MDA Dataquick, a real estate tracking firm released a report showing that home sales in California jumped 65 percent in September compared to sales in September 2007.

Homebuyers grabbed the opportunity to buy sharply discounted foreclosed homes and other properties.

The increased supply of more affordable homes helped drive the California median home price down to $283,000, a drop of about 34 percent from $430,000 in September last year. Of the 40,317 homes sold last month, foreclosure resales accounted for 51 percent of pre-owned home sales. That's up about 6 percent from August sales.