<ARTICLE>                           5
<LEGEND>

This schedule  contains summary financial  information  extracted from Investors
First-Staged  Equity L.P.  2000 Third  Quarter  10-QSB and is  qualified  in its
entirety by reference to such 10-QSB filing.

</LEGEND>

<CIK>                               0000768834
<NAME>                              Investors First-Staged Equity L.P.
<MULTIPLIER>                                           1,000


                                   
<PERIOD-TYPE>                       9-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                   DEC-31-2000
<PERIOD-START>                      JUL-01-2000
<PERIOD-END>                        SEP-30-2000
<CASH>                                                 2,270
<SECURITIES>                                               0
<RECEIVABLES>                                            459
<ALLOWANCES>                                               0
<INVENTORY>                                                0
<CURRENT-ASSETS>                                           0 <F1>
<PP&E>                                                36,280
<DEPRECIATION>                                        22,469
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                                        17,642
<CURRENT-LIABILITIES>                                      0 <F1>
<BONDS>                                               38,024
<PREFERRED-MANDATORY>                                      0
<PREFERRED>                                                0
<COMMON>                                                   0
<OTHER-SE>                                           (22,242)
<TOTAL-LIABILITY-AND-EQUITY>                          17,642
<SALES>                                                    0
<TOTAL-REVENUES>                                       4,689
<CGS>                                                      0
<TOTAL-COSTS>                                              0
<OTHER-EXPENSES>                                      12,540
<LOSS-PROVISION>                                           0
<INTEREST-EXPENSE>                                     9,675
<INCOME-PRETAX>                                            0
<INCOME-TAX>                                               0
<INCOME-CONTINUING>                                        0
<DISCONTINUED>                                             0
<EXTRAORDINARY>                                            0
<CHANGES>                                                  0
<NET-INCOME>                                          (7,851)
<EPS-BASIC>                                          (477.95)<F2>
<EPS-DILUTED>                                              0
<FN>

<F1> Registrant has an unclassified balance sheet. <F2> Multiplier is 1.

</FN>