IMPAC MORTGAGE HOLDINGS INC
S-3/A, 1998-09-04
REAL ESTATE INVESTMENT TRUSTS
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<PAGE>
 
     
  AS FILED WITH THE SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION ON SEPTEMBER 4, 1998.
                                                
                                                   
                                                REGISTRATION NO. 333-52335     
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
                      SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                            WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549
                                ---------------
                                
                             AMENDMENT NO. 1     
                                       
                                    TO     
                                   FORM S-3
                            REGISTRATION STATEMENT
                       Under The Securities Act of 1933
                                ---------------
                         IMPAC MORTGAGE HOLDINGS, INC.
            (EXACT NAME OF REGISTRANT AS SPECIFIED IN ITS CHARTER)
                                ---------------
<TABLE>   
   <S>                              <C>                                          <C>
                                                20371 IRVINE AVENUE
                                            SANTA ANA HEIGHTS, CA 92707
              MARYLAND                             (714) 556-0122                      33-0675505
   (STATE OR OTHER JURISDICTION OF  (ADDRESS, INCLUDING ZIP CODE, AND TELEPHONE     (I.R.S. EMPLOYER
   INCORPORATION OR ORGANIZATION)   NUMBER, INCLUDING AREA CODE, OF REGISTRANTS' IDENTIFICATION NUMBER)
                                            PRINCIPAL EXECUTIVE OFFICES)
</TABLE>    
 
                              JOSEPH R. TOMKINSON
                            CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER
                         IMPAC MORTGAGE HOLDINGS, INC.
                              20371 IRVINE AVENUE
                          SANTA ANA HEIGHTS, CA 92707
                                (714) 556-0122
(NAME, ADDRESS, INCLUDING ZIP CODE, AND TELEPHONE NUMBER, INCLUDING AREA CODE,
                             OF AGENT FOR SERVICE)
                                  COPIES TO:
                            THOMAS J. POLETTI, ESQ.
                           KATHERINE J. BLAIR, ESQ.
                             DAVID M. TAMMAN, ESQ.
                         FRESHMAN, MARANTZ, ORLANSKI,
                                COOPER & KLEIN
                      9100 WILSHIRE BOULEVARD, 8TH FLOOR
                        BEVERLY HILLS, CALIFORNIA 90212
                           TELEPHONE (310) 273-1870
                                ---------------
  APPROXIMATE DATE OF COMMENCEMENT OF PROPOSED SALE TO THE PUBLIC: FROM TIME
TO TIME AFTER THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT BECOMES EFFECTIVE.
  If the only securities being registered on this Form are being offered
pursuant to dividend or interest reinvestment plans, please check the
following box: [_]
  If any of the securities being registered on the Form are to be offered on a
delayed or continuous basis pursuant to Rule 415 under the Securities Act of
1933, other than securities offered only in connection with dividend or
interest reinvestment plans, check the following box: [X]
  If this Form is filed to register additional securities for an offering
pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act, please check the following
box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier
effective registration statement for the same offering: [_]
  If this Form is a post-effective amendment filed pursuant to Rule 462(c)
under the Securities Act, check the following box and list the Securities Act
registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement
for the same offering: [_]
  If delivery of the prospectus is expected to be made pursuant to Rule 434,
please check the following box: [_]
                        CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE
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- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<TABLE>   
<CAPTION>
                                                           PROPOSED
                                           PROPOSED        MAXIMUM
 TITLE OF EACH CLASS OF                    MAXIMUM        AGGREGATE      AMOUNT OF
    SECURITIES TO BE       AMOUNT TO    OFFERING PRICE     OFFERING     REGISTRATION
       REGISTERED        BE REGISTERED  PER SECURITY(1)    PRICE(1)       FEE(2)(3)
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<S>                      <C>            <C>             <C>            <C>
Common Stock, $.01 par
 value per share........   1,990,147        $16.63       $33,096,145     $9,763.86*
</TABLE>    
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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(1) Estimated solely for the purpose of calculating the registration fee
    pursuant to Rule 457(c), based on the average of the high and low sales
    prices of the Common Stock on May 8, 1998 as reported on the American
    Stock Exchange.
   
(2) Pursuant to Rule 429 under the Securities Act, 94,936 shares of Common
    Stock are being carried forward from the Registrant's Registration
    Statement No. 333-38517. Accordingly, the registration fee of $754
    associated with such securities was previously paid on October 23, 1997
    upon the filing of said Registration Statement.     
(3) Paid by wire transfer to the Securities and Exchange Commission's account
    at Mellon Bank.
   
*  Previously Paid.             
                                ---------------
  THE REGISTRANT HEREBY AMENDS THIS REGISTRATION STATEMENT ON SUCH DATE OR
DATES AS MAY BE NECESSARY TO DELAY ITS EFFECTIVE DATE UNTIL THE REGISTRANT
SHALL FILE A FURTHER AMENDMENT THAT SPECIFICALLY STATES THAT THIS REGISTRATION
STATEMENT SHALL THEREAFTER BECOME EFFECTIVE IN ACCORDANCE WITH SECTION 8(A) OF
THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, AS AMENDED, OR UNTIL THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT
SHALL BECOME EFFECTIVE ON SUCH DATE AS THE SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION,
ACTING PURSUANT TO SUCH SECTION 8(A), MAY DETERMINE.
  PURSUANT TO RULE 429 UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, AS AMENDED, THE
PROSPECTUS WHICH IS A PART OF THIS REGISTRATION STATEMENT IS A COMBINED
PROSPECTUS RELATING ALSO TO REGISTRATION STATEMENT NO. 333-38517.
 
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<PAGE>
 
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
+INFORMATION CONTAINED HEREIN IS SUBJECT TO COMPLETION OR AMENDMENT. A         +
+REGISTRATION STATEMENT RELATING TO THESE SECURITIES HAS BEEN FILED WITH THE   +
+SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION. THESE SECURITIES MAY NOT BE SOLD NOR MAY  +
+OFFERS TO BUY BE ACCEPTED PRIOR TO THE TIME THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT        +
+BECOMES EFFECTIVE. THIS PROSPECTUS SHALL NOT CONSTITUTE AN OFFER TO SELL OR   +
+THE SOLICITATION OF AN OFFER TO BUY NOR SHALL THERE BE ANY SALE OF THESE      +
+SECURITIES IN ANY STATE IN WHICH SUCH OFFER, SOLICITATION OR SALE WOULD BE    +
+UNLAWFUL PRIOR TO REGISTRATION OR QUALIFICATION UNDER THE SECURITIES LAWS OF  +
+ANY SUCH STATE.                                                               +
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
                 
              SUBJECT TO COMPLETION, DATED SEPTEMBER 4, 1998     
 
PROSPECTUS
 
                    [LOGO OF IMPAC MORTGAGE HOLDINGS, INC.]
 
                 DIVIDEND REINVESTMENT AND STOCK PURCHASE PLAN
 
  The Dividend Reinvestment and Stock Purchase Plan (the "Plan") of Impac
Mortgage Holdings, Inc. (the "Company") (formerly, Imperial Credit Mortgage
Holdings, Inc.) provides holders of record and beneficial owners of shares of
Common Stock, $.01 par value, of the Company (the "Common Stock") with a simple
and convenient method of investing cash dividends in additional shares of stock
at a current 3% discount (subject to change) from the market price (as
determined in accordance with the Plan), to the extent shares are acquired
directly from the Company. If the shares are acquired in open market
transactions by the Plan Administrator (as defined in Question 4), the discount
will not be available. Common Stock may also be purchased directly from the
Company on a monthly basis with optional cash payments made by participants in
the Plan at a current 1% discount (subject to change) from the market price (as
determined in accordance with the Plan). Each of the discounts is subject to
change (but will not vary from the range of 0% to 5%) from time to time or
discontinuance at the Company's discretion after a review of current market
conditions, the level of participation in the Plan and the Company's current
and projected capital needs. PARTICIPANTS MAY ASCERTAIN THE APPLICABLE DISCOUNT
RATE BY CONTACTING THE COMPANY'S INVESTOR RELATIONS DEPARTMENT AT (714) 438-
2100.
 
  Brokers and nominees may reinvest dividends and make optional cash payments
on behalf of beneficial owners. Those holders of Common Stock who do not
participate in the Plan will receive cash dividends, as declared, in the usual
manner.
 
  To enroll in the Plan, simply complete the enclosed Authorization Form and
return it in the envelope provided. Enrollment in the Plan is entirely
voluntary and participants in the Plan may terminate their participation at any
time. A broker, bank or other nominee may reinvest dividends and make optional
cash payments on behalf of beneficial owners. See Questions 6, 7 and 8.
Stockholders who are presently enrolled in the existing Impac Mortgage
Holdings, Inc. Dividend Reinvestment and Stock Purchase Plan will continue to
be enrolled in the Plan unless they notify the Company otherwise. The Plan
amends and restates in its entirety the existing Impac Mortgage Holdings, Inc.
Dividend Reinvestment and Stock Purchase Plan.
 
  A participant in the Plan may obtain additional shares of Common Stock by (i)
reinvesting dividends on all or part of the shares of Common Stock held by the
participant, (ii) making optional cash payments of not less than $50 and up to
$10,000 per month, whether or not dividends on shares held by the participant
are being reinvested, and (iii) making optional cash payments in excess of
$10,000 per month with the permission of the Company whether or not dividends
on shares held by the participant are being reinvested.
 
                            (Continued on next page)
 
THESE SECURITIES  HAVE NOT BEEN APPROVED  OR DISAPPROVED BY THE  SECURITIES AND
 EXCHANGE COMMISSION OR ANY STATE SECURITIES COMMISSION NOR HAS THE SECURITIES
 AND EXCHANGE  COMMISSION OR ANY  STATE SECURITIES COMMISSION PASSED  UPON THE
  ACCURACY OR ADEQUACY OF THIS PROSPECTUS. ANY REPRESENTATION TO THE CONTRARY
  IS A CRIMINAL OFFENSE.
 
                  The date of this Prospectus is       , 1998
<PAGE>
 
                        (Continued from previous page)
 
  Optional cash payments in excess of $10,000 may be made only pursuant to an
accepted request for waiver. It is expected that a portion of the shares of
Common Stock available for issuance under the Plan will be issued pursuant to
such waivers. The price to be paid for shares of Common Stock purchased under
the Plan in excess of $10,000 pursuant to the optional cash payment feature of
the Plan will be a price reflecting a discount of 0% to 5% (the "Waiver
Discount") (see Question 18) from the applicable Market Price (as defined in
Question 13). As of the date of this Prospectus, under the Plan, the price per
share purchased in excess of $10,000 will be at a 2.25% discount and shares
may be purchased either directly from the Company or on the open market. There
is no pre-established maximum limit applicable to optional cash payments that
may be made pursuant to accepted requests for waiver. Optional cash payments
that do not exceed $10,000 and the reinvestment of dividends in additional
shares of Common Stock will not be subject to the Waiver Discount.
Participants in the Plan may request that any or all of their shares held in
Plan accounts be sold by the Plan Administrator. See Question 28.
 
  To the extent that shares of Common Stock issued hereunder are authorized
but previously unissued shares rather than shares acquired in the open market,
the Plan will raise additional capital for the Company. The Company currently
intends to issue such shares and, therefore, the Plan is expected to raise
capital for the Company. Each month a portion of the shares available for
issuance under the Plan may be purchased by owners of shares (including
brokers or dealers) who, in connection with any resales of such shares, may be
deemed to be underwriters within the meaning of the Securities Act of 1933, as
amended (the "Securities Act"). See "Plan of Distribution." These sales will
be effected through the Company's ability to waive limits applicable to the
amounts which participants may invest pursuant to the Plan's optional cash
payment feature.
 
  From time to time, financial intermediaries, including brokers and dealers,
may engage in positioning transactions in order to benefit from the discount
from market price of the Common Stock acquired through the reinvestment of
dividends under the Plan. Such transactions may cause fluctuations in the
trading volume of the Common Stock. Financial intermediaries which engage in
positioning transactions may be deemed to be underwriters within the meaning
of the Securities Act. See "Plan of Distribution."
   
  This Prospectus relates to 2,085,083 shares of Common Stock offered hereby
and registered for sale under the Plan. Participants should retain this
Prospectus for future reference.     
 
  This Prospectus does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an
offer to buy any of the securities offered hereby in any jurisdiction to any
person to whom it is unlawful to make such an offer or solicitation in such
jurisdiction. No person has been authorized to give any information or to make
any representations other than those contained in this Prospectus in
connection with the offering made hereby, and if given or made, such
information or representations must not be relied upon as having been
authorized by the Company. Neither the delivery of this Prospectus nor any
sale made hereunder shall, under any circumstances, create any implication
that information herein is correct as of any time subsequent to the date
hereof.
 
                                       2
<PAGE>
 
                               TABLE OF CONTENTS
 
<TABLE>
<S>                                                                          <C>
AVAILABLE INFORMATION.......................................................   4
INCORPORATION OF CERTAIN DOCUMENTS BY REFERENCE.............................   4
IMPAC MORTGAGE HOLDINGS, INC................................................   5
SUMMARY OF PLAN.............................................................   5
THE PLAN....................................................................   7
PURPOSE.....................................................................   7
OPTIONS AVAILABLE TO PARTICIPANTS...........................................   7
ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES................................................   8
ADMINISTRATION..............................................................   9
PARTICIPATION...............................................................   9
PURCHASE AND PRICES OF SHARES...............................................  14
DIVIDENDS ON FRACTIONS......................................................  20
CERTIFICATES FOR COMMON SHARES..............................................  20
WITHDRAWALS AND TERMINATION.................................................  20
OTHER INFORMATION...........................................................  21
DIVIDENDS...................................................................  26
USE OF PROCEEDS.............................................................  26
PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION........................................................  26
LEGAL OPINION...............................................................  27
EXPERTS.....................................................................  27
INDEMNIFICATION.............................................................  27
GLOSSARY....................................................................  28
SCHEDULE A..................................................................  30
</TABLE>
 
                                       3
<PAGE>
 
                             AVAILABLE INFORMATION
 
  The Company is subject to the informational requirements of the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange Act") and, in accordance
therewith, files periodic reports and other information with the Securities
and Exchange Commission (the "Commission"). Reports, proxy statements and
other information concerning the Company can be inspected and copied, at
prescribed rates, at the public reference facilities of the Commission at
Judiciary Plaza, 450 Fifth Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20549 and at the
following regional offices of the Commission: New York (Seven World Trade
Center, Suite 1300, New York, New York 10048), and Chicago (Northwestern
Atrium Center, 500 West Madison Street, Suite 1400, Chicago, Illinois 60661-
2511), and copies of such material can be obtained from the Public Reference
Section of the Commission at Judiciary Plaza, 450 Fifth Street, N.W.,
Washington, D.C. 20549, at prescribed rates. The Commission maintains a web
site that contains reports, proxy and information statements and other
information regarding registrants that file electronically with the
Commission. The address of the site is http://www.sec.gov. Reports, proxy
statements and other information concerning the Company also may be inspected
at the offices of the American Stock Exchange where the Company's Common Stock
is listed. This Prospectus does not contain all information set forth in the
Registration Statement and Exhibits thereto which the Company has filed with
the Commission under the Securities Act and to which reference is hereby made.
 
                INCORPORATION OF CERTAIN DOCUMENTS BY REFERENCE
   
  The following documents filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission by
the Company are incorporated by reference in this Prospectus: (1) the
Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K, as amended, for the year ended December
31, 1997; (2) the Company's quarterly report on Form 10-Q for the three months
ended March 31, 1998; (3) the Company's quarterly report on Form 10-Q for the
three months ended June 30, 1998; (4) the Company's current report on Form 8-K
filed on January 16, 1998 and on Form 8-K/A filed on February 17, 1998; (5)
the Company's current report on Form 8-K filed on February 9, 1998, and on
Form 8-K/A filed on February 11, 1998; (6) the Company's current report on
Form 8-K filed on June 4, 1998; (7) the Company's current report on Form 8-K
filed on June 3, 1998 and (8) the section of the Company's Registration
Statement on Form S-11, filed with the Commission on October 25, 1996 and as
amended by Amendment No. 1 filed with the Commission on November 4, 1996,
entitled "Description of Securities."     
 
  All documents filed by the Company pursuant to Section 13(a), 13(c), 14 or
15(d) of the Exchange Act subsequent to the date of this Prospectus and prior
to the termination of the offering of the securities offered hereby shall be
deemed incorporated by reference into this Prospectus and to be a part hereof
from the date of filing such documents.
 
  Any statement contained in a document incorporated or deemed to be
incorporated by reference herein shall be modified or superseded for purposes
of this Prospectus to the extent that a statement contained herein or in any
other subsequently filed document which also is or is deemed to be
incorporated by reference herein modifies or supersedes such statement. Any
such statement so modified or superseded shall not be deemed, except as so
modified or superseded, to constitute part of this Prospectus.
 
  Any person receiving a copy of this Prospectus may obtain without charge,
upon request, a copy of any of the documents incorporated by reference herein,
except for the exhibits to such documents. Written requests should be
addressed to Investor Relations, Impac Mortgage Holdings, Inc., 20371 Irvine
Avenue, Santa Ana Heights, California 92707. Telephone requests may be
directed to Investor Relations at (714) 438-2100.
 
                                       4
<PAGE>
 
                         IMPAC MORTGAGE HOLDINGS, INC.
 
  Impac Mortgage Holdings, Inc. is a specialty finance company which, together
with its subsidiaries and related companies, operates three businesses: (1)
the Long-Term Investment Operations, (2) the Conduit Operations, and (3) the
Warehouse Lending Operations. The Long-Term Investment Operations invests
primarily in non-conforming residential mortgage loans and securities backed
by such loans. The Conduit Operations purchases and sells or securitizes
primarily non-conforming mortgage loans, and the Warehouse Lending Operations
provides warehouse and repurchase financing to originators of mortgage loans.
The Company is organized as a real estate investment trust ("REIT") for
federal income tax purposes, which generally allows it to pass through
qualified income to stockholders without federal income tax at the corporate
level. The Company's principal executive office is located at 20371 Irvine
Avenue, Santa Ana Heights, California 92707.
 
                                SUMMARY OF PLAN
 
  The Plan provides owners of Common Stock with a convenient and attractive
method of investing cash dividends (in some cases, at a discount from the
Market Price (as defined in Question 13) and without payment of any brokerage
commission or service charge), and investing optional cash payments in
additional shares of Common Stock. See Question 22 regarding brokerage
commissions. As of the date of this Prospectus, the price to be paid for
shares of Common Stock purchased under the Plan will be a price reflecting (i)
a discount of 3% (subject to change) from the Market Price for the
reinvestment of cash dividends to the extent shares are purchased directly
from the Company, (ii) no discount (subject to change) from the market price
for the reinvestment of cash dividends or the investment of optional cash
payments, to the extent shares are purchased on the open market, (iii) a 0% to
5% discount, which is currently at 1%, (subject to change) from the Market
Price for the investment of optional cash payments of up to $10,000, to the
extent purchased directly from the Company, and (iv) a discount of 0% to 5%
(the "Waiver Discount") from the Market Price for the investment of optional
cash payments that exceed $10,000. Each of the discounts is subject to change
(but will not vary from the range of 0% to 5%) from time to time or
discontinuance at the Company's discretion after a review of current market
conditions, the level of participation in the Plan and the Company's current
and projected capital needs. PARTICIPANTS MAY ASCERTAIN THE APPLICABLE
DISCOUNT RATE BY CONTACTING THE COMPANY'S INVESTOR RELATIONS DEPARTMENT AT
(714) 438-2100. In addition, Participants are currently responsible for their
share of brokerage commissions incurred in connection with the purchase of
shares on the open market. However, the Board of Directors may in the future
determine that the Company will pay such brokerage commissions on behalf of
Participants if, based on the advice of tax counsel or a favorable ruling from
the Internal Revenue Service ("IRS"), it determines that the Company's payment
of such expenses will not jeopardize the Company's status as a REIT.
 
  Participants electing to invest optional cash payments in additional shares
of Common Stock are subject to a minimum per month purchase limit of $50 and a
maximum per month purchase limit of $10,000 (subject to waiver). See Question
18. Optional cash payments in excess of $10,000 may be made only upon
acceptance by the Company of a completed Request for Waiver form from a
Participant. See Question 18. Each month, at least five business days prior to
each record date (as defined in Question 19), the Company will establish the
Waiver Discount (as defined in Question 18), applicable to optional cash
payments that exceed $10,000. The Waiver Discount, which may vary each month,
will be established in the Company's sole discretion after a review of
 
                                       5
<PAGE>
 
current market conditions, the level of participation in the Plan and the
Company's current and projected capital needs. Optional cash payments that do
not exceed $10,000 and the reinvestment of dividends in additional shares of
Common Stock will not be subject to the Waiver Discount. Optional cash
payments of less than $50 and that portion of any optional cash payment which
exceeds the maximum monthly purchase limit of $10,000, unless such limit has
been waived, are subject to return to the Participant without interest.
Participants may request that any or all shares held in the Plan be sold by
the Plan Administrator on behalf of such Participants. See Question 28.
   
  Subject to the availability of shares of Common Stock registered for
issuance under the Plan, there is no total maximum or minimum number of shares
that can be issued pursuant to the reinvestment of dividends and no pre-
established maximum limit applies to optional cash payments that may be made
pursuant to Requests for Waiver. See Question 2. As of the date of the
Prospectus, 2,085,083 shares of Common Stock have been registered and are
available for sale under the Plan.     
 
  The Company expects to grant Requests for Waiver to financial
intermediaries, including brokers and dealers, and other Participants in the
future. Grants of Requests for Waiver will be made in the sole discretion of
the Company based on a variety of factors, which may include: the Company's
current and projected capital needs, the alternatives available to the Company
to meet those needs, prevailing market prices for Common Stock, general
economic and market conditions, expected aberrations in the price or trading
volume of the Common Stock, the potential disruption of the price of the
Common Stock by a financial intermediary, the number of shares of Common Stock
held by the Participant submitting the waiver request, the past actions of a
Participant under the Plan, the aggregate amount of optional cash payments for
which such waivers have been submitted and the administrative constraints
associated with granting such waivers. If such Requests for Waiver are
granted, a portion of the shares available for issuance under the Plan will be
purchased by Participants (including brokers or dealers) who, in connection
with any resales of such shares, may be deemed to be underwriters within the
meaning of the Securities Act. See "Plan of Distribution."
 
  To the extent that Requests for Waiver are granted, it is expected that a
greater number of shares will be issued under the optional cash payment
feature of the Plan as opposed to the dividend reinvestment feature of the
Plan.
 
  Financial intermediaries may purchase a significant portion of the shares of
Common Stock issued pursuant to the optional cash payment feature of the Plan.
The Company does not have any formal or informal understanding with any such
organizations and, therefore, the extent of such financial intermediaries'
participation under the Plan cannot be estimated at this time. Participants
that are financial intermediaries that acquire shares of Common Stock under
the Plan with a view to distribution of such shares or that offer or sell
Shares for the Company in connection with the Plan may be deemed to be
underwriters within the meaning of the Securities Act.
 
  From time to time, financial intermediaries, including brokers and dealers,
may engage in positioning transactions in order to benefit from the discount
from the Market Price of the shares of Common Stock acquired through the
reinvestment of dividends under the Plan. Such transactions may cause
fluctuations in the trading volume of the Common Stock. Financial
intermediaries which engage in positioning transactions may be deemed to be
underwriters within the meaning of the Securities Act. The Plan is intended
for the benefit of investors in the Company and not for individuals or
investors who engage in transactions which may cause aberrations in the price
or trading volume of the Common Stock.
 
                                       6
<PAGE>
 
                                   THE PLAN
 
  The current Impac Mortgage Holdings, Inc. Dividend Reinvestment and Stock
Purchase Plan was adopted by the Board of Directors of Impac Mortgage
Holdings, Inc. (the "Company") on October 21, 1997 (the "Previous Plan"). The
Previous Plan was amended and restated on April 28, 1998, including but not
limited to authorizing the issuance of additional shares thereunder. Because
the Company currently expects to continue the Plan indefinitely, it expects to
authorize for issuance and register under the Securities Act additional shares
from time to time as necessary for purposes of the Plan. The following
questions and answers explain and constitute the Plan. Stockholders who do not
participate in the Plan will receive cash dividends, as declared, and paid in
the usual manner. A person participating in the Previous Plan will be enrolled
automatically in the Plan, unless the person gives written notice to the
contrary. See Question 11.
 
                                    PURPOSE
1. WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF THE PLAN?
 
  The primary purpose of the Plan is to provide eligible holders of shares of
Common Stock of the Company with a convenient and simple method of increasing
their investment in the Company by investing cash dividends in additional
shares of Common Stock without payment of any brokerage commission or service
charge and at a discount from the Market Price (as defined in Question 13), to
the extent shares are purchased directly from the Company, and by investing
optional cash payments in additional shares of Common Stock at a discount from
the Market Price (and without payment of any brokerage commission or service
charge, to the extent shares are purchased directly from the Company). See
Question 5 for a description of the holders who are eligible to participate in
the Plan. The Plan may also be used by the Company to raise additional capital
through the sale each month of a portion of the shares available for issuance
under the Plan to owners of shares (including brokers or dealers) who, in
connection with any resales of such shares, may be deemed to be underwriters.
These sales will be effected through the Company's ability to waive
limitations applicable to the amounts which Participants (as defined in
Question 2) may invest pursuant to the Plan's optional cash payment feature.
 
  See Question 18 for information concerning limitations applicable to
optional cash payments and certain of the factors considered by the Company in
granting waivers. To the extent shares are purchased from the Company under
the Plan, it will receive additional funds for general corporate purposes. The
Plan is intended for the benefit of investors in the Company and not for
individuals or investors who engage in transactions which may cause
aberrations in the price or trading volume of Common Stock. From time to time,
financial intermediaries may engage in positioning transactions in order to
benefit from the discount from the Market Price of the shares of Common Stock
acquired through the reinvestment of dividends under the Plan. Such
transactions may cause fluctuations in the trading volume of the Common Stock.
The Company reserves the right to modify, suspend or terminate participation
in the Plan by otherwise eligible holders of Common Stock in order to
eliminate practices which are not consistent with the purposes of the Plan.
 
                       OPTIONS AVAILABLE TO PARTICIPANTS
 
2. WHAT OPTIONS ARE AVAILABLE TO ENROLLED PARTICIPANTS?
 
 Dividend Reinvestment
 
  Eligible holders of Common Stock who wish to participate in the Plan (each a
"Participant") may elect to have cash dividends paid on all or a portion of
their shares of Common Stock automatically reinvested in
 
                                       7
<PAGE>
 
additional shares of Common Stock. Cash dividends are paid on the Common Stock
when and as authorized and declared by the Company's Board of Directors.
Subject to the availability of shares of Common Stock registered for issuance
under the Plan, there is no minimum limitation on the amount of dividends a
Participant may reinvest under the dividend reinvestment feature of the Plan.
 
 Optional Cash Payments
 
  Each month, Participants may also elect to invest optional cash payments in
additional shares of Common Stock, subject to a minimum per month purchase
limit of $50 and a maximum per month purchase limit of $10,000, subject to
waiver. See Question 18 for information concerning limitations applicable to
optional cash payments and the availability of waivers with respect to such
limitations. Participants may make optional cash payments each month even if
dividends on their shares of Common Stock are not being reinvested and whether
or not a dividend has been declared.
 
                         ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES
 
3. WHAT ARE THE ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES OF THE PLAN?
 
 Advantages:
 
    (a) The Plan provides Participants with the opportunity to reinvest cash
  dividends paid on all or a portion of their shares of Common Stock in
  additional shares of Common Stock without payment of any brokerage
  commission or service charge and, as of the date of this Prospectus, at a
  3% discount from the Market Price (subject to change), to the extent shares
  are purchased directly from the Company.
 
    (b) The Plan provides Participants with the opportunity to make monthly
  investments of optional cash payments, subject to minimum and maximum
  amounts, for the purchase of additional shares of Common Stock at, as of
  the date of this Prospectus, a 1% discount from the Market Price (subject
  to change) (and without payment of any brokerage commission or service
  charge, to the extent shares are purchased directly from the Company).
 
    (c) Subject to the availability of shares of Common Stock registered for
  issuance under the Plan, all cash dividends paid on Participants' shares
  can be fully invested in additional shares of Common Stock because the Plan
  permits fractional shares to be credited to Plan accounts. Dividends on
  such fractional shares, as well as on whole shares, will also be reinvested
  in additional shares which will be credited to Plan accounts.
 
    (d) The Plan Administrator, at no charge to Participants, provides for
  the safekeeping of stock certificates for shares credited to each Plan
  account.
 
    (e) Periodic statements reflecting all current activity, including share
  purchases and latest Plan account balance, simplify Participants' record
  keeping. See Question 23 for information concerning reports to
  Participants.
 
 Disadvantages:
 
    (a) No interest will be paid by the Company or the Plan Administrator on
  dividends or optional cash payments held pending reinvestment or
  investment. See Question 12.
 
    (b) With respect to optional cash payments, the actual number of shares
  to be issued to a Participant's Plan account will not be determined until
  the end of the relevant Pricing Period. Therefore, during the Pricing
  Period Participants will not know the actual number of shares they have
  purchased.
 
                                       8
<PAGE>
 
    (c) Even if a Discount from the Market Price is in effect during the
  Pricing Period, the Market Price, as so discounted, may exceed the price at
  which shares of the Common Stock are trading on the Investment Date (as
  defined in Question 12) when the shares are issued or thereafter.
 
    (d) Because optional cash payments must be received by the Plan
  Administrator prior to the related Pricing Period, such payments may be
  exposed to changes in market conditions for a longer period of time than in
  the case of typical secondary market transactions. In addition, optional
  cash payments once received by the Plan Administrator will not be returned
  to Participants unless a written or telephonic request is directed to the
  Plan Administrator at least two business days prior to the commencement of
  the Pricing Period with respect to which optional cash payments have been
  delivered by such Participant. See Questions 19 and 21.
 
    (e) Resales of shares of Common Stock credited to a Participant's account
  under the Plan will involve a brokerage commission and any applicable stock
  transfer taxes on the resales. See Questions 22 and 28.
 
                                ADMINISTRATION
 
4. WHO ADMINISTERS THE PLAN?
 
  The Company has retained Boston Equiserve, L.P. as plan administrator (the
"Plan Administrator"), to administer the Plan, keep records, send statements
of account activity to each Participant and perform other duties relating to
the Plan. See Question 23 for information concerning reports to Participants.
Shares purchased under the Plan and held by the Plan Administrator will be
registered in the Plan Administrator's name or the name of its nominee for the
benefit of the Participants. In the event that the Plan Administrator resigns
or otherwise ceases to act as plan administrator, the Company will appoint a
new plan administrator to administer the Plan.
 
  The Plan Administrator also acts as dividend disbursing agent, transfer
agent and registrar for the Company's Common Stock.
 
                                 PARTICIPATION
 
  For purposes of this section, responses will generally be based upon the
method by which the stockholder holds his or her shares of Common Stock.
Generally, stockholders are either Record Owners or Beneficial Owners. A
Record Owner is a stockholder who owns shares of Common Stock in his or her
own name. A Beneficial Owner is a stockholder who beneficially owns shares of
Common Stock that are registered in a name other than his or her own name (for
example, the shares are held in the name of a broker, bank or other nominee).
A Record Owner may participate directly in the Plan, whereas a Beneficial
Owner will have to either become a Record Owner by having one or more shares
transferred into his or her own name or coordinate his or her participation in
the Plan through the broker, bank or other nominee in whose name the
Beneficial Owner's shares are held. If a Beneficial Owner who desires to
become a Participant encounters any difficulties in coordinating his or her
participation in the Plan with his or her broker, bank or other nominee, he or
she should call the Company's Investor Relations department at (714) 438-2100.
 
5. WHO IS ELIGIBLE TO PARTICIPATE?
 
  All Record Owners or Beneficial Owners of at least one share of Common Stock
are eligible to participate in the Plan. A Record Owner may participate
directly in the Plan. A Beneficial Owner must either become a
 
                                       9
<PAGE>
 
Record Owner by having one or more shares transferred into his or her own name
or arrange with the broker, bank or other nominee who is the record holder to
participate on his or her behalf. See Question 6.
 
  To facilitate participation by Beneficial Owners, the Company has made
arrangements with the Plan Administrator to reinvest dividends, on a per
dividend basis, and accept optional cash payments under the Plan by record
holders such as brokers, banks and other nominees, on behalf of Beneficial
Owners. See Question 6. Notwithstanding anything in the Plan to the contrary,
the Company reserves the right to exclude from participation in the Plan, at
any time, persons or entities who attempt to circumvent the Plan's standard
$10,000 per month maximum by accumulating accounts over which they have
control or any other persons or entities, as determined in the sole discretion
of the Company. See Question 1.
 
  Furthermore, the Company may terminate, by written notice, at any time any
Participant's individual participation in the Plan if such participation would
be in violation of the restrictions contained in the Charter or Bylaws of the
Company. Because the Company expects to continue to qualify as a REIT, the
Charter contains restrictions on the transfer of stock which are intended to
assist the Company in complying with these requirements. The Ownership Limit
(as defined in the Charter) prohibits any person, subject to certain specified
exceptions, from owning, actually or constructively, shares of stock in excess
of 9.5% (in value or in number, whichever is more restrictive) of the
outstanding shares of stock. The constructive ownership rules are complex, and
may cause shares of stock owned actually or constructively by a group of
related individuals and/or entities to be constructively owned by one
individual or entity. As a result, the acquisition of less than 9.5% of the
shares of stock (or the acquisition of an interest in an entity that owns,
actually or constructively, shares of stock) by an individual or entity, could
nevertheless cause that individual or entity, or another individual or entity,
to own constructively in excess of 9.5% of the outstanding shares of stock and
thus violate the Ownership Limit, or such other limit as provided in the
Charter or as otherwise permitted by the Board of Directors. The Board of
Directors may, but in no event will be required to, exempt a person from the
Ownership Limit if it determines that such person's ownership of shares of
stock will not jeopardize the Company's status as a REIT. As a condition of
such waiver, the Board of Directors may require a ruling from the IRS or
opinion of counsel satisfactory to it and undertakings or representations from
the applicant with respect to the Company's status as a REIT. Pursuant to the
Charter, if any purported transfer of stock or any other event would otherwise
result in any person owning shares of stock in excess of the Ownership Limit
or otherwise cause the Company to fail to qualify as a REIT, then that number
of shares of stock the actual or constructive ownership of which otherwise
would cause such person to violate such restrictions (rounded to the nearest
whole share) will be automatically transferred to a trustee as trustee of a
trust for the exclusive benefit of one or more charitable beneficiaries, and
the intended transferee will not acquire any rights in such shares.
 
6. HOW DOES AN ELIGIBLE STOCKHOLDER PARTICIPATE?
 
   Stockholders who are presently enrolled in the existing Impac Mortgage
Holdings, Inc. Dividend Reinvestment and Stock Purchase Plan will continue to
be enrolled in the Plan unless they notify the Company otherwise. The Plan
amends and restates in its entirety the existing Impac Mortgage Holdings, Inc.
Dividend Reinvestment and Stock Purchase Plan. Stockholders who are not
participants in the Plan and who do not want to become participants need do
nothing and will continue to receive their cash dividend, if and when
declared, as usual.
 
                                      10
<PAGE>
 
 Record Owners
 
  Record Owners may join the Plan by completing and signing the Authorization
Form included with the Plan and returning it to the Plan Administrator. A
postage-paid envelope is provided for this purpose. If shares are registered
in more than one name (e.g., joint tenants, trustees), all registered holders
of such shares must sign the Authorization Form exactly as their names appear
on the account registration. Authorization Forms may be obtained at any time
by written request to:
 
                            Boston Equiserve, L.P.
                          Dividend Reinvestment Unit
                                 P.O. Box 8040
                       Boston, Massachusetts 02266-8040
                           Telephone: (781) 575-3120
 
 Beneficial Owners
   
  Beneficial Owners who wish to participate in the Dividend Reinvestment
feature of the Plan must contact their broker, bank, or other nominee.
Brokers, Banks or other nominees whose shares are held by a major depository
institution should then contact that institution to participate in the
Dividend Reinvestment feature of the Plan on behalf of the Beneficial Owner.
Beneficial Owners who wish to participate in the Optional Cash Payment feature
of the Plan must contact their broker, bank or other nominee who should
complete a Broker and Nominee Form for the Beneficial Owner. The Beneficial
Owner must also complete an Authorization Form. Both forms must be completed
and submitted together to the Plan Administrator with an optional cash payment
to take advantage of the Optional Cash Payment feature. See Question 8 for a
discussion of the Broker and Nominee Form (the "B&N Form"). See also Question
17.     
 
 Incomplete Forms
   
  If a Record Owner or a Beneficial Owner submits a properly executed
Authorization Form without electing an investment option, such Authorization
Form will be deemed to indicate the intention of such Record Owner or
Beneficial Owner, as the case may be, to apply all cash dividends and optional
cash payments, if applicable, toward the purchase of additional shares of
Common Stock. See Question 7 for investment options.     
 
7. WHAT DOES THE AUTHORIZATION FORM PROVIDE?
   
  The Authorization Form appoints the Plan Administrator as agent for the
Participant and directs the Company to pay to the Plan Administrator each
Participant's cash dividends on all or a specified number of shares of Common
Stock owned by the Participant on the applicable record date ("Participating
Shares"), as well as on all whole and fractional shares of Common Stock
credited to a Participant's Plan account ("Plan Shares"). The Authorization
Form directs the Plan Administrator to purchase on the Investment Date (as
defined in Question 12) additional shares of Common Stock with such dividends
and optional cash payments, if any, made by the Participant. See Question 8
for a discussion of the B&N Form which is required to be used by a broker,
bank or other nominee for optional cash payments of a Beneficial Owner. The
Authorization Form also directs the Plan Administrator to reinvest
automatically all subsequent dividends on Plan Shares. Dividends will continue
to be reinvested on the number of Participating Shares and on all Plan Shares
until the Participant specifies otherwise by contacting the Plan
Administrator, in writing, withdraws from the Plan (see Questions 27 and 28),
or the Plan is terminated. See Question 6 for additional information about the
Authorization Form.     
 
                                      11
<PAGE>
 
  The Authorization Form provides for the purchase of additional shares of
Common Stock through the following investment options:
 
    (1) If "Full Dividend Reinvestment" is elected, the Plan Administrator
  will apply all cash dividends on all shares of Common Stock then or
  subsequently registered in the Participant's name, and all cash dividends
  on all Plan Shares, together with any optional cash payments, toward the
  purchase of additional shares of Common Stock.
 
    (2) If "Partial Dividend Reinvestment" is elected, the Plan Administrator
  will apply all cash dividends on only the number of Participating Shares
  registered in the Participant's name and specified on the Authorization
  Form and all cash dividends on all Plan Shares, together with any optional
  cash payments, toward the purchase of additional shares of Common Stock.
     
    (3) If "Optional Cash Payments Only" is elected, the Participant will
  continue to receive cash dividends on shares of Common Stock registered in
  that Participant's name in the usual manner. However, the Plan
  Administrator will apply all cash dividends on all Plan Shares, together
  with any optional cash payments received from the Participant, toward the
  purchase of additional shares of Common Stock. See Question 8 for a
  discussion of the B&N Form which is required to be used by a broker, bank
  or other nominee for optional cash payments of a Beneficial Owner.     
 
  Each Participant may select any one of these three options. In each case,
dividends will be reinvested on all Participating Shares and on all Plan
Shares held in the Plan account, including dividends on shares of Common Stock
purchased with any optional cash payments, until a Participant specifies
otherwise by contacting the Plan Administrator, in writing, or withdraws from
the Plan altogether (see Questions 27 and 28), or until the Plan is
terminated. If a Participant would prefer to receive cash payments of
dividends paid on Plan Shares rather than reinvest such dividends, those
shares must be withdrawn from the Plan by written notification to the Plan
Administrator. See Questions 27 and 28 regarding withdrawal of Plan Shares.
 
  Participants may change their investment options at any time by requesting a
new Authorization Form and returning it to the Plan Administrator at the
address set forth in Question 38. See Question 12 for the effective date for
any change in investment options.
 
8. WHAT DOES THE B&N FORM PROVIDE?
   
  The B&N Form provides the only means by which a broker, bank or other
nominee holding shares of a Beneficial Owner may invest optional cash payments
on behalf of such Beneficial Owner. A B&N Form must be delivered to the Plan
Administrator each time such broker, bank or other nominee transmits optional
cash payments on behalf of a Beneficial Owner. The Beneficial Owner must also
complete an Authorization Form. The B&N Form must be executed by the broker,
bank or other nominee for the Beneficial Owner. A broker, bank or other
nominee holding shares for a Beneficial Owner in the name of a major
securities depository may also participate in the Plan through the Depository
Trust Company ("DTC"). Currently, only the dividend reinvestment option is
available through DTC. B&N Forms will be furnished at any time upon request to
the Plan Administrator at:     
 
                            Boston EquiServe, L.P.
                          Dividend Reinvestment Unit
                                 P.O. Box 8040
                       Boston, Massachusetts 02266-8040
                           Telephone: (781) 575-3120
   
  A B&N FORM COMPLETED BY THE BROKER, BANK OR OTHER NOMINEE FOR A BENEFICIAL
OWNER MUST BE SUBMITTED ALONG WITH AN AUTHORIZATION FORM COMPLETED BY THE
BENEFICIAL OWNER. SEE QUESTIONS 6 AND 7.     
 
                                      12
<PAGE>
 
  THE B & N FORM AND APPROPRIATE INSTRUCTIONS MUST BE RECEIVED BY THE PLAN
ADMINISTRATOR NOT LATER THAN THE APPLICABLE RECORD DATE OR THE OPTIONAL CASH
PAYMENT WILL NOT BE INVESTED UNTIL THE FOLLOWING INVESTMENT DATE.
 
9. IS PARTIAL PARTICIPATION POSSIBLE UNDER THE PLAN?
 
  Yes. Record Owners or the broker, bank or other nominee for Beneficial
Owners may designate on the Authorization Form a number of shares for which
dividends are to be reinvested. Dividends will thereafter be reinvested only
on the number of shares specified, and the Record Owner or Beneficial Owner,
as the case may be, will continue to receive cash dividends on the remainder
of the shares.
 
10. WHEN MAY AN ELIGIBLE STOCKHOLDER JOIN THE PLAN?
 
  A Record Owner or a Beneficial Owner may join the Plan at any time. Once in
the Plan, a Participant remains in the Plan until he or she withdraws from the
Plan, the Company terminates his or her participation in the Plan or the
Company terminates the Plan. See Question 28 regarding withdrawal from the
Plan.
 
11. WILL A STOCKHOLDER PRESENTLY ENROLLED IN THE PREVIOUS PLAN CONTINUE TO BE
ENROLLED IN THE PLAN?
 
  Yes. A stockholder enrolled in the Previous Plan will continue to be
enrolled in the Plan in accordance with the investment option chosen under the
Previous Plan, provided he or she is an eligible stockholder as set forth in
Question 5, and thus entitled to participate in the Plan.
 
  If an eligible stockholder enrolled in the Previous Plan does not wish to
participate in the Plan, he or she should withdraw from the Plan in the manner
described in Questions 27 and 28. If an eligible stockholder wishes to change
the nature of his or her participation from that in the Previous Plan, he or
she should return an Authorization Form as described in Question 6. If an
eligible stockholder enrolled in the Previous Plan does not wish to withdraw
or change the nature of his or her participation, he or she will continue to
be enrolled in the Plan and the nature of his or her investment option will
remain the same under the Plan.
 
12. WHEN WILL DIVIDENDS BE REINVESTED AND/OR OPTIONAL CASH PAYMENTS BE
INVESTED?
 
  When shares are purchased from the Company, such purchases will be made on
the "Investment Date" in each month. The Investment Date with respect to
Common Stock acquired directly from the Company and relating to a dividend
reinvestment will be the dividend payment date declared by the Board of
Directors (unless such date is not a business day in which case it is the
first business day immediately thereafter) or, in the case of open market
purchases, no later than thirty business days following the dividend payment
date. The Investment Date with respect to Common Stock acquired directly from
the Company and relating to an optional cash payment will generally be on or
about the twenty-ninth day of each month or, in the case of open market
purchases, no later than thirty business days following the related Investment
Date. In no event, however, will the Investment Date relating to dividend
reinvestments be less than ten days from the Investment Date relating to
optional cash payments.
 
  When open market purchases are made by the Plan Administrator, such
purchases may be made on any securities exchange where the shares are traded,
in the over-the-counter market or by negotiated transactions, and may be
subject to such terms with respect to price, delivery and other matters as
agreed to by the Plan Administrator. Neither the Company nor any Participant
shall have any authorization or power to direct the time
 
                                      13
<PAGE>
 
or price at which shares will be purchased or the selection of the broker or
dealer through or from whom purchases are to be made by the Plan
Administrator. However, when open market purchases are made by the Plan
Administrator, the Plan Administrator shall use its best efforts to purchase
the shares at the lowest possible price.
 
  If the Authorization Form is received prior to the record date for a
dividend payment, the election to reinvest dividends will begin with that
dividend payment. If the Authorization Form is received on or after any such
record date, reinvestment of dividends will begin on the dividend payment date
following the next record date if the Participant is still a stockholder of
record. Record dates for payment of dividends normally precede payment dates
by approximately two to three weeks.
 
  See Question 18 for information concerning limitations on the minimum and
maximum amounts of optional cash payments that may be made each month and
Question 19 for information as to when optional cash payments must be received
to be invested on each Investment Date.
 
  Shares will be allocated and credited to Participants' accounts as follows:
(1) shares purchased from the Company will be allocated and credited on the
appropriate Investment Date; and (2) shares purchased in market transactions
will be allocated and credited as of the date on which the Plan Administrator
completes the purchases of the aggregate number of shares to be purchased on
behalf of all Participants with dividends to be reinvested or optional cash
payments, as the case may be, during the month.
 
  NO INTEREST WILL BE PAID ON CASH DIVIDENDS OR OPTIONAL CASH PAYMENTS PENDING
INVESTMENT OR REINVESTMENT UNDER THE TERMS OF THE PLAN. SINCE NO INTEREST IS
PAID ON CASH HELD BY THE PLAN ADMINISTRATOR, IT NORMALLY WILL BE IN THE BEST
INTEREST OF A PARTICIPANT TO DEFER OPTIONAL CASH PAYMENTS UNTIL SHORTLY BEFORE
COMMENCEMENT OF THE PRICING PERIOD.
 
                         PURCHASE AND PRICES OF SHARES
 
13. WHAT WILL BE THE PRICE TO PARTICIPANTS OF SHARES PURCHASED UNDER THE PLAN?
 
 
 Dividend Reinvestment
 
  With respect to reinvested dividends, the price per share of Common Stock
acquired directly from the Company will be, as of the date of this Prospectus,
97% (subject to change) of the average of the high and low sales prices,
computed to three decimal places, of the Common Stock on the AMEX on the
Investment Date (as defined in Question 12), or if no trading occurs in the
Common Stock on the Investment Date, the average of the high and low sales
prices for the first trading day immediately preceding the Investment Date for
which trades are reported.
 
  No discount will be available for dividends reinvested in Common Stock
acquired in open market purchases. See Question 16. The price per share of
Common Stock acquired through open market purchases with reinvested dividends
will be the weighted average of the actual prices paid, computed to three
decimal places, for all of the Common Stock purchased by the Plan
Administrator with all Participants' reinvested dividends for the related
quarter. Additionally, each Participant will be charged a pro rata portion of
any brokerage commissions or other fees or charges paid by the Plan
Administrator in connection with such open market purchases. (If a Participant
 
                                      14
<PAGE>
 
desires to opt out of the dividend reinvestment feature of the Plan when the
Common Stock relating to dividend reinvestments will be purchased in the open
market, a Participant must notify the Plan Administrator no later than the
record date for the related dividend payment date. For information as to the
source of the Common Stock to be purchased under the Plan see Question 16.)
 
 Optional Cash Payments
 
  With respect to optional cash payments that do not exceed $10,000 (see
Question 18 for a discussion of the discount applicable to optional cash
payments in excess of $10,000), the price per share of Common Stock acquired
directly from the Company will be, as of the date of this Prospectus, 99%
(subject to change) of the average of the high and low sales prices, computed
to three decimal places, of the Common Stock as reported on the AMEX for the
three Trading Days immediately preceding the relevant Investment Date (as
defined in Question 12 above) or, if no trading occurs in the Common Stock on
one or more of such Trading Days, for the three Trading Days immediately
preceding the Investment Date for which trades are reported. A "Trading Day"
means a day on which trades in the Common Stock are reported on the AMEX. With
respect to all optional cash payments, regardless of the amount being
invested, the period encompassing the three Trading Days which relate to an
Investment Date constitutes the relevant "Pricing Period."
 
  The price per share of Common Stock acquired through open market purchases
with optional cash payments will be 100% (subject to change) of the weighted
average of the actual prices paid, computed to three decimal places, for all
of the Common Stock purchased by the Plan Administrator with all Participants'
optional cash payments for the related month.
 
 Market Price
 
  All references in the Plan to the "Market Price" when it relates to dividend
reinvestments which will be reinvested in Common Stock acquired directly from
the Company shall mean the average of the high and low sales prices, computed
to three decimal places, of the Common Stock on the AMEX on the Investment
Date, or if no trading occurs in the Common Stock on the Investment Date, the
average of the high and low sales prices for the first trading day immediately
preceding the Investment Date for which trades are reported. With respect to
dividend reinvestments which will be reinvested in Common Stock purchased in
the open market, "Market Price" shall mean the weighted average of the actual
prices paid, computed to three decimal places, for all of the Common Stock
purchased by the Plan Administrator with all Participants' reinvested
dividends for the related quarter. All references in the Plan to the "Market
Price" for optional cash payments which will be invested in Common Stock
acquired directly from the Company shall mean the average of the high and low
sales prices, computed to three decimal places, of the Common Stock as
reported on the AMEX during the Pricing Period (as defined above). With
respect to optional cash payments which will be reinvested in Common Stock
purchased in the open market, "Market Price" shall mean the weighted average
of the actual prices paid, computed to three decimal places, for all of the
Common Stock purchased by the Plan Administrator with all Participants'
optional cash payments for the related month.
 
14. WHAT ARE THE RECORD DATES AND INVESTMENT DATES FOR DIVIDEND REINVESTMENT?
 
  For the reinvestment of dividends, the "Record Date" is the record date
declared by the Board of Directors for such dividend. Likewise, the dividend
payment date declared by the Board of Directors constitutes the Investment
Date applicable to the reinvestment of such dividend with respect to Common
Stock acquired directly from the Company, except that if any such date is not
a business day, the first business day immediately
 
                                      15
<PAGE>
 
following such date shall be the Investment Date. The Investment Date with
respect to Common Stock purchased in open market transactions will be no later
than thirty business days following the dividend payment date. Dividends will
be reinvested on the Investment Date using the applicable Market Price (as
defined in Question 13). Generally, record dates for quarterly dividends on
the Common Stock will precede the dividend payment dates by approximately two
to three weeks. Please refer to Question 19 for a discussion of the Record
Dates and Investment Dates applicable to optional cash payments.
 
15. HOW WILL THE NUMBER OF SHARES PURCHASED FOR A PARTICIPANT BE DETERMINED?
 
  A Participant's account in the Plan will be credited with the number of
shares, including fractions computed to three decimal places, equal to the
total amount to be invested on behalf of such Participant divided by the
purchase price per share as calculated pursuant to the methods described in
Question 13, as applicable. The total amount to be invested will depend on the
amount of any dividends paid on the number of Participating Shares and Plan
Shares in such Participant's Plan account and available for investment on the
related Investment Date, or the amount of any optional cash payments made by
such Participant and available for investment on the related Investment Date.
Subject to the availability of shares of Common Stock registered for issuance
under the Plan, there is no total maximum number of shares available for
issuance pursuant to the reinvestment of dividends.
 
16. WHAT IS THE SOURCE OF COMMON STOCK PURCHASED UNDER THE PLAN?
 
  Plan Shares will be purchased either directly from the Company, in which
event such shares will be authorized but unissued shares, or on the open
market, at the option of the Company, after a review of current market
conditions and the Company's current and projected capital needs. The Company
will determine the source of the Common Stock to be purchased under the Plan
at least three business days prior to the relevant Record Date, and will
notify the Plan Administrator of the same. Neither the Company nor the Plan
Administrator shall be required to provide any written notice to Participants
as to the source of the Common Stock to be purchased under the Plan, but
current information regarding the source of the Common Stock may be obtained
by contacting the Company's Investor Relations at (714) 438-2100.
 
17. HOW DOES THE OPTIONAL CASH PAYMENT FEATURE OF THE PLAN WORK?
   
  All Record Holders and Beneficial Owners who have timely submitted signed
Authorization Forms indicating their intention to participate in this feature
of the Plan are eligible to make optional cash payments during any month,
whether or not a dividend is declared. A broker, bank or other nominee which
holds shares on behalf of a Beneficial Owner must also complete the B&N Form.
See Question 8. Optional cash payments must be accompanied by an Authorization
Form and a B&N Form, if applicable. Each month the Plan Administrator will
apply any optional cash payment received from a Participant no later than one
business day prior to the commencement of that month's Pricing Period (as
defined in Question 13) to the purchase of additional shares of Common Stock
for the account of the Participant on the following Investment Date (as
defined in Question 12).     
 
  As of the date of this Prospectus, the discount from the Market Price
applicable to optional cash payments will be 1% (subject to change) of the
Market Price (as defined in Question 13). Refer to Question 18 for a
discussion of the possible limitations on the purchase price applicable to the
purchase of shares made with optional cash payments.
 
                                      16
<PAGE>
 
18. WHAT LIMITATIONS APPLY TO OPTIONAL CASH PAYMENTS?
 
 Optional Cash Payments up to $10,000
 
  Each optional cash payment is subject to a minimum per month purchase limit
of $50 and a maximum per month purchase limit of $10,000. For purposes of
these limitations, all Plan accounts under the common control or management of
a Participant will be aggregated. Generally, optional cash payments of less
than $50 and that portion of any optional cash payment which exceeds the
maximum monthly purchase limit of $10,000, unless such limit has been waived
by the Company, will be promptly returned to Participants without interest at
the end of the relevant Pricing Period.
 
 Requests for Waiver
 
  Participants may make optional cash payments of up to $10,000 each month
without the prior approval of the Company. Optional cash payments in excess of
$10,000 may be made by a Participant only upon acceptance by the Company of a
completed Request for Waiver form from such Participant. There is no pre-
established maximum limit applicable to optional cash payments that may be
made pursuant to accepted Requests for Waiver. A Request for Waiver form must
be received and accepted by the Company each month no later than three
business days prior to the Record Date (as defined in Question 19) for the
applicable Investment Date. Request for Waiver forms will be furnished at any
time upon request to the Plan Administrator at the address or telephone number
specified in Question 38. Participants interested in obtaining further
information about a Request for Waiver should contact the Company's Investor
Relations Department at (714) 438-2100.
 
  The Company expects to grant Requests for Waiver to financial
intermediaries, including brokers and dealers, and other Participants in the
future. Waivers will be considered on the basis of a variety of factors, which
may include the Company's current and projected capital needs, the
alternatives available to the Company to meet those needs, prevailing market
prices for Common Stock and other Company securities, general economic and
market conditions, expected aberrations in the price or trading volume of the
Common Stock, the potential disruption of the price of the Common Stock by a
financial intermediary, the number of shares of Common Stock held by the
Participant submitting the waiver request, the past actions of a Participant
under the Plan, the aggregate amount of optional cash payments for which such
waivers have been submitted and the administrative constraints associated with
granting such waivers. Grants of waivers will be made in the absolute
discretion of the Company.
 
  PARTICIPANTS IN THE PLAN ARE NOT OBLIGATED TO PARTICIPATE IN THE OPTIONAL
CASH PAYMENT FEATURE OF THE PLAN AT ANY TIME. OPTIONAL CASH PAYMENTS NEED NOT
BE IN THE SAME AMOUNT EACH MONTH.
 
 The Waiver Discount
 
  Each month, at least five business days prior to the applicable Record Date
(as defined in Question 19), the Company will establish the discount from the
Market Price applicable to optional cash payments made pursuant to Requests
for Waiver and will notify the Plan Administrator of the same. Such discount
(the "Waiver Discount") will be between 0% and 5% of the Market Price and may
vary each month, but once established will apply uniformly to all optional
cash payments made pursuant to Requests for Waiver during that month. The
Waiver Discount will be established in the Company's sole discretion after
advice from counsel, a review of current market conditions, the level of
participation in the Plan, and the Company's current and projected capital
needs. The Waiver Discount applies only to optional cash payments made
pursuant to Requests for Waiver and
 
                                      17
<PAGE>
 
does not apply to other optional cash payments. NEITHER THE COMPANY NOR THE
PLAN ADMINISTRATOR SHALL BE REQUIRED TO PROVIDE ANY WRITTEN NOTICE TO
PARTICIPANTS AS TO THE WAIVER DISCOUNT, BUT CURRENT INFORMATION REGARDING THE
WAIVER DISCOUNT APPLICABLE TO THE NEXT INVESTMENT DATE MAY BE OBTAINED BY
CONTACTING THE COMPANY'S INVESTOR RELATIONS AT (714) 438-2100. Setting a
Waiver Discount applicable to the next Investment Date shall not affect the
setting of a Waiver Discount for any subsequent Investment Date. The Waiver
Discount feature discussed above applies only to optional cash payments made
pursuant to Requests for Waiver and does not apply to the reinvestment of
dividends.
 
  Shares acquired from optional cash payments in excess of $10,000 that are
granted pursuant to a Request for Waiver may be acquired either directly from
the Company or through open market purchases. See Question 13 for a
description of the price per share in each case.
 
  ONLY OPTIONAL CASH PAYMENTS MADE PURSUANT TO REQUESTS FOR WAIVER WILL BE
AFFECTED BY THE WAIVER DISCOUNT. ALL OTHER OPTIONAL CASH PAYMENTS WILL BE MADE
AT A 1% (SUBJECT TO CHANGE) DISCOUNT FROM THE MARKET PRICE, WITHOUT REGARD TO
ANY WAIVER DISCOUNT.
 
19. WHAT ARE THE RECORD DATES AND INVESTMENT DATES FOR OPTIONAL CASH PAYMENTS?
 
  Optional cash payments will be invested every month on the related
Investment Date. The "Record Date" for optional cash payments is two business
days prior to the related Pricing Period and the "Investment Date" is
generally on or about the twenty-ninth day of each month or, in the case of
open market purchases, no later than thirty business days following the
Investment Date. In no event, however, will the Investment Date relating to
optional cash payments be less than ten days from the Investment Date relating
to dividend reinvestments.
 
  Optional cash payments received by the Plan Administrator, and such funds
that have cleared at least one business day prior to the commencement of a
Pricing Period will be applied to the purchase of shares of Common Stock on
the Investment Date which relates to that Pricing Period. Generally, optional
cash payments received on or after the commencement of a Pricing Period will
be held by the Plan Administrator pending investment on the next Investment
Date. No interest will be paid by the Company or the Plan Administrator on
optional cash payments held pending investment.
 
  For a schedule of expected Record Dates and Investment Dates in 1998, see
Schedule A.
 
20. WHEN MUST OPTIONAL CASH PAYMENTS BE RECEIVED BY THE PLAN ADMINISTRATOR?
   
  Each month the Plan Administrator will apply any optional cash payment for
which good funds are timely received to the purchase of shares of Common Stock
for the account of the Participant on the next Investment Date. See Question
19. In order for funds to be invested on the next Investment Date, the Plan
Administrator must have received a check, money order or wire transfer by the
end of the business day immediately preceding the ensuing Pricing Period and
such check, money order or wire transfer must have cleared on or before the
end of the business day immediately preceding such ensuing Pricing Period. For
optional cash payments less than $10,000, wire transfers may be used only if
approved verbally in advance by the Plan Administrator. However, optional cash
payments in excess of $10,000, made pursuant to accepted Requests for Waiver,
must be made by wire transfer. Wire transfer instructions may be obtained by
contacting the Company's Investor Relations at (714) 438-2100. Checks and
money orders are accepted subject to timely collection as good funds and
verification of compliance with the terms of the Plan. Checks or money orders
should be made payable to Boston Equiserve--Impac Mortgage Holdings, Inc.
DRIP. Checks returned for any reason will not be resubmitted for collection.
    
                                      18
<PAGE>
 
  If the Plan Administrator does not receive a payment because of insufficient
funds or incorrect draft information, the requested purchase will be deemed
void, and the Plan Administrator will immediately remove any shares purchased
in anticipation of receiving such funds from the Participant's account. If the
net proceeds from the sale of such shares are insufficient to satisfy the
balance of uncollected amounts, the Plan Administrator may sell additional
shares from the Participant's account necessary to satisfy the uncollected
amount. In addition, an "insufficient funds" fee of $25 will be charged. The
Plan Administrator may place a hold on the Participant's account until the
"insufficient funds" fee is received, or may sell shares from the
Participant's account to satisfy any uncollected amounts.
 
  NO INTEREST WILL BE PAID BY THE COMPANY OR THE PLAN ADMINISTRATOR ON
OPTIONAL CASH PAYMENTS HELD PENDING INVESTMENT. SINCE NO INTEREST IS PAID ON
CASH HELD BY THE PLAN ADMINISTRATOR, IT NORMALLY WILL BE IN THE BEST INTEREST
OF A PARTICIPANT TO DEFER OPTIONAL CASH PAYMENTS UNTIL SHORTLY BEFORE
COMMENCEMENT OF THE PRICING PERIOD.
 
  In order for payments to be invested on the Investment Date, in addition to
the receipt of good funds by the end of the business day immediately preceding
the commencement of a Pricing Period, the Plan Administrator must be in
receipt of an Authorization Form or a B&N Form, as appropriate, as of the same
date. See Questions 6 and 8.
 
21. MAY OPTIONAL CASH PAYMENTS BE RETURNED?
 
  Upon telephone or written request to the Plan Administrator received at
least two business days prior to the commencement of the Pricing Period with
respect to which optional cash payments have been delivered to the Plan
Administrator, such optional cash payments will be returned to the Participant
as soon as practicable. Requests received less than two business days prior to
such date will not be returned but instead will be invested on the next
related Investment Date. Also, each optional cash payment, to the extent that
it does not either conform to the limitations described in Question 19 or
clear within the time limit described in Question 20, will be subject to
return to the Participant as soon as practicable.
 
22. ARE THERE ANY EXPENSES TO PARTICIPANTS IN CONNECTION WITH THEIR
PARTICIPATION UNDER THE PLAN?
 
  Participants will have to pay brokerage fees or commissions on shares of
Common Stock purchased with reinvested dividends and optional cash payments on
the open market, which sums are, as of the date of this Prospectus, not
expected to exceed $.15 per share (subject to change) and which will be first
deducted before determining the number of shares to be purchased. However, the
Board of Directors may in the future determine that the Company will pay such
brokerage fees or commissions. The Plan Administrator will effect open market
purchases and sales of shares for the Plan through itself and it will not
receive a commission for effecting such transactions. Participants will incur
no brokerage commissions or service charges in connection with the
reinvestment of dividends and optional cash purchases when shares of Common
Stock are acquired directly from the Company. The Company will pay all other
costs of administration of the Plan. However, Participants that request that
the Plan Administrator sell all or any portion of their shares (see Question
28) must pay any related brokerage commissions and applicable stock transfer
taxes.
 
                                      19
<PAGE>
 
23. WHAT KIND OF REPORTS WILL BE SENT TO PARTICIPANTS IN THE PLAN?
 
  Each Participant in the Plan will receive a statement of his or her account
following each purchase of additional shares. These statements are
Participants' continuing record of the cost of their purchases and should be
retained for income tax purposes. In addition, Participants will receive
copies of other communications sent to holders of the Common Stock, including
the Company's annual report to its Stockholders, the notice of annual meeting
and proxy statement in connection with its annual meeting of Stockholders and
Internal Revenue Service information for reporting dividends paid.
 
                            DIVIDENDS ON FRACTIONS
 
24. WILL PARTICIPANTS BE CREDITED WITH DIVIDENDS ON FRACTIONS OF SHARES?
 
  Yes.
 
                        CERTIFICATES FOR COMMON SHARES
 
25. WILL CERTIFICATES BE ISSUED FOR SHARES PURCHASED?
 
  No. Common Stock purchased for Participants will be held in the name of the
Plan Administrator or its nominee. No certificates will be issued to
Participants for shares in the Plan unless a Participant submits a written
request to the Plan Administrator or until participation in the Plan is
terminated. At any time, a Participant may request the Plan Administrator to
send a certificate for some or all of the whole shares credited to a
Participant's account. This request should be mailed to the Plan Administrator
at the address set forth in the answer to Question 38. Any remaining whole
shares and any fractions of shares will remain credited to the Plan account.
Certificates for fractional shares will not be issued under any circumstances.
 
26. IN WHOSE NAME WILL CERTIFICATES BE REGISTERED WHEN ISSUED?
 
  Each Plan account is maintained in the name in which the related
Participant's certificates were registered at the time of enrollment in the
Plan. Stock certificates for whole shares purchased under the Plan will be
similarly registered when issued upon a Participant's request. If a
Participant is a Beneficial Owner, such request should be placed through such
Participant's banker, broker or other nominee. See Question 6. A Participant
who wishes to pledge shares credited to such Participant's Plan account must
first withdraw such shares from the account.
 
                          WITHDRAWALS AND TERMINATION
 
27. WHEN MAY PARTICIPANTS WITHDRAW FROM THE PLAN?
 
  Participants may withdraw from the Plan with respect to all or a portion of
the shares held in his or her account in the Plan at any time. If the request
to withdraw is received prior to a dividend record date set by the Board of
Directors for determining stockholders of record entitled to receive a
dividend, the request will be processed on the day following receipt of the
request by the Plan Administrator.
 
  If the request to withdraw is received by the Plan Administrator on or after
a dividend record date, but before payment date, the Plan Administrator, in
its sole discretion, may either pay such dividend in cash or
 
                                      20
<PAGE>
 
reinvest it in shares for the Participant's account. The request for
withdrawal will then be processed as promptly as possible following such
dividend payment date. All dividends subsequent to such dividend payment date
or Investment Date will be paid in cash unless a stockholder re-enrolls in the
Plan, which may be done at any time. Any optional cash payments which have
been sent to the Plan Administrator prior to a request for withdrawal will
also be invested on the next Investment Date unless a Participant expressly
requests return of that payment in the request for withdrawal, and the request
for withdrawal is received by the Plan Administrator at least two business
days prior to the commencement of the Pricing Period.
 
28. HOW DOES A PARTICIPANT WITHDRAW FROM THE PLAN?
 
  A Participant who wishes to withdraw from the Plan with respect to all or a
portion of the shares held in his or her account in the Plan must notify the
Plan Administrator in writing at its address set forth in the answer to
Question 38. Upon a Participant's withdrawal from the Plan or termination of
the Plan by the Company, certificates for the appropriate number of whole
shares credited to his or her account under the Plan will be issued. A cash
payment will be made for any fraction of a share.
 
  Upon withdrawal from the Plan, a Participant may also request in writing
that the Plan Administrator sell all or part of the shares credited to his or
her account in the Plan. The Plan Administrator will sell the shares as
requested within ten business days after processing the request for
withdrawal. The Participant will receive the proceeds of the sale, less any
brokerage fees or commissions and any applicable stock transfer taxes,
generally within five business days of the sale.
 
29. ARE THERE ANY AUTOMATIC TERMINATION PROVISIONS?
 
  Participation in the Plan will be terminated if the Plan Administrator
receives written notice of the death or adjudicated incompetency of a
Participant, together with satisfactory supporting documentation of the
appointment of a legal representative, at least five business days before the
next Record Date for purchases made through the reinvestment of dividends or
optional cash payments, as applicable. In the event written notice of death or
adjudicated incompetency and such supporting documentation is received by the
Plan Administrator less than five business days before the next Record Date
for purchases made through the reinvestment of dividends or optional cash
payments, as applicable, shares will be purchased for the Participant with the
related cash dividend or optional cash payment and participation in the Plan
will not terminate until after such dividend or payment has been reinvested.
Thereafter, no additional purchase of shares will be made for the
Participant's account and the Participant's shares and any cash dividends paid
thereon will be forwarded to such Participant's legal representative.
 
                               OTHER INFORMATION
 
30. WHAT HAPPENS IF A PARTICIPANT SELLS OR TRANSFERS ALL OF THE SHARES
REGISTERED IN THE PARTICIPANT'S NAME?
 
  If a Participant disposes of all shares registered in his or her name, and
is not shown as a Record Owner on a dividend record date, the Participant may
be terminated from the Plan as of such date and such termination treated as
though a withdrawal notice had been received prior to the record date.
 
31. WHAT HAPPENS IF THE COMPANY DECLARES A DIVIDEND PAYABLE IN SHARES OR
DECLARES A STOCK SPLIT?
 
  Any dividend payable in shares and any additional shares distributed by the
Company in connection with a stock split in respect of shares credited to a
Participant's Plan account will be added to that account. Stock
 
                                      21
<PAGE>
 
dividends or split shares which are attributable to shares registered in a
Participant's own name and not in his or her Plan account will be mailed
directly to the Participant as in the case of stockholders not participating
in the Plan.
 
32. HOW WILL SHARES HELD BY THE PLAN ADMINISTRATOR BE VOTED AT MEETINGS OF
STOCKHOLDERS?
 
  If the Participant is a Record Owner, the Participant will receive a proxy
card covering both directly held shares and shares held in the Plan. If the
Participant is a Beneficial Owner, the Participant will receive a proxy
covering shares held in the Plan through his or her broker, bank or other
nominee.
 
  If a proxy is returned properly signed and marked for voting, all the shares
covered by the proxy will be voted as marked. If a proxy is returned properly
signed but no voting instructions are given, all of the Participant's shares
will be voted in accordance with recommendations of the Board of Directors of
the Company, unless applicable laws require otherwise. If the proxy is not
returned, or if it is returned unexecuted or improperly executed, shares
registered in a Participant's name may be voted only by the Participant in
person.
 
33. WHAT ARE THE RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE COMPANY AND THE PLAN ADMINISTRATOR
UNDER THE PLAN?
 
  The Company and the Plan Administrator will not be liable in administering
the Plan for any act done in good faith or required by applicable law or for
any good faith omission to act including, without limitation, any claim of
liability arising out of failure to terminate a Participant's account upon his
or her death, with respect to the prices at which shares are purchased and/or
the times when such purchases are made or with respect to any fluctuation in
the market value before or after purchase or sale of shares. Notwithstanding
the foregoing, nothing contained in the Plan limits the Company's liability
with respect to alleged violations of federal securities laws.
 
  The Company and the Plan Administrator shall be entitled to rely on
completed forms and the proof of due authority to participate in the Plan,
without further responsibility of investigation or inquiry.
 
34. MAY THE PLAN BE CHANGED OR DISCONTINUED?
 
  Yes. The Company may suspend, terminate, or amend the Plan at any time.
Notice will be sent to Participants of any suspension or termination, or of
any amendment that alters the Plan terms and conditions, as soon as
practicable after such action by the Company.
 
  The Company may substitute another administrator or agent in place of the
Plan Administrator at any time; Participants will be promptly informed of any
such substitution.
 
  Any questions of interpretation arising under the Plan will be determined by
the Company and any such determination will be final.
 
35. WHAT ARE THE FEDERAL INCOME TAX CONSEQUENCES OF PARTICIPATION IN THE PLAN?
 
  The following summary of certain federal income tax considerations regarding
the Plan is based on current law, is for general information only, and is not
tax advice. This discussion does not purport to deal with all aspects of
taxation that may be relevant to particular investors in light of their
personal investment circumstances, or to certain types of investors subject to
special treatment under the federal income tax laws, including, without
limitation, life insurance companies, certain financial institutions, dealers
in securities or currencies, stockholders
 
                                      22
<PAGE>
 
holding Common Stock as part of a conversion transaction, as part of a hedge
or hedging transaction, or as a position in a straddle for tax purposes, tax-
exempt organizations, or foreign corporations, foreign partnerships or persons
who are not citizens or residents of the United States. In addition, the
summary below does not consider the effect of any foreign, state, local or
other tax laws that may be applicable to prospective Participants.
 
  EACH PROSPECTIVE PARTICIPANT IS ADVISED TO CONSULT HIS OR HER OWN TAX
ADVISOR REGARDING THE SPECIFIC TAX CONSEQUENCES TO HIM OR HER THAT MAY RESULT
FROM PARTICIPATING IN THE PLAN AND DISPOSING OF SHARES ACQUIRED PURSUANT TO
THE PLAN, INCLUDING THE FEDERAL, STATE, LOCAL, FOREIGN AND OTHER TAX
CONSEQUENCES OF SUCH PARTICIPATION AND DISPOSITION AND OF POTENTIAL CHANGES IN
APPLICABLE TAX LAWS.
 
  Dividend Reinvestment. Dividends paid with respect to Common Stock that a
Participant reinvests in Common Stock that is acquired directly from the
Company will be treated for federal income tax purposes as having been
received by the Participant in the form of a taxable stock distribution. In
that case, an amount equal to the fair market value on the date of purchase of
the Common Stock acquired directly from the Company will be treated as a
dividend to the extent the Company has current or accumulated earnings and
profits for federal income tax purposes. For federal income tax purposes, the
Company intends to take the position that the fair market value of the shares
acquired directly from the Company with reinvested dividends under the Plan
will be equal to the average of the high and low sale prices of shares on the
related Investment Date.
 
  Alternatively, dividends paid with respect to Common Stock that a
Participant reinvests in Common Stock through purchases by the Plan
Administrator in the open market will be treated for federal income tax
purposes as having been received by the Participant in the form of a taxable
cash distribution. The amount of the cash distribution, plus the amount of any
discount, will be treated as a dividend to the extent the Company has current
or accumulated earnings and profits for federal income tax purposes.
 
  Distributions in excess of the Company's current and accumulated earnings
and profits will not be taxable to a Participant to the extent that such
distributions do not exceed the adjusted basis of the Participant's shares. To
the extent such distributions exceed the adjusted basis of a Participant's
shares, they will be included in income as capital gain. In addition, in the
event that the Company designates a part or all of the amount so distributed
as a capital gain dividend, such distributions will be taxable to the
Participant as gain (to the extent that they do not exceed the Company's
actual net capital gain for the taxable year) from the sale or disposition of
a capital asset (provided that the shares have been held as a capital asset).
Depending upon the period of time that the Company held the assets to which
such gains were attributable, and upon certain designations, if any, which may
be made by the Company, such gains will be taxable to non-corporate
Participants at a rate of either 20%, 25% or 28%. Participants that are
corporations may, however, be required to treat up to 20% of certain capital
gain dividends as ordinary income. Participants' statements of account will
show the fair market value on the date of purchase of the Common Stock
purchased with reinvested dividends, and a Form 1099-DIV mailed to
Participants at year-end will show total dividend income, the amount of any
return of capital distribution and the amount of any capital gain dividend.
 
  The Internal Revenue Service ("IRS") has ruled in private letter rulings
that brokerage commissions paid by a corporation with respect to open market
purchases on behalf of participants in a dividend reinvestment plan were to be
treated as constructive distributions to such participants. Such constructive
distributions were subject to income tax in the same manner as distributions
and includible in the Participants' cost basis of the shares purchased.
Accordingly, in the event the Board of Directors determines that the Company
will pay brokerage
 
                                      23
<PAGE>
 
commissions with respect to any open market purchases made by the Plan
Administrator, the Company intends to take the position that Participants
received their proportionate amount of such commissions as additional
distributions. While the matter is not free from doubt, the Company intends to
take the position that administrative expenses of the Plan paid by the Company
are not constructive distributions to Participants.
 
  The tax basis of newly issued Common Stock purchased directly from the
Company for a Participant under the Plan by reinvestment of dividends will be
equal to the fair market value of the Common Stock on the relevant Investment
Date. The tax basis of Common Stock purchased in the open market pursuant to
the dividend reinvestment feature of the Plan will be equal to the amount paid
for such shares, plus the amount of any income recognized by the Participant
upon such purchase as a result of any discount or the Company's payment of the
Participant's share of brokerage commissions, if any. The holding period of
Common Stock acquired under the Plan will begin on the day following the
Investment Date.
 
  A Participant in the Plan will not realize any taxable income when the
Participant receives certificates for whole shares of Common Stock credited to
the Participant's account, either upon a Participant's request for such
certificates or upon withdrawal from or termination of the Plan. However, a
Participant will recognize gain or loss when whole shares of Common Stock or
rights applicable to Common Stock acquired under the Plan are sold or
exchanged. A Participant will also recognize gain or loss when the Participant
receives a cash payment for a fractional share of Common Stock credited to the
Participant's account upon withdrawal from or termination of the Plan. The
amount of such gain or loss will be the difference between (i) the amount
received for the Participant's shares or fractional shares of Common Stock or
rights applicable to Common Stock and (ii) the tax basis thereof.
 
  Optional Cash Purchases. To the extent the Company offers Common Stock at a
discount from the fair market value of such shares on the Investment Date, or
pays brokerage commissions with respect to the purchase of such shares,
pursuant to the optional cash purchase feature of the Plan, the tax treatment
of such activities is unclear. The Company presently intends to take the
position that any such discount or payment of brokerage commissions does not
constitute a distribution from the Company to Participants in the optional
cash payment feature of the Plan. However, it is possible that Participants
will be treated as having received a distribution from the Company upon the
purchase of Common Stock with an optional cash payment, in an amount equal to
the excess, if any, of the fair market value of the shares on the Investment
Date over the amount of the optional cash payment, plus the amount of
brokerage commissions paid by the Company, if any. The Company may take this
position in future reports to Participants or the I.R.S. Participants are
urged to consult their own tax advisors with respect to the tax treatment of
any such actions. Shares acquired under the optional cash payment feature of
the Plan will have a tax basis equal to the amount of the optional cash
payment plus the income, if any, recognized by the Participant upon such
acquisition.
 
  Participants will recognize gain or loss when shares of Common Stock
acquired pursuant to optional cash purchases are sold or exchanged. The amount
of such gain or loss will be the difference between the amount received for
the Participant's shares and the tax basis thereof.
 
36. HOW ARE INCOME TAX WITHHOLDING PROVISIONS APPLIED TO STOCKHOLDERS WHO
PARTICIPATE IN THE PLAN?
 
  If a Participant fails to provide certain federal income tax certifications
in the manner required by law, dividends on shares of Common Stock, proceeds
from the sale of fractional shares and proceeds from the sale of shares held
for a Participant's account will be subject to federal income tax withholding
at the rate of 31%. If withholding is required for any reason, the appropriate
amount of tax will be withheld. Certain stockholders (including most
corporations) are, however, exempt from the above withholding requirements.
 
                                      24
<PAGE>
 
  Participants which are foreign stockholders are urged to consult their tax
advisors regarding the tax consequences to them of participation in the Plan.
In general, if a Participant is a foreign stockholder, the appropriate amount
will be withheld and the balance in shares will be credited to such
Participant's account.
 
37. WHO BEARS THE RISK OF MARKET FLUCTUATIONS IN THE COMPANY'S COMMON STOCK?
 
  A Participant's investment in shares held in the Plan account is no
different from his or her investment in directly held shares. The Participant
bears the risk of any loss and enjoys the benefits of any gain from market
price changes with respect to such shares.
 
38. WHO SHOULD BE CONTACTED WITH QUESTIONS ABOUT THE PLAN?
 
  All correspondence regarding the Plan should be directed to:
 
  BOSTON EQUISERVE, L.P.
  DIVIDEND REINVESTMENT UNIT
  P.O. BOX 8040
  BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS 02266-8040
  TELEPHONE: (781) 575-3120
 
  Please mention Impac Mortgage Holdings, Inc. and this Plan in all
correspondence.
 
39. HOW IS THE PLAN INTERPRETED?
 
  Any question of interpretation arising under the Plan will be determined by
the Company and any such determination will be final. The Company may adopt
rules and regulations to facilitate the administration of the Plan. The terms
and conditions of the Plan and its operation will be governed by the laws of
the State of California.
 
40. WHAT ARE SOME OF THE PARTICIPANT RESPONSIBILITIES UNDER THE PLAN?
 
  Plan Shares are subject to escheat to the state in which the Participant
resides in the event that such shares are deemed, under such state's laws, to
have been abandoned by the Participant. Participants, therefore, should notify
the Plan Administrator promptly in writing of any change of address. Account
statements and other communications to Participants will be addressed to them
at the last address of record provided by Participants to the Plan
Administrator.
 
  Participants will have no right to draw checks or drafts against their Plan
accounts or to instruct the Plan Administrator with respect to any shares of
Common Stock or cash held by the Plan Administrator except as expressly
provided herein.
 
                                      25
<PAGE>
 
                                   DIVIDENDS
 
  The Company has paid dividends since its incorporation. In order to
accommodate the provisions of this Plan, the Company anticipates that
dividends will be payable on or about the fifteenth business day of January,
April, July and October. However, the actual dates may vary and will be
determined at the discretion of the Board of Directors.
 
                                USE OF PROCEEDS
 
  The Company does not know either the number of shares of Common Stock that
will be ultimately sold pursuant to the Plan or the prices at which such
shares will be sold. However, the Company proposes to use the net proceeds
from the sale of newly issued shares of Common Stock for general corporate
purposes.
 
                             PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION
 
  Except to the extent the Plan Administrator purchases Common Stock in open
market transactions, the Common Stock acquired under the Plan will be sold
directly by the Company through the Plan. The Company may sell Common Stock to
owners of shares (including brokers or dealers) who, in connection with any
resales of such shares, may be deemed to be underwriters. Such shares,
including shares acquired pursuant to waivers granted with respect to the
optional cash payment feature of the Plan, may be resold in market
transactions (including coverage of short positions) on any national
securities exchange on which shares of Common Stock trade or in privately
negotiated transactions. The Common Stock is currently listed on the American
Stock Exchange. Under certain circumstances, it is expected that a portion of
the shares of Common Stock available for issuance under the Plan will be
issued pursuant to such waivers. The difference between the price such owners
pay to the Company for shares of Common Stock acquired under the Plan, after
deduction of the applicable discount from the Market Price, if any, and the
price at which such shares are resold, may be deemed to constitute
underwriting commissions received by such owners in connection with such
transactions.
 
  Subject to the availability of shares of Common Stock registered for
issuance under the Plan, there is no total maximum number of shares that can
be issued pursuant to the reinvestment of dividends. From time to time,
financial intermediaries may engage in positioning transactions in order to
benefit from the discount from the Market Price of Common Stock acquired
through the reinvestment of dividends under the Plan.
 
  Except with respect to open market purchases of Common Stock, the Company
will pay any and all brokerage commissions and related expenses incurred in
connection with purchases of Common Stock under the Plan. Upon withdrawal by a
Participant from the Plan by the sale of Common Stock held under the Plan, the
Participant will receive the proceeds of such sale less any related brokerage
commissions and any applicable transfer taxes.
 
  Common Stock may not be available under the Plan in all states. This
Prospectus does not constitute an offer to sell, or a solicitation of an offer
to buy, any Common Stock or other securities in any state or any other
jurisdiction to any person to whom it is unlawful to make such offer in such
jurisdiction.
 
                                      26
<PAGE>
 
                                 LEGAL OPINION
 
  The validity of the securities offered hereby has been passed upon by
Freshman, Marantz, Orlanski, Cooper & Klein, Beverly Hills, California,
counsel to the Company and certain legal matters with respect to Maryland law
by Ballard Spahr Andrews & Ingersoll, LLP, Baltimore, Maryland.
 
                                    EXPERTS
   
  The financial statements of Impac Mortgage Holdings, Inc. and Impac Funding
Corporation incorporated in the Prospectus by reference to the Company's
Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31 as amended, 1997
have been so incorporated by reference therein in reliance upon the reports of
KPMG Peat Marwick LLP, independent auditors, and upon the authority of said
firm as experts in auditing and accounting.     
 
                                INDEMNIFICATION
 
  The Company's Charter contains a provision which limits the liability of its
directors and officers to the Company and its stockholders for money damages
except for liability resulting from (a) actual receipt of an improper benefit
or profit in money, property or services or (b) active and deliberate
dishonesty established by a final judgment as being material to the cause of
action. The Company's Charter and Bylaws also provide that the Company shall
indemnify directors and officers under certain circumstances for liabilities
and expenses incurred by reason of their actions in such capacities. In
addition, the Company maintains an insurance policy that indemnifies directors
and officers against certain liabilities.
 
  Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act
may be permitted to directors, officers or persons controlling the Company
pursuant to the foregoing provisions, the Company has been informed that in
the opinion of the Commission such indemnification is against public policy as
expressed in said Act and is therefore unenforceable.
 
                                      27
<PAGE>
 
                                   GLOSSARY
 
  "AMEX" means the American Stock Exchange.
 
  "Beneficial Owners" means stockholders who beneficially own shares of Common
Stock that are registered in a name other than their own (for example, in the
name of a broker, bank or other nominee).
 
  "B&N Form" means a Broker and Nominee form.
 
  "business day" means any day other than Saturday, Sunday or legal holiday on
which the AMEX is closed or a day on which the Plan Administrator is
authorized or obligated by law to close.
 
  "Commission" means the Securities and Exchange Commission.
 
  "Common Stock" means the common stock, $.01 par value, of the Company.
 
  "Company" means Impac Mortgage Holdings, Inc.
 
  "Exchange Act" means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.
 
  "IRS" means Internal Revenue Service.
 
  "Investment Date" means, with respect to Common Stock acquired directly from
the Company and relating to a dividend reinvestment, the dividend payment date
declared by the Board of Directors (unless such date is not a business day in
which case it is the first business day immediately thereafter) or, in the
case of open market purchases, no later than thirty business days following
the dividend payment date; and with respect to Common Stock acquired directly
from the Company and relating to an optional cash payment, generally on or
about the twenty-ninth day of each month; or, in the case of open market
purchases, no later than thirty business days following the Investment Date.
In no event, however, will the Investment Date relating to dividend
reinvestments be less than ten days from the Investment Date relating to
optional cash payments.
 
  "Market Price" means, with respect to Common Stock acquired directly from
the Company and relating to a dividend reinvestment, the average of the high
and low sales prices, computed to three decimal places, of the Common Stock on
the AMEX on the Investment Date, or if no trading occurs in the Common Stock
on the Investment Date, the average of the high and low sales prices for the
first trading day immediately preceding the Investment Date for which trades
are reported. With respect to dividend reinvestments which will be reinvested
in Common Stock purchased in the open market, "Market Price" shall mean the
weighted average of the actual prices paid, computed to three decimal places,
for all of the Common Stock purchased by the Plan Administrator with all
Participants' reinvested dividends for the related quarter. With respect to
Common Stock acquired directly from the Company and relating to optional cash
payments, "Market Price" shall mean the average of the high and low sales
prices, computed to three decimal places, of the Common Stock as reported on
the AMEX during the Pricing Period. With respect to optional cash payments
which will be reinvested in Common Stock purchased in the open market, "Market
Price" shall mean the weighted average of the actual prices paid, computed to
three decimal places, for all of the Common Stock purchased by the Plan
Administrator with all Participants' optional cash payments for the related
month.
 
  "Participant" means an eligible holder of Common Stock who wishes to
participate in the Plan.
 
                                      28
<PAGE>
 
  "Participating Shares" means shares of Common Stock owned by a Participant
on the applicable record date as to which such Participant has directed the
Company to pay the related cash dividends to the Plan Administrator.
 
  "Plan" means the Impac Mortgage Holdings, Inc. Dividend Reinvestment and
Stock Purchase Plan which amended and restated the Previous Plan.
 
  "Plan Administrator" means a plan administrator that administers the Plan,
keeps records, sends statements of account to each Participant and performs
other duties related to the Plan. Boston Equiserve, L.P. currently serves as
Plan Administrator of the Plan.
 
  "Plan Shares" means all whole and fractional shares of Common Stock credited
to a Participant's Plan account.
 
  "Previous Plan" means the Impac Mortgage Holdings, Inc. Dividend
Reinvestment and Stock Purchase Plan as approved by the Company's Board of
Directors on October 21, 1997.
 
  "Pricing Period" means the period encompassing the three Trading Days
preceding the relevant optional cash payment Investment Date.
 
  "REIT" means real estate investment trust.
 
  "Record Date" means, with respect to reinvestments of dividends, the record
date declared by the Board of Directors for such dividend; and with respect to
optional cash payments, two business days prior to the commencement of the
Pricing Period.
 
  "Record Owners" means stockholders who own shares of Common Stock in their
own names.
 
  "Requests for Waiver" means a written request from a Participant to make
optional cash payments in excess of $10,000.
 
  "Securities Act" means the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.
 
  "Trading Day" means a day on which trades in the Common Stock are reported
on the AMEX.
 
  "Waiver Discount" means the discount from the Market Price applicable to
optional cash payments made pursuant to Requests for Waiver. Such discount
will vary between 0% and 5% of the Market Price and may vary each month.
 
                                      29
<PAGE>
 
                                  SCHEDULE A
 
OPTIONAL CASH PAYMENTS
 
The following table sets forth the applicable dates for optional cash payments
for 1998. The Company will typically set these dates two months before the end
of each year and they will be available from Investor Relations at (714) 438-
2100 on the 1st of December of each year.
 
<TABLE>   
<CAPTION>
  WAIVER
 DISCOUNT                                 OPTIONAL CASH      PRICING PERIOD       INVESTMENT
 SET DATE               RECORD DATE      PAYMENT DUE DATE    COMMENCE DATE           DATE
 ---------           ------------------ ------------------ ------------------ ------------------
 <S>                 <C>                <C>                <C>                <C>
 September 15, 1998  September 22, 1998 September 23, 1998 September 24, 1998 September 29, 1998
 October 15, 1998    October 22, 1998   October 23, 1998   October 26, 1998   October 29, 1998
 November 12, 1998   November 19, 1998  November 20, 1998  November 23, 1998  November 30, 1998
 December 14, 1998   December 21, 1998  December 22, 1998  December 23, 1998  December 29, 1998
 January 15, 1999    January 22, 1999   January 25, 1999   January 26, 1999   January 29, 1999
 February 11, 1999   February 18, 1999  February 22, 1999  February 23, 1999  February 26, 1999
 March 12, 1999      March 19, 1999     March 23, 1999     March 24, 1999     March 29, 1999
 April 14, 1999      April 21, 1999     April 23, 1999     April 26, 1999     April 29, 1999
 May 13, 1999        May 20, 1999       May 24, 1999       May 25, 1999       May 28, 1999
 June 14, 1999       June 21, 1999      June 23, 1999      June 24, 1999      June 29, 1999
 July 14, 1999       July 21, 1999      July 23, 1999      July 26, 1999      July 29, 1999
 August 13, 1999     August 20, 1999    August 24, 1999    August 25, 1999    August 30, 1999
 September 14, 1999  September 21, 1999 September 23, 1999 September 24, 1999 September 29, 1999
 October 14, 1999    October 21, 1999   October 25, 1999   October 26, 1999   October 29, 1999
 November 11, 1999   November 18, 1999  November 22, 1999  November 23, 1999  November 29, 1999
 December 13, 1999   December 20, 1999  December 22, 1999  December 23, 1999  December 29, 1999
</TABLE>    
 
SUMMARY DATE INFORMATION
 
 . The Investment Date is, with respect to Common Stock acquired directly from
  the Company and relating to a dividend reinvestment, the dividend payment
  date declared by the Board of Directors (unless such date is not a business
  day in which case it is the first business day immediately thereafter) or,
  in the case of open market purchases, no later than thirty business days
  following the dividend payment date; and with respect to Common Stock
  acquired directly from the Company and relating to an optional cash payment,
  generally on or about the twenty-ninth day of each month; or, in the case of
  open market purchases, no later than the thirty business days following the
  Investment Date. In no event, however, will the Investment Date relating to
  dividend reinvestments be less than ten days from the Investment Date
  relating to optional cash payments.
 
 . The Pricing Period for optional cash payments which are invested in Common
  Stock acquired directly from the Company is the three Trading Days preceding
  the relevant Investment Date.
 
 . Optional cash payments must be received by the Plan Administrator by the end
  of the business day immediately preceding the commencement of the relevant
  Pricing Period.
 
 . The Record Date for dividends is set by the Board of Directors. The Record
  Date for optional cash payments is two business days prior to the related
  Pricing Period.
 
 . The Waiver Discount is set five business days prior to the applicable Record
  Date.
 
                                      30
<PAGE>
 
                                    PART II
 
                  INFORMATION NOT REQUIRED IN THE PROSPECTUS
 
ITEM 14. OTHER EXPENSES OF ISSUANCE AND DISTRIBUTION:
 
<TABLE>   
<S>                                                                 <C>
Registration fee................................................... $ 9,763.86
Printing expenses.................................................. $37,500.00*
Accounting fees and expenses....................................... $ 3,000.00*
Legal fees and expenses............................................ $20,000.00*
Blue sky fees and expenses......................................... $ 1,500.00*
Miscellaneous expenses............................................. $ 3,236.14*
                                                                    ----------
  TOTAL............................................................ $75,000.00
                                                                    ==========
</TABLE>    
- --------
*Estimated
 
ITEM 15. INDEMNIFICATION OF DIRECTORS AND OFFICERS.
 
  The Maryland General Corporation Law, as amended from time to time ("MGCL")
permits a Maryland corporation to include in its charter a provision limiting
the liability of its directors and officers to the corporation and its
stockholders for money damages except for liability resulting from (a) actual
receipt of an improper benefit or profit in money, property or services or (b)
active and deliberate dishonesty established by a final judgment as being
material to the cause of action. The Charter of the Company contains such a
provision which eliminates such liability to the maximum extent permitted by
Maryland law.
 
  The Charter of the Company authorizes it, to the maximum extent permitted by
Maryland law, to obligate itself to indemnify and to pay or reimburse
reasonable expenses in advance of final disposition of a proceeding to (1) any
present or former Director or officer or (2) any individual who, while a
Director of the Company and at the request of the Company, serves or has
served another corporation, real estate investment trust partnership, joint
venture, trust, employee benefit plan or any other enterprise as a director,
officer, partner or trustee of such corporation, real estate investment trust
partnership, joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan or other enterprise
from and against any claim or liability to which such person may become
subject or which such person may incur by reason of his status as a present or
former Director or officer of the Company. The Bylaws of the Company obligate
it, to the maximum extent permitted by Maryland law, to indemnify and to pay
or reimburse reasonable expenses in advance of final disposition of a
proceeding to (1) any present or former Director or officer who is made a
party to the proceeding by reason of his service in that capacity or (2) any
individual who, while a Director of the Company and at the request of the
Company, serves or has served another corporation, real estate investment
trust partnership, joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan or any other
enterprise as a director, officer, partner or trustee of such corporation,
real estate investment trust partnership, joint venture, trust, employee
benefit plan or other enterprise and who is made a party to the proceeding by
reason of his service in that capacity. The Charter and Bylaws also permit the
Company to indemnify and advance expenses to any person who served a
predecessor of the Company in any of the capacities described above and to any
employee or agent of the Company or a predecessor of the Company.
 
  The MGCL requires a corporation (unless its charter provides otherwise,
which the Company's Charter does not) to indemnify a director or officer who
has been successful, on the merits or otherwise, in the defense of any
proceeding to which he is made a party by reason of his service in that
capacity. The MGCL permits a
 
                                     II-1
<PAGE>
 
corporation to indemnify its present and former directors and officers, among
others, against judgments, penalties, fines, settlements and reasonable
expenses actually incurred by them in connection with any proceeding to which
they may be made a party by reason of their service in those or other
capacities unless it is established that (1) the act or omission of the
director or officer was material to the matter giving rise to the proceeding
and (i) was committed in bad faith or (ii) was the result of active and
deliberate dishonesty, (2) the director or officer actually received an
improper personal benefit in money, property or services or (3) in the case of
any criminal proceeding, the director or officer had reasonable cause to
believe that the act or omission was unlawful. However, under the MGCL, a
Maryland corporation may not indemnify for an adverse judgment in a suit by or
in the right of the corporation or for a judgment of liability on the basis
that personal benefit was improperly received, unless in either case a court
orders indemnification and then only for expenses. In addition, the MGCL
permits a corporation to advance reasonable expenses to a director or officer
upon the corporation's receipt of (1) a written affirmation by the director or
officer of his good faith belief that he has met the standard of conduct
necessary for indemnification by the corporation and (2) a written undertaking
by him or on his behalf to repay the amount paid or reimbursed by the
corporation if it shall ultimately be determined that the standard of conduct
was not met.
 
  In addition, the Registrant has entered into an Indemnity Agreement (Exhibit
10.4 of its Registration Statement on Form S-11 (File No. 33-96670) and
Amendments No. 1, 2 and 3 filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on
September 7, 1995, October 23, 1995, October 30, 1995 and November 8, 1995,
respectively) with its officers and Directors.
 
ITEM 16. EXHIBITS.
 
<TABLE>   
 <C>   <S>
  4.   --Dividend Reinvestment and Stock Purchase Plan (included in the
        Prospectus)
  5.1+ --Opinion of Freshman, Marantz, Orlanski, Cooper & Klein
  5.2+ --Opinion of Ballard Spahr Andrews & Ingersoll, LLP
 23.1  --Consent of KPMG Peat Marwick LLP regarding the Registrant
 23.2  --Consent of KPMG Peat Marwick LLP regarding Impac Funding Corporation
 23.3+ --Consent of Freshman, Marantz, Orlanski, Cooper & Klein (included in
        Exhibit 5.1)
 23.4+ --Consent of Ballard Spahr Andrews & Ingersoll, LLP (included in Exhibit
        5.2)
 24.1+ --Power of Attorney of Certain Officers and Directors (included on
        Signature Page)
 99.1+ --Form of Letter to Stockholders with respect to Dividend Reinvestment
        and Stock Purchase Plan
 99.2  --Authorization Form and Broker and Nominee Form
</TABLE>    
- --------
   
+  Previously filed     
 
ITEM 17. UNDERTAKINGS.
 
  The undersigned Registrant hereby undertakes:
 
  (1) To file, during any period in which offers or sales are being made, a
post-effective amendment to this Registration Statement:
 
    (i) To include any prospectus required by Section 10(a)(3) of the
  Securities Act of 1933;
 
    (ii) To reflect in the prospectus any facts or events arising after the
  effective date of the Registration Statement (or the most recent post-
  effective amendment thereof) which, individually or in the aggregate,
  represent a fundamental change in the information set forth in the
  Registration Statement. Notwithstanding the foregoing, any increase or
  decrease in volume of securities offered (if the total dollar value of
  securities offered would not exceed that which was registered) and any
  deviation from the low or high and of the estimated maximum offering range
  may be reflected in the form of prospectus filed with the Commission
 
                                     II-2
<PAGE>
 
  pursuant to Rule 424(b) if, in the aggregate, the changes in volume and
  price represent no more than 20 percent change in the maximum aggregate
  offering price set forth in the "Calculation of Registration Fee" table in
  the effective Registration Statement;
 
    (iii) To include any material information with respect to the plan of
  distribution not previously disclosed in the Registration Statement or any
  material change to such information in the Registration Statement;
 
provided, however, that paragraphs (1)(i) and (1)(ii) do not apply if the
information required to be included in a post-effective amendment by those
paragraphs is contained in periodic reports filed with or furnished to the
Commission by the Registrant pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934 that are incorporated by reference in this Registration
Statement;
 
  (2) That, for the purpose of determining any liability under the Securities
Act of 1933, each such post-effective amendment shall be deemed to be a new
Registration Statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the
offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial
bona fide offering thereof; and
 
  (3) To remove from registration by means of a post-effective amendment any
of the securities being registered which remain unsold at the termination of
the offering.
 
  The undersigned Registrant hereby undertakes that, for purposes of
determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933, each filing of the
Registrant's Annual Report pursuant to Section 13(a) or Section 15(d) of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (and, where applicable, each filing of an
employee benefit plan's annual report pursuant to Section 15(d) of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934) that is incorporated by reference in the
Registration Statement shall be deemed to be a new Registration Statement
relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such
securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering
thereof.
 
  Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act
of 1933 may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling persons of the
Registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise, the Registrant
has been advised that in the opinion of the Securities and Exchange Commission
such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Act and is,
therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification
against such liabilities (other than the payment by the Registrant of expenses
incurred or paid by a director, officer or controlling person of the
Registrant in the successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is
asserted by such director, officer or controlling person in connection with
the securities being registered, the Registrant will, unless in the opinion of
its counsel the matter has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to a
court of appropriate jurisdiction the question whether such indemnification by
it is against public policy as expressed in the Act and will be governed by
the final adjudication of such issue.
 
                                     II-3
<PAGE>
 
                                  SIGNATURES
   
  Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the Registrant
Certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all of the
requirements for filing on Form S-3 and has duly caused this Amendment No. 1
to the Registration Statement to be signed on its behalf by the Undersigned,
thereunto duly authorized, in the City of Santa Ana Heights, State of
California, on September 4, 1998.     
 
                                       IMPAC MORTGAGE HOLDINGS, INC.
                                             
                                          
                                       By:       /s/ Richard J. Johnson 
                                          ------------------------------------
                                           Richard J. Johnson
                                           Executive Vice President,
                                           Chief Financial Officer,
                                           Treasurer and Secretary     
                                           
       
  PURSUANT TO THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, THIS
REGISTRATION STATEMENT HAS BEEN SIGNED BELOW BY THE FOLLOWING PERSONS IN THE
CAPACITIES AND ON THE DATES INDICATED.
 
<TABLE>   
<CAPTION>
             SIGNATURE                           TITLE                    DATE
             ---------                           -----                    ----
<S>                                  <C>                           <C>
                 *                   Chairman of the Board and     September 4, 1998
____________________________________ Chief Executive Officer
        Joseph R. Tomkinson          (Principal Executive
                                     Officer)
 
     /s/ Richard J. Johnson          Chief Financial Officer       September 4, 1998
____________________________________ (Principal Financial and
        Richard J. Johnson           Accounting Officer)
 
                 *                   Director                      September 4, 1998
____________________________________
        H. Wayne Snavely
 
                 *                   Director                      September 4, 1998
____________________________________
            James Walsh
 
                 *                   Director                      September 4, 1998
____________________________________
           Frank Filipps
 
                 *                   Director                      September 4, 1998
____________________________________
         Stephan R. Peers
                 *                   Director                      September 4, 1998
____________________________________
        William S. Ashmore
</TABLE>    
   
*By:    /s/ Richard J. Johnson  
     ---------------------------
             Attorney-in-fact     
 
                                     II-4
<PAGE>
 
                                 EXHIBIT INDEX
 
<TABLE>   
<CAPTION>
 EXHIBIT
 NUMBER  EXHIBIT
 ------- -------
 <C>     <S>
   4.    --Dividend Reinvestment and Stock Purchase Plan (included in the
          Prospectus)
   5.1+  --Opinion of Freshman, Marantz, Orlanski, Cooper & Klein
   5.2+  --Opinion of Ballard Spahr Andrews & Ingersoll, LLP
  23.1   --Consent of KPMG Peat Marwick LLP regarding the Registrant
  23.2   --Consent of KPMG Peat Marwick LLP regarding Impac Funding Corporation
  23.3+  --Consent of Freshman, Marantz, Orlanski, Cooper & Klein (included in
          Exhibit 5.1)
  23.4+  --Consent of Ballard Spahr Andrews & Ingersoll, LLP (included in
          Exhibit 5.2)
  24.1+  --Power of Attorney of Certain Officers and Directors (included on
          Signature Page)
  99.1+  --Form of Letter to Stockholders with respect to Dividend Reinvestment
          and Stock Purchase Plan
  99.2   --Authorization Form and Broker and Nominee Form
</TABLE>    
- --------
   
+  Previously filed.     

<PAGE>
 
                                                                   EXHIBIT 23.1
 
                         INDEPENDENT AUDITORS CONSENT
 
The Board of Directors
Impac Mortgage Holdings, Inc.:
 
  We consent to the use of our report dated February 9, 1998, incorporated
herein by reference and to the reference to our firm under the heading
"Experts" in the Prospectus.
 
                                          KPMG Peat Marwick LLP
 
Orange County, California
   
September 4, 1998     

<PAGE>
 
                                                                   EXHIBIT 23.2
 
                         INDEPENDENT AUDITORS' CONSENT
 
The Board of Directors
Impac Funding Corporation:
 
  We consent to the use of our report dated February 9, 1998, incorporated
herein by reference and to the reference to our firm under the heading
"Experts" in the Prospectus.
 
                                          KPMG Peat Marwick LLP
 
Orange County, California
   
September 4, 1998     

<PAGE>
 
                                                                   EXHIBIT 99.2
                              AUTHORIZATION FORM
 
                         IMPAC MORTGAGE HOLDINGS, INC.
                 DIVIDEND REINVESTMENT AND STOCK PURCHASE PLAN
   
  Record Owners who select either or both the Dividend Reinvestment and/or the
Optional Cash Payment feature of the Plan must complete an Authorization Form.
Beneficial Owners who wish to participate in the Dividend Reinvestment feature
of the Plan must contact their broker, bank or other nominee. Brokers, banks
or other nominees whose shares are held by a major depository institution
should then contact that institution to participate in the Dividend
Reinvestment feature of the plan on behalf of the Beneficial Owner. Beneficial
Owners who wish to participate in the Optional Cash Payment feature of the
Plan must contact their broker, bank or other nominee who should complete a
Broker and Nominee Form for the Beneficial Owner. The Beneficial Owner must
also complete an Authorization Form. Both forms must be completed and
submitted together to the Plan Administrator with an optional cash payment to
take advantage of the Optional Cash Payment feature.     
       
  I hereby appoint Boston EquiServe, L.P. (or any successor) (the "Plan
Administrator") as my agent to receive cash dividends that may hereafter
become payable to me on shares of Common Stock of Impac Mortgage Holdings,
Inc. (the "Company") registered in my name as set forth below, and authorize
the Plan Administrator to apply such dividends, together with any optional
cash payments I may properly make, to the purchase of full shares and
fractional interests in shares of the Company's Common Stock. I wish to
participate in the Dividend Reinvestment and Stock Purchase Plan for the
purchase of whole and fractional shares of Common Stock ("Shares") of Impac
Mortgage Holdings, Inc. as follows:
 
  Indicate selection by placing an "X" in the appropriate box(es) (note: you
cannot select both the first and second boxes)
 
  [_] FULL DIVIDEND REINVESTMENT. I want to reinvest dividends on all Shares
    now or hereafter registered in my name and on all Shares held for me by
    the Plan Administrator. I may also make optional cash deposits.
 
  [_] PARTIAL DIVIDEND REINVESTMENT. I want to reinvest cash dividends on
    only         Shares registered in my name and want my cash dividends on
    the rest of my Shares. I understand that dividends on all Shares held for
    me by the Plan Administrator will be reinvested. I may also make optional
    cash deposits.
 
  [_] OPTIONAL CASH PAYMENTS ONLY. I want to make an optional cash deposit. I
    understand that dividends on all Shares held for me by the Plan
    Administrator will be reinvested. My check in the amount of $         is
    enclosed.
 
  My participation is subject to the provisions of the Plan as set forth in
the Prospectus relating to the Shares offered pursuant to the Plan and I may
revoke this authorization by notifying the Plan Administrator, in writing, of
my termination.
 
- -------------------------------------     -------------------------------------
Social Security or Tax I.D. No.           Date
 
 
- -------------------------------------     -------------------------------------
Print Name(s) of Registered Owners        Signature(s) of Registered Owners
 
  Make checks payable to: BOSTON EQUISERVE IMPAC MORTGAGE HOLDINGS, INC. DRIP
 
    Mailing Address: Boston Equiserve, L.P.
                     Dividend Reinvestment Unit
                     P.O. Box 8040
                     Boston, Massachusetts 02266-8040
1443-DRP2-98     
       
<PAGE>
 
                            BROKER AND NOMINEE FORM
 
 
TO BE USED ONLY BY STOCKHOLDERS ALL OF WHOSE SHARES ARE IN NOMINEE OR STREET
NAME AND WISH TO MAKE OPTIONAL CASH PAYMENTS
 
Name of Broker or Nominee Holding Shares for Stockholder:
 
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
Number of Shares held by Broker or Nominee_____________________________________
 
I wish to make optional cash payments to the Plan. My check in the amount of
$    is enclosed. My Plan account is to be maintained as follows (PLEASE
PRINT):
 
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Name                         Street           City           State     Zip Code
 
- -------------------------------------     -------------------------------------
Social Security/Tax I.D. No.              Date
 
I HEREBY CERTIFY THAT I AM THE OWNER OF THE SHARES OF IMPAC MORTGAGE HOLDINGS,
INC. INDICATED ABOVE.
 
                                          -------------------------------------
                                                        Signature
                                          (To be executed by broker, bank or
                                          other nominee for Beneficial Owner)
 
IF ADDRESS IS NOT PROPERLY SHOWN, PLEASE CORRECT BEFORE RETURNING.
 
THIS IS NOT A PROXY.
   
1443-DRP2-98     


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