I have cash and equity in my home, what should I do next?

[Franchesca Potter]

I have 30k cash, 780 credit score and 102k equity in my home. Should my next step be to refinance my house and use the money to purchase a multi family? Multiple single families? Should I go to my loan officer that I initially got my mortgage from? Should I focus on finding homes in pre foreclosures so that I can buy for cheaper? Do I need a real estate agent? My dad is an experienced contractor, so I have no hesitation about investing into a home that needs work. I’m just trying to create passive income