From the linked article:
Assets are assessed at around 5%, meaning in general you can expect 5% of the total value to be added to the expected family contribution. So a $100,000 asset would add $5,000 to your expected contribution (and reduce your financial aid accordingly).
If this is about how schools that use Profile calculate need-based aid, then I would say it’s waaaay too general. Each school can have their own formula for determining institutional need-based aid, so it’s misleading to make a blanket statement that assets “are assessed at around 5%.”
The good news is that not all colleges that take the CSS profile treat home equity the same - some don’t even count it at all. So how do you know whether your home value will affect your financial aid?
True, different Profile schools treat home equity in different ways, and in my experience “some” not counting home equity at all in reality means a few, as in a great minority.