Traditional 30-year mortgages these days are unusually affordable by historical standards, but if you’re looking for a home equity line of credit, don’t expect any deals.

The market for such credit lines, which practically shut down as home prices tumbled, remains tight as a drum despite signs of life in the rest of the home loan market. And offers that let you pay only the prime rate or just above that benchmark are long gone.

“The days of lenders falling all over themselves to help you empty the equity out of your home aren’t coming back any time soon,” said Keith Gumbinger, vice president at loan data tracker HSH Associates.

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