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Coach
Most equity is built through DIY improvements, but hiring a contractor you usually lose. For a kitchen example if you take a 70’s kitchen hire a contractor they come back with 50k. If you DIY cabinets $2000, countertops $3000, under mount sink with faucet $500, new flooring $1500. Your cost is 7k and the updated kitchen increases value by 15-25k on average. The other easy way to add value is to convert unlivable space like a basement or attic. Let’s say homes go for $300sqft and you finish a 500sqft basement for 30k, add a bathroom and two bedrooms. You might increase the value by 150k, maybe a little less as attic and basement isn’t prime sqft. It also depends on the quality of the work. This all kind of assumes you are handy. The best primary home strategy is renting bedrooms, or a 2 year house flip and getting out of capital gains rinse and repeat. Aside from that you’ll likely just get your payments back when you sell through appreciation. Primary homes, maintenance and all the fees associated aren’t a great investment. The interest is all front loaded on the loan so basically you trade a landlord for a bank with very little loan pay down. When people talk about real estate investing they don’t mean a primary home. They mean someone else paying that front loaded interest loan (renters), while you collect a little cash flow, a little loan pay down, appreciation, and some tax benefits.
There are only two 'levers' to increase equity; increase value of the asset or reduce debt. Assuming the latter is straightforward, you can increase value by updating, improving, or expanding the use of the asset.
A new roof makes the property worth more, an updated bathroom, adding new rooms, or better floor plan.
As to calculating the best ROI for any of these, you should compare to other similar houses in the area. Be cautious not to over improve, and consider your exit (how do you get access to this equity through HELOC or sale). You can also Google some of the highest ROI items, such as reno kitchen / bathrooms, but should be enough to get you started!
Baths and kitchen first
To me, liquidating equity in your primary residence may be a bit high on the risk side of the house... but everybody's risk tolerance is different...