<ARTICLE>                     5
<LEGEND>
THE  SCHEDULE  CONTAINS  SUMMARY  FINANCIAL   INFORMATION   EXTRACTED  FROM  THE
REGISTRANTS  FIRST  QUARTER 1998  CONSOLIDATED  BALANCE  SHEET AND  CONSOLIDATED
STATEMENT  OF  OPERATIONS  FOR THE THREE  MONTHS  ENDED  MARCH  31,  1998 AND IS
QUALIFIED IN ITS ENTIRETY BY REFERENCE TO SUCH FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
</LEGEND>
<MULTIPLIER>                                   1
<CURRENCY>                                     U.S. Dollars
       
                             
<PERIOD-TYPE>                   3-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                              DEC-31-1998
<PERIOD-START>                                 JAN-01-1998
<PERIOD-END>                                   MAR-31-1998
<EXCHANGE-RATE>                                          1
<CASH>                                           1,963,655
<SECURITIES>                                             0
<RECEIVABLES>                                   16,245,912
<ALLOWANCES>                                     3,046,803
<INVENTORY>                                              0
<CURRENT-ASSETS>                                         0
<PP&E>                                           5,148,570
<DEPRECIATION>                                   1,523,704
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                                  44,379,049
<CURRENT-LIABILITIES>                                    0
<BONDS>                                         23,531,694
<PREFERRED-MANDATORY>                                    0
<PREFERRED>                                      1,384,891
<COMMON>                                        10,425,188
<OTHER-SE>                                       5,201,060
<TOTAL-LIABILITY-AND-EQUITY>                    44,379,049
<SALES>                                          5,560,823
<TOTAL-REVENUES>                                 8,527,163
<CGS>                                              791,442
<TOTAL-COSTS>                                    7,647,111
<OTHER-EXPENSES>                                         0
<LOSS-PROVISION>                                   162,269
<INTEREST-EXPENSE>                                 505,515
<INCOME-PRETAX>                                    388,825
<INCOME-TAX>                                       156,000
<INCOME-CONTINUING>                                232,825
<DISCONTINUED>                                           0
<EXTRAORDINARY>                                          0
<CHANGES>                                                0
<NET-INCOME>                                       232,825
<EPS-PRIMARY>                                          .08
<EPS-DILUTED>                                          .08