SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549

                                    FORM 8-K

                             CURRENT REPORT PURSUANT
                          TO SECTION 13 OR 15(D) OF THE
                         SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934


       Date of Report (date of earliest event reported): September 5, 2001


                          IMPAC MORTGAGE HOLDINGS, INC.
             (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)


                                    Maryland
                 (State or Other Jurisdiction of Incorporation)


           0-19861                                     33-0675505
   (Commission File Number)                (I.R.S. Employer Identification No.)


                                1401 Dove Street
                         Newport Beach, California 92660
          (Address of Principal Executive Offices, Including Zip Code)


                                 (949) 475-3600
              (Registrant's Telephone Number, Including Area Code)


                                 Not Applicable
          (Former Name or Former Address, if Changed Since Last Report)






ITEM 5. Other Events This filing is made to effect the incorporation by reference of the accompanying exhibit in the Company's Registration Statement No. 333-63456 on Form S-3, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, which became effective on August 30, 2001 (Attached as Annex A). ITEM 7. Exhibits (c) Exhibits 5.3 - Legal Opinion of Kirkpatrick & Lockhart LLP.

SIGNATURES Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, the Registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized. IMPAC MORTGAGE HOLDINGS, INC. By: /s/ RICHARD J. JOHNSON -------------------------- Richard J. Johnson Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer Date: September 5, 2001

                                     ANNEX A

Exhibit 5.3

August 30, 2001

Impac Mortgage Holdings, Inc.
20371 Irvine Avenue
Santa Ana Heights, CA 92707

         Re:      Impac Mortgage Holdings, Inc.
                  Registration Statement on Form S-3

Dear Sir/Madam:

At your  request,  we have  examined the  Registration  Statement on Form S-3 of
Impac Mortgage  Holdings,  Inc., a Maryland  corporation  (the  "Company")  (the
"Registration Statement"), exhibits filed or to be filed in connection therewith
and the form of  prospectus  contained  therein,  which you have  filed with the
Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC") in connection with the possible offer
and sale from time to time of up to  4,232,288  shares (the  "Shares") of Common
Stock $.01 par value per share (the  "Common  Stock")  by a  stockholder  of the
Company in the manner described in the Registration  Statement.  This opinion is
being  delivered  in  accordance  with the  requirements  of Item  601(b) (5) of
Regulation S-K under the Securities Act.

For  purposes  of  this  opinion,  we  have  examined  such  matters  of law and
originals, or copies, certified or otherwise, identified to our satisfaction, of
such documents,  corporate records of the Company relating to the authorization,
offering  and  issuance  of the Shares and other  instruments  as we have deemed
necessary.

In our  examination,  we have assumed the  genuineness  of all  signatures,  the
authenticity  of all documents  submitted to us as originals,  the conformity to
originals  of  all  documents  submitted  to us  as  certified,  photostatic  or
conformed  copies,  and the  authenticity  of the  originals  of all such latter
documents.  We  have  also  assumed  the  due  execution  and  delivery  of  all
documentswhere due execution and delivery are prerequisites to the effectiveness
thereof.  We have relied upon  certificates of public officials and certificates
of  officers  of the  Company for the  accuracy  of  material,  factual  matters
contained therein which were not independently established.

Based  upon the  foregoing  and all other  instruments,  documents  and  matters
examined for the  rendering of this  opinion,  it is our opinion that the Shares
have been duly authorized and are validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable.

We express no opinion as to the  applicability or effect of any laws,  orders or
judgments of any state or  jurisdiction  other than federal  securities laws and
the  substantive  laws of the State of  California  and Maryland.  Further,  our
opinion is based  solely  upon  existing  laws,  rules and  regulations,  and we
undertake no  obligation to advise you of any changes that may be brought to our
attention after the date hereof.

We consent  to the use of our name under the  caption  "Legal  Matters",  in the
Prospectus,  constituting part of the Registration Statement,  and to the filing
of this opinion as an exhibit to the Registration Statement.

By giving you this opinion and consent, we do not admit that we are experts with
respect  to any part of the  Registration  Statement  or  Prospectus  within the
meaning of the term  "expert"  as used in Section  11 of the  Securities  Act of
1933, as amended,  or the rules and  regulations  promulgated  thereunder by the
SEC,  nor do we admit that we are in the  category of persons  whose  consent is
required under Section 7 of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.

                    Very truly yours,

                    /s/ KIRKPATRICK & LOCKHART LLP

                    Kirkpatrick & Lockhart LLP