Informative Research, a mortgage information services provider, announced recently the appointment of Patrick Kelly to VP of Business Development and Colleen Knapp to Director of Business Development.

Distressed properties have decreased to start off 2014, according to a new report from LoanLove.com. Following an anticipated marked decrease in distressed properties, the report found that U.S. foreclosure filings in February dropped to the lowest level experienced in over seven years.

Fannie Mae announced it has revised its maximum fee assessment for servicers that submit late or inaccurate loan reporting. Fannie Mae fines servicers in order to recoup the losses and damages that result from servicing breaches, "including reimbursement for Fannie Mae's internal administrative costs in tracking, reporting, and correcting these errors."

RealtyTrac announced that it has hired veteran marketing and communications executive Darcy Patch as VP of marketing and operations. Patch will oversee the daily operations of the network while further enhancing network services for current members.

Texas employment grew in the month of February, particularly in the oil and gas industry, according to a new report from the Wells Fargo Economics Group. The group from Wells found that Texas added 37,600 workers to nonfarm payrolls throughout the month.

Clear Capital, a provider of data and solutions for real estate asset valuation and collateral risk assessment, released its Home Data Index Market Report with data through March, 2014. The report noted that the frosty winter left home prices mostly flat, while saturation of distressed homes remained stable at 21.8 percent.

Fannie Mae announced Thursday it is extending the 3.5 percent closing cost assistance for HomePath properties purchased during the First Look period in 27 states. During the FirstLook period, which is in effect for the first 20 days a property is on the market, an owner-occupant or public entity buyer is able to submit offers on HomePath properties without competition from investors.

The Office of the Special Inspector General for the Troubled Asset Relief Program (SIGTARP) announced Christopher Tumbaga of Colorado Spring, Colorado pleaded guilty to one count of bank fraud and to one count of illegally receiving kickbacks for procuring loans.

The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) released a report Thursday, highlighting the performance of first-lien mortgages serviced by large national and federal banks continued to improve in the fourth quarter of 2013. The OCC Mortgage Metrics Report for the Fourth Quarter of 2013 found 91.8 percent of mortgages were currently performing, up slightly from 91.4 percent in Q3 2013.

PEMCO Limited announced Marcia Toms as the 6th recipient of the Women in Diversified Services (WinDS) Leadership Award. Toms serves as the 1A project manager for PEMCO Limited, and is the president of the WinDS Foundation.