ANNAPOLIS – Foreclosures in Maryland fell nearly 60 percent in the fourth quarter of 2010 compared to the previous quarter, but state officials said Tuesday they expect a “significant” uptick in the first three months of 2011.

The decline is due largely to banks’ decisions to stall foreclosures nationally, after it was discovered that many of them were improperly signing off on foreclosures, according to Maryland Housing Secretary Raymond Skinner.