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                       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 20, 1996



      AMRESCO Residential Securities Corporation Mortgage Loan Trust 1996-4
       (filed on its behalf by AMRESCO Residential Securities Corporation)
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             (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)



                                                                             APPLICATION
            New York                         33-08687-01                       PENDING
- -------------------------------          ----------------                -------------------
                                                                     
   (State or Other Jurisdiction of       (Commission File                  (I.R.S. Employer
        Incorporation)                        Number)                    Identification No.)



     c/o Bankers Trust Company
        Four Albany Street
        New York, New York                                                      10006
- ----------------------------------------                                 -------------------
(Address of Principal Executive Offices)                                      (Zip Code)


        Registrant's telephone number, including area code (714) 253-7575
                                                           --------------
                 c/o Bankers Trust Company of California, N.A.,
               3 Park Plaza, 16th Floor, Irvine, California 92714
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         (Former name or former address, if changed since last report)

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Item 2.  Acquisition or Disposition of Assets
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Description of the Conveyance of Subsequent Mortgage Loans

         On  September  20, 1996,  AMRESCO  Residential  Securities  Corporation
Mortgage Loan Trust 1996-4 (the "Trust")  acquired  $41,141,763.67 of Subsequent
Mortgage  Loans  pursuant to the terms of the Pooling  and  Servicing  Agreement
dated as of August 1, 1996, between AMRESCO Residential Mortgage Corporation, as
Seller, AMRESCO Residential  Securities  Corporation,  as Depositor,  Long Beach
Mortgage  Company,  Option One Mortgage  Corporation and Advanta  Mortgage Corp.
USA, as Servicers and Bankers Trust Company of California, N.A., in its capacity
as Trustee,  and the Subsequent  Transfer  Agreement  among AMRESCO  Residential
Securities Corporation, as Depositor,  AMRESCO Residential Mortgage Corporation,
as Seller and the Trust, as purchaser,  dated September 20, 1996. The Subsequent
Mortgage  Loans possess the  characteristics  required by the  Prospectus  dated
August  16,  1996 and the  Prospectus  Supplement  dated  July 28,  1996,  filed
pursuant  to Rule  424(b)(5)  of the Act on August 28,  1996.  The  Schedule  of
Subsequent Mortgage Loans is attached to the Subsequent Transfer Agreement.



Item 7.  Financial Statements, Pro Forma Financial Information and Exhibits.
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(a)      Not applicable

(b)      Not applicable

(c)      Exhibits:

         10.1     Subsequent  Transfer  Agreement dated as of September 20, 1996
                  among   AMRESCO   Residential   Securities   Corporation,   as
                  Depositor, AMRESCO Residential Mortgage Corporation, as Seller
                  and AMRESCO Residential  Securities  Corporation Mortgage Loan
                  Trust 1996-4 as the Purchaser.


                                   SIGNATURES


         Pursuant to the  requirements  of the Securities  Exchange Act of 1934,
the  registrant  has duly  caused  this report to be signed on its behalf by the
undersigned hereunto duly authorized.

                           By:    AMRESCO Residential Securities Corporation, as
                                  Depositor



                                  By: /s/Ronald B. Kirkland
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                                      Name:  Ronald B. Kirkland
                                      Title: Vice President and Chief Accounting
                                             Officer

Dated:   October 3, 1996