPE:		4
		SEC ACT:		1934 Act
		SEC FILE NUMBER:	001-07395
		FILM NUMBER:		11503335

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		C/O VISTACARE, INC.
		STREET 2:		4800 N. SCOTTSDALE RD., SUITE 5000
		CITY:			SCOTTSDALE
		STATE:			AZ
		ZIP:			85251

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>2010-12-31</periodOfReport>

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

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001199409</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>DONNELL JON M</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>1</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>1</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle>PRESIDENT AND CEO</officerTitle>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>RESTRICTED COMMON STOCK</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2010-12-31</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>J</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>10000</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>0</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>300000</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value></value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>COMMON STOCK</value>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2010-12-31</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>F</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>3645</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F3"/>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>19.82</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>6355</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value></value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Of the 310,000 Restricted Shares of Common Stock (the &quot;Shares&quot;) awarded to the Reporting Person pursuant to the terms of that certain Employment Agreement dated as of October 19, 2010 between the Issuer and the Reporting Person (the &quot;Agreement&quot;), 70,000 Shares are time based awards; 10,000 of which vested December 31, 2010.  300,000 Restricted Shares of Issuer's Common Stock awarded to the Reporting Person remain subject to the time and performance conditions set forth in the Agreement.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">The zero (0) in this column is a &quot;dummy&quot; amount, solely for the purpose of permitting the use of a descriptive footnote stating that the price is not applicable.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F3">Represents 3,645 shares of the Issuer's Common Stock withheld by Issuer in payment of Reporting Person's tax liability upon the removal of time-based restrictions on 10,000 shares of Issuer's Common Stock at a price of $19.82 per share.  The Reporting Person owns 6,355 unrestricted shares of Issuer's Common Stock as of December 31, 2010.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <remarks></remarks>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>JON M. DONNELL</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2011-01-04</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
</XML>
</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
</SEC-DOCUMENT>
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