I write this as (hopefully) a more humble and aware individual than I was yesterday, having joined 98 other WA CEOs at the WACA last night in the first CEO Sleepout for the homeless, as organised by the Vinnies.

Where to start? Well I can report that the concrete floor underneath the Lillee-Marsh stand is cold at 3 in the morning (when I think I finally got off to a fitful sleep, such as it was), and I know that when I queue up for my pie and chips there in the future I will always gaze down at that corner where I slept last night (see picture left), and the experience will continue to prompt me to think about Australia's homeless people (105,000 a night, 14,000 in WA - a travesty for a wealthy country one might argue).

The pure experience of sleeping out with just a sleeping bag, piece of cardboard and pillow meant this was always going to mean more than just tipping money in for a good cause. You also lived it (at least for one night), and felt blessed that for the other 364 nights of the year you had a warm bed to sleep in. What we did was way easier than what the homeless face every night, for real, but it still made its mark.

Seeing others join you, sleeping in stairwells, down along the railings, under the chairs, and in 2 cases, actually braving the grass pitch itself (see pictures on right) added tremendously to the event. A camaraderie developed through the night, and warm smiles greeted you wherever you went as we all shared the experience. There was a diary room where you could say your thoughts to camera, a book to sign, pictures of homeless to gaze at. And being at the WACA - it was all so surreal.

At kickoff time (7pm last night), Vinnies organised a thought provoking 2 hours of presentations from homeless people who shared their stories, videos, government MPs donating $15,000, and the CEO of Burswood who raised the most ($34,000), all beautifully MC'd by Adrian Barich, who told his favourite Jako jokes. Twiggy Forrest of course stole the night with his appearance and a breathtaking $113,000 cheque from FMG and assorted groups and companies, which took the WA raising to over $420,000. $2.5 million raised nationally (so WA punched above its weight).

As dawn broke the soup kitchen, the roll, the coffee and the shared chatter were in force along with sore heads and bodies ambling around sharing rumours of rats and feral cats (didn't see any myself).

I'll not forget last night. It's startling that one in four homeless are under the age of 18, and most are females. It's a myth that the homelessness are mainly drunken old men on park benches. And hearing their stories, so lucidly put, you can see how the veneer of a seemingly 'normal' life and homelessness is quite thin, and how easy anyone could slip through and find themselves in what must be one of the worst situations to be in.

Altogether, it was poignant and meaningful. It raised our understanding of the issues for us all, and others. We must thank and acknowledge everyone involved in what was WA's first CEO Sleepout, all those that gave - there is still time to give more, and the CEO Sleepout web site is wonderfully well organised and easy to use.

YOU CAN SUPPORT THE CAUSE HERE - thank you. To see more follow the Twitter stream #ceosleepout or read my experiences at Twitter.com/chazgunningham.

If you’re doing any kind of decorating, renovating or building, chances are you’re on the hunt for some inspiration. We used to have to rely on dog-eared magazines and books to keep track of ideas we wanted to try, but these days things are a little different.

Over the past few years the internet has become a fantastic resource for home design ideas. We’ve gathered together a list of some of our favourite online places to get a dose of inspiration. Some are blogs, some are forums, but all are guaranteed to give you a creative pick-me-up.

1. The Selby a voyeur’s dream. Todd Selby has the enviable job of travelling around the world taking photos inside people’s homes. He’s photographed hundreds of people from quirky Japanese toy company CEO’s to famed fashion designer Karl Lagerfeld. Taking a peek inside these creative spaces will definitely give you more than a few ideas.
2. Australia’s own home styling legend, Shannon Fricke has worked for magazines such as InsideOut and authored a number of best selling interior decorating books. Her blog is a great collection of interesting ideas, product information, tips and tricks and is perfect for people who are searching for their own style.
3. Apartment Therapy sets out to “help people make their homes more beautiful, organised and healthy” and this site definitely achieves it. Have a look through the pages and you’ll be amazed by the quality of the home tours (one of the most popular features), decorating ideas and tips that are on offer.
4. Unclutterer is a great resource for people that need a little help getting organised. The site features tips, simple strategies, product reviews and reader questions. If you need inspiration to solve storage and clutter issues around the home, you’ll find it very useful.
5. Design Sponge is one of the most popular online decorating blogs in the world. Started by Brooklyn-based writer Grace Bonney in 2004, it’s developed into a handy hub of home and product design knowledge. Grace and her team do a great job of featuring new products, sharing ideas for updating furniture and showcasing emerging designers. New posts are added daily so there’s always something new to see.
6. Holly Becker, a freelance journalist and design consultant, started Decor8 in January 2006. Since then, the site has grown to be a favourite of over 35,000 readers daily. This site is really helpful if you need ideas for the best ways to style a room or to keep up-to-date with new product releases.
7. For fans of architecture and furniture design, Daily Tonic is a site that features the best projects, products and materials from all around the world. While it’s specifically aimed at architects, interior designers and furnishing specialists, anyone with an interest in design and building trends will find it inspiring.
8. If you’re decorating and in need of some advice, Julie-Ann Hind’s Decorating Forum is a great site to bookmark. The conversation is always friendly, all the users are keen to help out and experts are more than willing to lend a hand to solve problems. It’s a great place to get help if you’re a decorating and renovating novice.
9. Cool Boom covers a range of topics from architecture to innovative new housing materials. The site has a decidedly European feel which makes it quite unique (the blog author is from Spain). If you’re daydreaming about your ideal home, and how you’d decorate it, this site will quickly become a favourite.
10. Lost at E Minor is a site that features trends in contemporary building. They tend to showcase a lot of unique (and quirky) case studies from international design firms. If you want to know what’s new, cool and a little bit unusual, this site will have it.

Do you have any favourite online sites for inspiration that you’d like to share? Leave a comment below.

Photo source: Grass bed by Pamela Berstler

With the damage bill from Perth’s recent hail storm expected to exceed $650 million, many local businesses and home owners are just starting to realise the full extent of the damage. So far, the Insurance Council of Australia have said that over 89,000 claims have been lodged and they are expecting many thousand more in the coming weeks.

Even though ferocious storms, like the one we experienced on March 22nd, are very rare, homeowners should be prepared for the possibility of rough weather - especially over the winter months.

Storm damage - what you should do

If you find yourself with property damage caused by rough weather the Insurance Council of Australia recommends the following steps.

1. Make your home safe. Your number one priority is the safety of your family. If there are any fallen power lines, electrical issues or significant damage you should leave your property immediately. If you can do so safely, take photos and record details of items that have been damaged before removing them from your house. This will help your insurer in the claims assessment process. Try and cover your possessions, or move them to a higher place, if there is fear of flooding.  
2. Contact your insurance company. Getting advice or information about the claims process for your policy should be one of the first things you do. Call your insurance company and let them know the details of your situation. They will be able to give you the best advice regarding what to do next.  
3. Don’t worry if you can’t find your insurance documents. If your policy documents have been lost or damaged, don’t panic. Most insurance companies have electronic records of your coverage on file. Explain what’s happened when you call your insurer - they are pretty sympathetic and just want to help. 
4. Make an inventory It will come in very handy if you can make an inventory of the items that were damaged or lost. Aim to be as detailed as possible and try to do this as soon as you can. The longer you wait the greater chance you’ll forget items. 

Before the next storm

Don't just assume that your policy covers everything. A lot of insurers have caveats that exclude different types of natural disasters (flooding for example). If you’re unsure of the specifics of your coverage you get in touch with your insurer today and ask lots of questions.

All insurers are required by law to provide a product disclosure statement which should cover the exclusions on a policy - have a read and make changes if you need to. While it’s highly unlikely that we’ll get a storm like this most recent one for some time the chance of storm damage over winter is always a possibility. Spend some time today reacquainting yourself with the details of your coverage.

After all, it’s much better to be safe (and covered) than sorry.

Photo by pauras on Picasa Web Albums in the album Untitled Album.

Julie-Ann Hind is a Perth designer who started the popular Decorating Forum in 2008. A kitchen and bathroom renovation specialist, Julie-Ann wanted to create an online space where experts could share their home decorating, renovating, building and interior design wisdom with those wanting a little advice and support.

Recently we sat down and had a chat with Julie-Ann and got some tips for those about to start their own decorating projects.

AussieHome: What are some of the trends for 2010?

Julie-Ann: For window treatments plantation shutters are very popular, as are coloured sheers with a shimmer to the fabric. For privacy you can add lining on a separate track behind the sheer.

Fully enclosed entertaining areas are practical for all seasons. A lot of homes on the river are including them so that residents are protected from mosquitoes.

Butler’s pantries are being included in more homes and they're becoming even larger. The concept is that you can hide your messy appliances in this room. The larger versions have full cooking facilities and a sink so the caterers can work in there in private.

Wallpaper is becoming very popular for feature walls. You can even have your own pictures made into wallpaper.

Carpets are seeing a trend towards soft floral patterns.

With appliances “Black is the new Black”. You can already buy black fridges, ovens, range hoods, hand basins and bathroom taps.

With paint every shade of purple is in fashion. Also grey is the new neutral.

New technology has seen a large range of 3-D tiles being released.

Also popular from the International Fair in Italy are rustic tiles.

AussieHome: What are some of the mistakes that home owners make in terms of decorating?

Julie-Ann: Many people are in a hurry and don’t do the research that’s required. They don’t use paint sample pots before purchasing the paint for a room.

Another mistake is placing too many ornaments and too many pieces of furniture in a room - it looks cluttered.Often people don’t think of the whole room when making furniture choices and pieces of furniture don’t work together.

They don’t think of the whole house and how all the rooms coordinate either.

When arranging furniture sometimes people will just place it up against the walls, or they fail to consider the scale - it may be the wrong for the size for the room.

Perhaps the biggest mistake is not using an interior designer. Even just a few hours of consultation with an experienced designer can help a client see their project more clearly and make better decisions.   

AussieHome: Can you share with us what your favourite job has been?

Julie-Ann: My favourite job was my very first. The clients were a lovely couple who became great friends. The lady and I had very similar tastes so designing for this house was like creating my own dream home.

Even better, the budget was very generous so everything we chose for the home was top of the range. This is definitely not the norm but it was a wonderful experience.

We’ll be chatting to a few of Perth’s top Interior Designers in the coming weeks so if you have a decorating question you’d like answered just leave a comment below.

Feeling hot and frazzled? Want to know what's happening at your favourite beach? There’s a webcam just for you.

Here's some of Perth's best and most popular beachside destinations.  Most of them have a live feed.

Cottesloe. one of my favourite beaches ever.  This cam scans from the beach in front of the Indiana Teahouse back down towards Fremantle.  Watch everything from swimmers to cargo ships from your desk.

City Beach. This one’s at the City Beach Surf Life Saving Club. It’s a fixed camera that takes a still shot about once every second.

Scarborough. Complete with a surf report. This camera is a live feed. Watch people surfing while you work.

Hillarys Boat Harbour. Captured from a web cam located on the Harbour Manager's office. It has a North Westerly field of view and updates automatically every minute.

Trigg. Located on the tower at the Trigg Surf Life Saving Club. Updated every minute.

Trigg South.  From the same location as the Trigg Point cam but facing South West.

Swanbourne. This cam faces South West back down towards Cottesloe. There’s a live stream cam here.

Fremantle Fishing Boat Harbour.  The view from the top of Marine House, Essex Street, Fremantle.

Sorrento. Live stream.  Beautiful part of the world.

If you want to dodge the traffic check out these webcams before heading off. There are lots to choose from courtesy of Main Roads WA. Each is refreshed every 15 minutes.

Here are a few of Perth’s traffic hotspots.

Kwinana Freeway near the Mount Henry Bridge. This is a real bottleneck so it’s worth watching.

Mitchell Freeway near Karrinyup Road. If you’re ever going to get stuck in traffic it’s here.

Corner of Barrack Street and Riverside Drive. Check this just before home time. It’s one of the keys to escaping the City quickly.

Mitchell Freeway near the James Street off ramp. If this looks scary consider exiting the Freeway at Grantham.

Don't forget, if you find a cool webcam leave a comment with the web address. We'll add it in.  

Renovating, it's not the bane of my existence. But it comes close. Make no mistake, I love the end result. The comments and compliments from friends and family, the sense of satisfaction. They all come together in a pleasant rush that melts away the hours of dust soaked toil.

Not that I like to get my hands too dirty. I'm the kind of guy that calls in the help. When I paint I follow the maxim that it's OK to go over the lines. They still teach that in kindy right?

Some of my friends are the exact opposite. They get renovating. Big time. It's in their blood. As a family they scrape and paint and get all messy and dirty. They stop to eat dinner with dusty hair and paint-spattered clothes. Then they start all over again. Late into the night they patch and paint and saw and chisel while their kids are sleeping and I'm happily enjoying a nice drop of red.

These friends amaze me. Their tenacity and grit are borne of the ANZAC spirit of courage, mateship and endurance. Maybe I've gone too far there but they are heartily committed.

But some people take renovating to a whole new level. They make even my friends look like amateurs.

These are the renovating masters, grand champions of the hammer and paintbrush. They're close to professionals. To these select few, renovation projects are tackled with the passion of an artist and the business acumen of a tycoon. They see opportunity where others see mess and beauty in bland.

They make makeovers look, well, easy, as if just anyone could do it.

Take Sasha deBretton-Gordon of Million Dollar Makeovers. Sasha started renovating homes at the ripe old age of 21. She has an uncanny knack of knowing what to do and when to do it. So good is Sasha she now makes a living out of organising other people's renovation. She's even started her own internet TV show! It's kind of like Renovation Rescue only more real.

Knowing that Sasha knows her stuff I just had to interview her. I wanted to get inside her head. To know what she knows. I wanted to know if I could become a renovation Grand Master, just like her.

I asked Sasha for her tips on preparing a home for sale. That's one of her specialities. She turns "tired and run down" into "sexy and cool". It takes her no time at all. It would take me a month of Sundays to do what she does in hours!

Here are Sasha's top tips.

• Create a point of difference. Appeal to the masses but use a feature wall or an amazing wallpaper to create some wow factor. 
• Females make the decisions. Be prepared to spend a bit more to create a stunning kitchen and bathroom. 
• Know your area. Don't do a cheap make-over in an upmarket area. 
• Watch your budget. Most people spend more than they need. There are lots of finishes that create visual impact without breaking the bank.  

Where was Sasha when we did our last renovation?!

Seriously though, I love renovating. Well I love the idea of it. But I know I'll never be a renovation guru of the ilk of Sasha deBretton-Gordon.

What I also know is this: if I were to sell my home I'd call a Sasha. Sasha and those other hammer-wielding Bunnings dwellers know their job. I build web sites, they renovate homes. They know what the market wants and they know how to get it done.

Something else I figured talking to Sasha and a myriad of agents over the years. Sometimes we're too close to our beloved family home to see things with clear eyes. The years of renovation and landscaping create an emotional investment that works against us when it's time to sell.

And that's the benefit of fresh eyes. Someone who can tell us that plum is to the nineties as mission brown was to the seventies. Or that clotted cream really is more than safe. It's boring.

Mount Hawthorn offers Perth's best housing lifestyle. That's the word from Leederville agent Barry Litten.

Barry didn't come down in the last shower. His career spans a couple of decades so he knows a thing or two - make that a lot - about Perth property. As auctioneer-in-residence at Property People, a boutique agency in Oxford Street, Barry has a canny feel for the subtlties of the Perth real estate market.

Here's what Barry had to say on the Property People fan page on Facebook: 

As reported in the Sunday Times this week, we can throw away the statistics because the people of Perth have spoken and a new list of golden suburbs has emerged!

West Australians have rated their favourite suburbs on Australia’s biggest property website and surprisingly it is not the exclusive pocket between the Swan River and Indian Ocean they love.

According to data compiled from thousands of votes across the nation on realetsate.com.au Local Voices, Dianella is the best suburb to live in, with a ranking of 99.423 out of 100, this was closely followed by Mount Hawthorn, Atwell, Stirling and Booragoon- all with rankings of 97 or more.

Mount Hawthorn was voted number 2 in Perth's Best Place to Live! ranked 98.516/100 with a score of 5/5 for Resale/Rental Value, 5/5 for Parks and Recreation, 5/5 For Eating out and highly recommended for families and kids.

He believes this vote of confidence should come as no surprise to those who own properties in Mount Hawthorn.

Over the last 20 years the transformation from a multicultural suburban backwater into a prestigious and sought after inner-city location has been impressive. 

Just 5 kilometers north of the CBD, professional couples and young families love the proximity to the city and freeway system as well as the popular cafe strips in Scarborough Beach Road and Oxford Street.

Zoned predominantly single residential, Mount Hawthorn is not over-developed like many inner-city precincts. It therefore offers a quieter lifestyle that attracts consistent interest from buyers.

 I share Barry's enthusiasm for the Mount Hawthorn. It's quiet, well-maintained streets and abundance of attractive character homes give it a charm that's hard to match. And the parks and amenities, including an abundance of nearby cafes and restaurants, make it an easy place to live.

Since Barry's post on Facebook the landscape has shifted. As of writing this Duncraig has taken the top spot. Dianella has slipped to second and Mount Hawthorn sits in fifth.

What do you think? What would you rate as Perth's best lifestyle suburb?  

Property Prices are on the move and, reviewing the recent media attention, interest rate rises appear to be heading our way soon and the banks are lining up with new products to secure your business.
 
" BankWest Mortgage Could Spark Price War.  A NEW price war is set to erupt across Australia’s $860 billion home lending market, with Commonwealth Bank owned – BankWest to launch a new mortgage product that will have an interest rate cap until late 2012." The Australian, September 2009
 
So the question that is on the mind of many investors appears to be...“To Fix or Not To Fix?”
 
This doesn’t have to be a tough decision; this exclusive Mortgage Bite is here to help you through the mortgage maze.
 
Do you:
        Want predictable repayments?
        Foresee major changes to your family arrangements, job or business?
        Believe rates will rise in the near future?
        Fully understand exit penalty costs with early repayment?
 
If you answered YES to most or all of these questions, a fixed rate loan may suit. It could be time to lock it in now.
 
Why should you choose a fixed rate loan?

        It will help you budget to manage your cash flow, stress free.
        You’re looking for certainty in your monthly loan repayments to the bank.
        Property owners who have a number of financial responsibilities can feel secure knowing that their repayments will be consistent, and that their interest rate is protected from further increases during the term of the fixed period.

Is a variable loan is the way to go?
 
        You will benefit if the interest rates increase.
        Minimal exit costs on early repayment (check with your lender).
 
A Variable housing loan gives flexibility.  Any surplus cash each month can help to pay the loan off faster.  Extra repayments made to the loan can also be redrawn should the funds be required elsewhere.

To Fix or Not To Fix - what would your answer be at this moment?

With our premium property lifestyle blog now 3 months old, we will be inviting guest bloggers to contribute posts, and also putting up our latest TV show episodes for comment.

We produce WA's (Australia's) only local real estate TV show, and are now up to episode 5 in the series (8 more are in production).

In the latest episode:

1. Harry Bozin, Mortgage Perth, talks about things you may not know in cutting down your mortgage, whether the time is right to lock in low interest rates, and other advice

2. Phil Knight, in his regular spot, 'Things I wish I Knew at 20', talks about good habits. Phil has 3 sons in their 20s, and what he talks about he really wished he knew at 20!

3. Every episode, we interview a real estate agent ("The Insider"), and ask them the same 11 questions - what were you doing before real estate, why did you get into it, what was your first sale, what advice would you give buyers/sellers...? This episode, it's William Porteous, a household name in Perth real estate.

4. REIWA - The Real Estate Institute of WA - what does it do? We talk with its current CEO, Anne Arnold, and President, Rob Druitt.

5. We profile Fremantle, by walking down its streets and also talking with a local boy and real estate rep, Xavier Teague.

And then, because we never take ourselves too seriously, we include some out takes after the final credits.

We've love to hear from you about this episode and our TV show in general - what bits do you like, or not? what would you like to see in future episodes? If you've missed any shows, the beauty of internet TV is not only is it free, but you can go back and watch previous episodes whenever you like, as often as you like.

In the latest Economist Intelligence Unit report, Australian cities have fared pretty well, with 4 coming in the Top 11. The 'livable city' survey ranks according to health care, stability, culture and environment, education and infrastructure. Harare was the worst city, Vancouver the best. An index score compares the cities, with the maximum 100 being "ideal".

1. Vancouver (98.0)
2. Vienna (97.9)
3. Melbourne (97.5)
4. Toronto (97.2) 
5. Perth / Calgary (96.6)

Sydney came in 9th, and Adelaide 11th.

So is Melbourne better than Perth? (Dare we mention swine flu?) Perth better than Sydney? What do you reckon? aussiehome.com (being based in Perth) has a distinct passion for Perth, and can't understand why 4 cities are above it to be honest!