Should you sell your property? Should you become a first-time buyer? Should you stay put? It’s enough to drive a girl crazy and lead you to the proverbial therapist’s couch. That’s what In the Grip of Indecision means, according to the LAURA M. HOLSON and the New York Times. It used to be easy to purchase property but nowadays it takes thought, deliberation, and mostly fearful moments — “am I crazy to even think about moving, buying, selling in this unstable market?” Even savvy buyers with cash to spend have it rough because anything goes in the game of real estate.

My opinion? Stay put and fix up your existing home! Or downsize and get out of that McMansion. After all, do we really need that much space? Coming from a New Yorker, that’s a bit of an oxymoron.

Here’s Five Tips on how to upgrade your existing home:

1. Hide your cheap fixes, show off the splurges. Wood work and granite counter tops should be done by the pros with mid to high quality materials. But for items that can be changed out later rather easily, like fixtures and paint, use economic choices.

Interiors by Krista Watterworth Design

2. Smaller is better. Keep your projects on the smaller side. Don’t take on an entire kitchen, bathroom or basement redo until you feel secure enough in time and money to take it on and commit fully.

3. DIY-it. Time is money so do yourself a favor and go to DIY Networks to find simple steps to easy projects like installing a faucet, laying tile or taping and mudding drywall. It’s a great way to cut costs.

4. Forget refinancing. Spend in cash this way you won’t go overboard. This will keep a lid on large projects that just tend to get larger once work is commenced.

5. Keep things where they are. On my show, “Save My Bath”, we only had ten days to gut and rebuild a bathroom. That’s unheard of in the real world of construction and home renovation. For this reason, I always kept plumbing fixtures where they were to cut back on time and costs to move plumbing and electrical lines.

Last 5 posts by Krista Watterworth

• What are some ideas you have used with Home Theatre Electronics to keep flow in a room design? - September 1st, 2011
• How can I use a little bit of glass tile in my bathroom as an accent? - August 31st, 2011
• Pastori's on Restaurant Impossible - August 26th, 2011
• Make Your Own Mod Lights - August 25th, 2011
• Domino Bedroom - July 11th, 2011