State-chartered banks and credit unions in Maine saw an overall decrease in home foreclosure activity during the third quarter of 2010, according to data released this week by the state's Bureau of Financial Institutions. Both new delinquencies and foreclosure starts dropped, which could mean future foreclosures are also on the wane. However, seriously delinquent first mortgages increased during the same period.

Williams, Williams & McKissick (WWM), parent company of Williams & Williams Worldwide Real Estate Auction, Auction Network, and Williams Merchant Group, has promoted Amy Bates and Rob Bridges to chief marketing officer and SVP of operations, respectively. According to a statement from the company, these newly created positions were developed to coincide with WWM's recent formation and will further its goal of providing more technologically advanced methods for live real estate auctions.

HUD recently deployed a new risk management tool developed by Walzak Consulting Inc. for use in its Management and Marketing III (M&M III) program for HUD field service manager and asset manager contractors who oversee the maintenance and sales of foreclosed FHA homes. The model measures and tracks the performance of HUD's REO vendors in meeting and following the department's contractual requirements and operational procedures.

Ellie Mae, an enterprise mortgage origination technology provider, appointed Alan Henricks as its newest board member. Henricks will also join the board of directors' audit committee. With more than 30 years' experience as a CFO, Henricks is currently an independent consultant, advising technology companies and start-ups. He is also the acting CFO of Livescribe, a consumer electronics company.

Lenders One Mortgage Cooperative, a national alliance of community mortgage bankers, correspondent lenders, and suppliers of mortgage products and services, launched a new national marketing campaign this week. LendRIGHT was created to establish a seal of excellence for the mortgage industry, according to a statement from Lenders One. The organization says the program allows consumers to recognize lenders who have pledged to provide the highest levels of quality and performance.

The Federal Housing Administration (FHA) aims to assist senior borrowers with its newly released guidance on reverse mortgages, or the Home Equity Conversion Mortgage (HECM) program. According to the federal agency, some elderly homeowners are struggling with outstanding property taxes and unpaid hazard insurance premiums. Those who neglect to pay these expenses may face foreclosure, even in instances where the homeowner's mortgage is paid in full.

Real estate information company Zillow Inc. announced record-breaking online traffic in December with more than 13 million unique visitors logged, a year-over-year traffic growth of 77 percent. Zillow reports that 2010 was a good year for the company. After forming a partnership with Yahoo! Real Estate in July, Zillow now runs the largest online real estate ad network in the country. Nearly 100 million homes are in Zillow's database.

Fiserv, Inc. recently hired Mark Ernst as EVP and COO. Ernst began his new role this week, providing leadership in integrated product delivery, service quality, and the company's operational effectiveness objectives. Most recently, Ernst was deputy commissioner of operations support for the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). He also held key executive positions at H&R Block, Inc. and Bellevue Capital.

Marshall & Ilsley Corporation (M&I) has extended its foreclosure moratorium for distressed homeowners through March 31 as part of its Homeowner Assistance Program. M&I originally instituted the foreclosure freeze in December 2008, as has been a typical practice for many lenders around the holiday season since the housing crisis set in. The company has been regularly extending its suspension on home repossessions ever since to afford customers who are struggling with their mortgage payments the opportunity to keep their homes.

According to the Boston-based research firm the Warren Group, both year-over-year foreclosure petitions and deeds decreased in November by double-digit percentages in Massachusetts for the second consecutive month. Auction announcements tracked by the company also fell in November, as overall foreclosure activity in the state reached its lowest levels in 2010. The Warren Group attributes the steep decline to delays caused by servicers' robo-signing problems and temporary foreclosure suspensions by major lenders.