I think house-hacking is a great idea and I would be more than happy to help you with the financing.

If the software is not simplifying your life or making you more accurate, you shouldn't use it.

Northern California can be a competitive market, so having clear numbers and a transparent breakdown of the assignment fee will help attract serious buyers. 

And, if you’ve been in your house for a few years (or longer), there’s a good chance you’re sitting on a pile of equity — maybe even more than you realize.What Is Home Equity?

Don't make it more complicated than it has to be.

I spend roughly $120k on my renovations, but this is for the entire property and developing the secondary suite which certainly costs more (2 new furnaces, all new plumbing, new kitchens and bathrooms with tiled floors and showers).All said and done, I personally love it.

I would be inteerested in learning more about this

Even if you only averaged 2.8% appreciation annually, which if you've had it 20 years I have no clue how that's true given prices have well more than doubled in that time, youre skipping over the fact that you have been benefiting from that appreciation on the ENTIRE house, not just the % you paid for.  

Too many flakes and dream merchants (using my material to teach while stealing your wallet and offering to help you look for it!).

Probably going to be a check.Smart contractors are starting to understand that convenience matters to customers and being able to take different methods of payment can help them collect their money.