California home prices have increased for the first time in 16 months, according to Los Angeles-based California Association of Realtors. Yesterday we took a look at average prices for the Northeast Area in Los Angeles, which includes an average of $435,500 for a single family home. The California average, however, jumped to $291,080 - a 9.2 percent gain from February, the largest monthly increase since March 2004. Tight inventory seems to contribute to the price jump.