@VirginiaBelle there is no place on the FAFSA to put the equity in your primary residence. In fact, under assets that is specifically excluded on the FAFSA. Did you include the equity in your primary residence as an asset on the fafsa? If you did, that was a mistake.
There IS a place for primary home equity value on the CSS Profile. How colleges use that number varies.
If your income is above a threshold, perhaps you would not qualify for need based aid regardless.