Houston, Texas-based Integrated Mortgage Solutions (IMS), a collateral protection resource for the mortgage servicing industry, has hired Tom Gay to the position of vice president, sales and marketing manager.

The Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. (FDIC) has forged a unique partnership with the NeighborWorks Center for Foreclosure Solutions to help subprime borrowers in nine different markets find workable solutions to troubled loans.

Tulsa, Oklahoma-based Williams & Williams, a nationwide real estate auction firm, says its auction sales are on pace to double over last year. Dean Williams, chief executive officer of Williams & Williams, discussed the growing popularity of the auction sale format in a press release issued Tuesday.

Realizing the latest federal guidelines on subprime lending do not affect certain independent mortgage lenders and brokers, state regulators are implementing additional guidelines to fill the gaps and combat irresponsible lending practices at all levels.

First American Default Information Services, an arm of The First American Corp., hopes its newly formed division—the Default Consulting group—will aid mortgage servicers by assessing and enhancing their default businesses.

Kansas City, Missouri-based NovaStar Financial, Inc., a lender and manager of nonconforming loans, has secured $150 million in equity through two pending transactions with private equity firms, according to a NovaStar press release.

The Harris Interactive Financial Services Group a new poll this week, which shows 66-percent of consumers surveyed online believe marketing strategies on mortgage loans are not credible. And, of the 2,383 poll respondents, only 34-percent found the marketing strategies credible, while 22-percent called them not credible at all.

Houston, Texas-based Oxford Funding Corp., an asset resolution company that aims to manage subprime mortgage portfolios in the changing market, has named William A. Carmichael director of corporate relations.

AOL and Fidelity National Real Estate Solutions) have announced a strategic partnership that will allow AOL real estate users to instantly access home evaluations online. A press release issued by FNRES says the company will offer broker and MLS listings to 3 million AOL users and home evaluations through its Cyberhomes expert tools.

Weltman, Weinberg & Reis Co., L.P.A., a law firm specializing in collection services and legal representations to creditors, has hired Janice Nakano as director of client relations and business development for WWR’s new Real Estate Default Group (REDG).