An outsize number of Oregon homes in foreclosure are empty even though they still belong to the homeowner who took out the mortgage.

Among U.S. states, Oregon has the second-most vacant foreclosures by percentage of foreclosures overall, according to

. The company compared a database of vacant properties maintained by the U.S. Postal Service with its database of homes in foreclosure.

Of nearly 3,900 homes in foreclosure in the state, RealtyTrac says 1,100 -- or 28 percent -- are empty. (In terms of the number of homes in foreclosure, Oregon is in the middle of the pack at No. 25.)

The high foreclosure vacancy rate correlates with a long and lengthening timeline for completing a foreclosure in Oregon, said RealtyTrac Vice President Daren Blomquist. Homes repossessed in the year's first quarter spent nearly a year and a half in foreclosure, compared with about six months reported at the beginning of 2012.

"That is leading to situations where homeowners are expecting to be kicked out, quite honestly, pretty quickly once the foreclosure starts," Blomquist said. "It's actually dragging on a lot longer."

Changes in state law, as well as legal battles over the foreclosure process, likely contributed to the elongated timeline.

For homeowners, assuming a foreclosure has gone through on the original timeline can be dangerous. Lenders frequently postpone foreclosure sales, leaving the home officially in the hands of the borrower -- along with responsibility for maintenance, taxes and utilities.

When homeowners do move on, lenders are reluctant to take on maintenance responsibilities on a property they don't yet own, saying can present legal problems.

Oregon attempted to address the issue through

that gives local governments the right to perform basic maintenance on and secure vacant foreclosures, then pass on the cost in the form of a lien to be satisfied the next time the home sells. If the home is in foreclosure, the lender will likely end up paying off the lien.

Nationwide, about 20 percent of homes in foreclosure are vacant, RealtyTrac said. In addition, about 544,000 U.S. homes have been repossessed by banks but not yet resold.

-- Elliot Njus