Wage freezes at nominal values which did not keep pace with inflation during the 2000s, I'd guess.
Remember HELOCs?
Home-equity lending surpassed 2009 levels in 2013, with $111 billion in new home equity lines of credit (HELOCs) opened. In the fourth quarter, new lending increased 43% from quarter four 2012, according to data from Experian-Oliver Wyman Market Intelligence Reports and Experian’s IntelliView tool.
http://www.marketwatch.com/story/helocs-made-a-comeback-in-2...
Though I imagine that surpassing "2009 levels" is not very exciting. Wake me up when they surpass 2005 levels!