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                                                       EXHIBIT 23.1






            Consent of Independent Certified Public Accountants



The Board of Trustees of
  Continental Mortgage and Equity Trust

We hereby consent to the incorporation by reference in the Prospectus
constituting a part of this Registration Statement of our report dated March
21, 1996, relating to the consolidated financial statements and schedules of
Continental Mortgage and Equity Trust appearing in the Company's
Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 1995.

We also consent to the reference to us under the caption "Experts" in the
Prospectus.




                                     /s/  BDO Seidman, LLP


Dallas, Texas
January 22, 1997