hard work put into a house, business, etc. to increase its value
the increased value so produced
☆
adjective
Informal designating or of a kind of plan for renovating houses, neighborhoods, etc. in which houses are offered free or at low prices to persons promising to make the necessary repairs
See sweat equity in American Heritage Dictionary 4
sweat equity
noun
Work, especially manual labor, performed in return for a share in ownership, as of a home.
Sustained effort; hard work: “Coming up with compelling plots is a little bit inspiration and a lot of sweat equity”(David Baldacci).