Goodson Family Wanted Down Under

If your head says your life in the UK is good,

but your heart tells you it could be even better on the other side of the

world, which would you follow,

especially if it means moving your family to a country they or you have

never even visited?

Jo Goodson wants to give her family everything life can offer...

We're trying to do what's best for our kids.

..and believes a move to New Zealand could help her do just that.

It feels like how you'd like England to be.

But when a trial week Down Under throws up more questions than answers...

She wants it to be perfect so it's an easy decision.

I don't think it's ever going to be perfect.

Will Jo decide they're better off at home or away?

I just wonder, am I going to end up being very lonely?

As one of the first places on earth to see the sun each day,

New Zealand can bring a new dawn for those searching more from life.

Continually outranking other countries on measures of wellbeing,

it's no wonder it's seeing increased numbers of people calling it home.

Recent figures show yearly net immigration has reached a record high

of well over 60,000 people.

Doctors Jo and Angus Goodson appear to have an idyllic life in the UK

but mum Jo thinks something's missing.

Sick of husband Angus having to choose between his patients and his

family, she's prescribing a move to New Zealand as the perfect place for

a more leisurely lifestyle with their children.

So will a week Down Under meet Jo's expectations or reveal their life in

the English countryside is too good to walk away from?

After a marathon journey flying from London to Auckland via Dubai and

then onto Tauranga, the family are relieved to arrive at their final

destination and Jo's a step closer to her dream.

Flying into Tauranga, I like seeing the houses along the waterfront

and I can almost imagine myself living in one.

The unfamiliar surroundings have piqued Angus and Freddie's curiosity.

It's quite strange because you look at all these things on the internet

and you're here and just kind of want to see it.

If it was an English airport, it wouldn't look anything like this.

-Which do you prefer?

-Probably this one.

-There you go.

-Sold already.

But anticipating some hurdles in the week ahead,

Angus isn't committing to anything just yet.

I'm quite worried about seeing friends and family.

I'm kind of in denial about that.

The family need to soak in as much as they can over the next seven days

to help them make a decision on where their future lies for good.

Meet the Goodsons - doctors Angus and Jo and their children,

seven-year-old Freddie and Arabella, aged three.

The family have found rural idyll in the Buckinghamshire village they call home.

People stop me and say, "Now, you're the doctor and you're the one with

"the Irish setters." So they either know your dog or your wife or your

children, depending on which circle they are.

You know, I've got half a dozen doors I can knock on if I need something,

if I need advice, if I need help with my children.

Our dogs love it, our kids love it, we love it.

It's perfect.

But the good life has come at a cost,

with paediatrician Angus frequently working around the clock.

On top of your clinical work you've got to do training stuff.

On most of your days off you tell me you've either got to go back in the

hospital for a bit or that you're going to have to put some time

on one side to work later on.

Finding he's often forced to choose between work and his family has been

a bitter pill to swallow.

Sometimes I stay late at work to avoid being here because the hardest

thing in the world is to be here but not be here.

The kids can't handle me being in the house but not being available.

You know, "Where's Daddy?" Which is hard for them, it's hard for me.

What can you see from way up there?

Trees!

Always ready for adventure, Jo thinks she's found the remedy in

a country they've never even visited.

What I hear about New Zealand, the hours are similar to the UK

but the difference is they appreciate that

you need a work/life balance and there's more a feeling of you've

finished your shift, go home and see your family.

Since close friends upped sticks and made the move, Jo's more convinced

than ever their life would be better on the other side of the world.

We have tried to persuade them to tell us what the downside is and

it's become a bit of a standing joke that their reply is,

"Everything's better in New Zealand."

Angus can see the appeal, too.

They appreciate things that we like, like sports and outdoor life,

and things that feel like a lifestyle choice here

are considered bread and butter there.

Ultimately, they both want to provide the best childhood possible

for Freddie and Arabella.

It's probably more my dream than his,

but I don't think he's against the idea.

I feel like kids these days have to grow up a lot quicker than we did.

Hopefully they can be younger for longer out there.

I'll go on an aeroplane with you, Freddie.

We're trying to do what's best for our kids and if we take them to

New Zealand, it's because we think it's the right thing for them.

But with Jo hoping to continue to be a stay-at-home mum in New Zealand,

Angus is feeling the pressure of securing work there.

We knew it's going to be supporting the family, so

I don't think that's going to happen as easily as we think it might.

And having spent much of his childhood living abroad,

he's nervous about separating his children from loved ones.

And they've got a fantastic relationship with their grandparents.

I think that's an important thing for childhood, which I never had

and you... You are taking that away.

Angus knows when his wife puts her mind to something,

she goes all out to make it happen.

When I first met her, I had persuade her not go to the South Pole,

mainly because I didn't want her to go with a couple of other men and

I'd just met her. But that's what she was going to do,

she was going to do kite ski down to the South Pole.

If I talk about a dream and a pie in the sky idea,

I already want to do it.

I don't tend to bat around ideas that I don't want to do.

Angus maintains moving your whole life 12,000 miles away is easier

said than done.

There's always been the dream of living abroad and it just feels like

the longer you spend here, the more settled you get,

the harder it is to do it.

But Jo's not giving up.

After lots of research,

she knows the week ahead will be her one and only chance to find out

whether the grass really is greener on the other side of the world.

We have all the information. This is the last piece of the puzzle.

We need to go and we need to see it, we need to experience it and at the

end of that, we do need to make a decision.

The family are spending their trial week on New Zealand's north island

in the Bay of Plenty.

After collecting their hire car,

they head five miles outside the city of Tauranga,

to their base in the beach town of Mount Maunganui.

Named after an extinct volcano,

the area is a magnet for active families like the Goodsons.

-That is new.

-That's so awesome!

I like the balcony.

It doesn't take Dad long to spot why it's such a popular location.

-Just there!

-Oh, yeah!

Jo's hoping her family will jump feet first into the week ahead.

But perhaps not quite this literally.

And the excitement levels really rise upon this discovery.

Oh, games room!

With the children happily playing,

upstairs Mum and Dad enjoy their beach view.

You can tell you're not in England any more.

Charmed by all they see, everyone heads out for a closer look.

Despite having only been in the country a few hours,

Jo and Angus have begun imagining what their life could be like.

I like the idea this is not a holiday,

you could actually be on the beach all year long.

Look at the kids, they're just happy.

It feels how you'd like England to be.

It's a good start.

But though moving is her dream,

Jo also knows there's still lots to consider.

We still need community, we still need friends.

-Yeah.

-We can't leave the village just to go to the beach every day.

Or it could be difficult to draw a line in the sand about where their

future lies come the end of the week.

In the UK, home for the Goodsons is a four-bedroom,

semidetached house in Cuddington, a small village with a big heart.

-Cuddington has a population of 500.

-Yeah.

-We probably know 300 of them.

It's that kind of village where you just know everyone.

There's a good community spirit, isn't there?

For Angus and Jo to leave the village they love,

a house in New Zealand will have to live up to some high expectations.

We would want four bedrooms, we'd like open plan,

we'd want a sizeable garden.

I want to make sure we get a wood-burning stove and it has to

-have double glazing.

-Jo's really annoying when it's cold.

-She hates being cold.

-Yeah, I don't like being cold.

If we could be near the beach as well, that would be great.

Finding the right location will be key.

I want to find the right sort of place where we can have that kind of

knocking on doors community.

Angus and Jo bought their house for just over £300,000 five years ago.

Not wanting to give it up, if they do move, they plan to remortgage

and release enough money to buy a house Down Under.

We're quite dependent on the value having gone up because that's the

equity we want to take out for a deposit in New Zealand.

If everything goes to plan,

their budget on a house Down Under would be around £400,000.

To find out what their money can get them,

today we'll show the family three properties -

two based on budget and a third which could be their dream home.

Only after they've seen each one will they find out its value.

Their search begins in the Mount Maunganui area where they're staying.

The Goodsons have already come upon some of its treasures like this

beach, thought to be one of the best in New Zealand.

With playgrounds, parks and cafes, there's plenty here for families.

Property one is a four bedroom house just a stones throw away from the ocean.

So the beach is just over there.

Yeah. I definitely like the location.

And the centre of town is over that way.

Do you think that's single glazing or double glazing?

I don't want to get cold. I don't like the outside.

It doesn't look nice and I want a house that looks nice.

With Jo's thoughts crystal clear on the exterior, they move inside.

The outside is misleading.

Shoes off, is it? OK.

Phew, that's a step in the right direction.

Let's go and see the kitchen.

I like the fact that you look straight onto the dining room and

the lounge and you can see what's going on.

I'm wondering if we need a bit more space.

Two dogs, two children, me cooking,

you coming in from work and there's nowhere else.

And Arabella's found another issue.

There's no play stuff in the garden so I can't play in the garden.

You can bring your own play stuff.

Let's go and have a look at the garden, then.

She's right, it is small and there is no play things.

Honestly, the kids need more than this for a garden.

Upstairs, they're coming to a realisation.

The house is probably a bit small for us.

It's way too small for us.

I mean, maybe that just means we can't afford to live that close to

-the beach.

-But is Jo prepared to compromise?

I mean, I don't mind not looking at the beach when I get out of bed in

the morning, but I want to be able to walk to the beach,

I don't want to have to drive to the beach.

I think that you can live a short drive from the beach and it's all fine.

We want amazing, not fine.

In the second bedroom, can Freddie's find lift the mood?

Look at the balcony!

Look at the balcony!

Yeah, balcony's good.

It's not long before Mum Jo's finding fault.

So this would be a nice place for a cup of tea in the morning.

-Yeah.

-Although, you've actually lost the view.

-The sea's just over there.

-I think I'm looking at that house.

-You can't demolish that house.

No, I know!

While Mum and Dad discuss their points of view,

Freddie lays claim to the master bedroom.

This is going to be my room.

Amazing!

Until Dad Angus gets his say.

This bedroom has an en-suite, which makes it my bedroom.

Finally, a room for Arabella, which no-one's disputing.

-My room!

-Oh, it's a little butterfly bedroom.

-Happy, are you?

-But there are more pressing issues.

Does that mean that's the only bathroom, then?

-This one here?

-Well, that would be weird.

-So when you've got guests, they're going to use your en-suite, are they?

-Yeah.

It hasn't been the best of starts.

I think it's a fabulous holiday beach house but I'm not sure it's a...

It's not a live-in house. Yeah, we need something bigger.

Yeah, and more bathrooms.

The house isn't a perfect fit for the Goodsons, but the family are

still curious to find out whether they could afford it.

I'm going to say 375,000.

I'll say 380,000.

Our budget is around the 400,000 mark.

-I think it's just a bit under.

-We both think it's under.

-Yeah.

-Are we going to do it?

-Let's turn it.

-Let's do it.

380. Come on, Mummy, high five!

That's £20,000 under budget, but it's not enough to sway them.

So to live this close to the beach is going to cost you...

-It's expensive.

-Yeah, basically.

-What a surprise(!)

For their second viewing,

the family leave the coast behind the more rural setting of Kaimai.

Around 15 minutes from central Tauranga, it's still close to

schools and amenities and being further out could

provide more value for money.

It's a ranch. It's absolutely huge.

With a very generous five acres, there's more than enough space at

this impressive four-bedroom house for the children and the dogs.

-You can go into the woods. Wow!

-Go on, then, go!

Better than a stinky old beach, isn't it?

-Lemons! Lemons.

-Or limes.

Angus knows exactly what to do with some of the fruit growing in

-the garden.

-Freddie, you just need a gin bush...

-Yeah?

-..and a tonic well, and we're sorted.

Inside, they're making all the right noises, too.

SQUEALING

I'm sure that was a squeal of delight, Arabella.

This is way bigger.

Wow! This is amazing!

Oh, look at the wood-burning stove.

That's one thing off Jo's list and Angus checks for another in the kitchen.

OK, I'll do the J test.

-Single glazing.

-Oh, pants.

-So this is your living room.

-I like the way it goes all the way round.

-Yeah, it's a good set up.

-Oh, look, home cinema.

You pull this down and that's your screen to watch TV.

-Look at this!

-Oh, that's beautiful, isn't it?

This is definitely the mummy and daddy bedroom.

An en-suite and large closet give the master bedroom plenty of scope.

Forget walk-in wardrobe, we could just put Arabella in here.

Jo needn't be so resourceful,

with four large bedrooms there's more than enough space for everyone.

Every bedroom has windows on two sides.

Yeah, it just feels nice.

With Freddie and Arabella taking a break,

Jo and Angus are happy to find a family bathroom.

-Family shower.

-That's all right. That'll do.

Nice to have a bath, though, wouldn't it?

There's just no pleasing some people.

The double basement gets a thumbs up from Angus.

It is a good space for storing things, isn't it?

Storing? This is my playroom.

But Jo's starting to look at the bigger picture.

I think it's gorgeous, I think the kids would be really happy,

I think the dogs would be really happy, but I think the kids will go

to school and I think you will go to work and

then I just wonder, am I going to end up being very lonely?

If you want this kind of space, you're not going to get it in the

-city, are you?

-I don't want to be in the city.

I don't know what I want any more.

I don't want to be in the city and I don't want to be in the middle of nowhere.

I feel like I'm saying I want to be back in the village.

Not a good sign.

Maybe the price will give Jo more to be cheerful about.

I'm going to say 420,000.

I think it's 450.

-OK.

-Turn it over, turn it over.

430,000. Wow.

That's £30,000 over budget.

I think we've probably seen two extremes.

So we've seen right by the seaside in like the most desirable part and

well outside of town, amazing space.

-So we've got to find the right compromise.

-Yeah.

I haven't given up on the beach dream yet.

Daddy reckons, Freddie, that it's OK to be about a 15, 20-minute drive

from the beach. We can go there on weekends.

Hopefully the third property of the day will give them everything they want.

It's near the town of Katikati, around 20 miles north of Tauranga.

Set on almost an acre of land and overlooking the sea,

we think this coastal house could be their dream home,

but is it the right house for Jo and does it meet with her image of New Zealand living?

-It's big, isn't it?

-It's big but you've still got people around.

Built in the 1940s, this property has lots of historic features,

which isn't everyone's cup of tea.

It's a bit too old-fashioned.

-Is it?

-Old-fashioned telephones.

You could phone the Queen on that, Freddie.

But will it get the royal seal of approval?

It's got a nice view.

-Look at that!

-Look at the view!

-Single glazing.

Moving on, the family check out the kitchen.

-That needs modernising, that can stay.

-Yeah!

Possibly a few changes needed inside,

but outside they're content for one thing to remain the same.

So that's your protected view.

Yeah, it's a reserve, so no-one's ever going to build on that.

While the children play, Jo and Angus explore the rest of the property.

-This room's really cute.

-Isn't it? It's like a sun room.

-It's not our style...

-You'd modernise it, though, wouldn't you?

I'm not good at interior decorating.

So you say you'd modernise it but I don't actually know what that means.

Jo could have her work cut out for her in this house.

I know what you're going to tell me, take all the furniture out,

put in Freddie's furniture.

Yeah, but I'm keeping this.

-That is just amazing.

-You've been looking for one of those for ages.

Look at that!

I'm sensing some sarcasm, Angus.

The master bedroom might be more to their taste.

Oh, this is the best thing in the house.

A balcony offering views across to Tauranga Harbour should give them

more to think about.

This is what I would call a redeeming feature.

Got a beautiful view, you've got a nice, big garden,

the house has got lots of space.

It's old and cold.

Oh, dear, Jo's mind is made up and a hidden space off the side of the

bedroom puts the final nail in the coffin.

What would you do in here?

I'm not sure I want to know.

Yeah, I might burn this room.

There's a sign there that says trap door.

Is that worrying?

It doesn't look like the Goodsons have their dream house after all.

But with £400,000 to spend, could they afford a house like this?

I'm guessing 537,000.

-I think 537,000.

-I reckon for 475.

Time to turn the card.

What, did Daddy get it bang on?

Well, no, he was 1,000 out.

That's almost £80,000 over budget.

What you're paying your money for is really size and location.

I'm still curious as to how far from the beach you need to be to be able

to afford something bigger.

I think beach-side living is not currently within our budget.

You're going to have to compromise on something.

I think the search continues.

It's been a day of two halves for the Goodsons,

with Jo and Angus debating country versus beach living.

Property one came in at £20,000 under budget and gave Jo the beach

location she wanted,

but the couple were underwhelmed by the lack of space.

Angus was enchanted by the more rustic setting of property two.

So much so, he wasn't concerned it was £30,000 over their budget.

While property three offered beautiful views,

at almost £80,000 over budget, it was out of reach for now.

So when it comes to the vote,

what will they decide between houses in New Zealand and the UK?

-New Zealand.

-UK. You didn't get your beach house.

No, that sums that up.

-Yeah.

-But you want to stick us out in the middle of nowhere?

No, I just want a big garden.

-I think we can get one.

-Based on the houses we saw today,

I would rather be in Cuddington.

If Daddy can find me a house with a big garden that's not too far from

the beach, I will change.

The week's barely begun but Jo's vote for the UK suggests she's

already questioning her own dream.

Angus, on the other hand, seems smitten by the vast open spaces the

country offers prospective home-buyers, but he knows to afford

what he wants will mean securing the right job Down Under.

Back in the UK, Angus is a paediatrician doctor at the

John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford.

I love my work. I love where I work and I love the people I work with.

It's endlessly varied and it's challenging.

Due to soon qualify as a consultant,

Angus fears after eight long years of training,

it could be difficult to find the right job in New Zealand.

New Zealand's much smaller in terms of population, so I imagine the

number of paediatricians required is going to be less and

I'd imagine that the popular areas where we would want to go,

they'll be much less demand.

But keen to have more family time, he's hoping the country could

provide him with a better work/life balance.

With the family's future in New Zealand resting on his ability

to secure work, Angus heads out to consider possibilities.

It's an important day and he knows it.

If today doesn't go well or it's not right,

I think it's going to be bad news for the move,

which is going to cause problems.

We've arranged for Angus to meet medical director Hugh Lees

at Tauranga Hospital and foremost on his mind is finding out whether

he'll be able to practise medicine in New Zealand straight away.

If you're recognised as a specialist in the UK...

-It would be recognised here.

-It's usually relatively easy to get

recognition here.

That's a relief for Angus, but how easy will it be to actually find a job?

There are always parts of the country which are more difficult to

staff or who attract fewer applicants,

which would give you a greater chance of finding a position.

So you think the way to do it would probably be to find somewhere where

the need is greater and then move from there?

That would certainly be an easier road.

It is as he feared. The family will have to be flexible on where they live.

But with Jo already worried about finding the right place to set up

home, this won't go down well.

Meanwhile, keen to find out more about local education,

we've arranged Jo and the children to visit Bethlehem College in Tauranga.

We want learning to be fun and active.

-They certainly look happy.

-Yeah.

With the children busy, Jo explains to principle Marcus Norrish she's

nervous about son Freddie making the move from a village school to a college.

It is a big place but really we're one college with three schools

inside it, which provides that community which is really what you

have in the smaller schools, isn't it?

That sounds very good.

Freddie loves playing rugby at home and Jo wants that to continue.

One of the cool things about Bethlehem College is it's got these

amazing sports club. Being physical is really important to

New Zealanders and getting out there and playing sport is really important.

Part of the reason we're looking at New Zealand is we want more sport

for our children. To come and look around a place like this is amazing.

You're going to find that here. Yeah, yeah. Yeah, definitely.

Outside, Jo's concerns about Freddie settling in are put to rest.

He's found some like-minded people, so he's happy and that makes me happy.

Back at the hospital,

Angus is hoping his earning potential will bring better news.

So what could someone in my position expect to earn?

Probably NZ140-150 a year.

Sure. That's about the same, actually.

Then there's a 13 incremental steps that come after that,

so it increases quite quickly.

As a hospital doctor in New Zealand, Angus could start on around £70,000,

£9,000 more than he currently earns in the UK.

It's a considerable amount.

To round off his visit, Angus meets doctor expat Vivian Hobbs to find

out about the all-important work/life balance he hopes will

improve with the move to New Zealand.

There's a lot more control here, I think, about the number of hours you

work and a lot more, I guess, penalties for the hospital if you work over that.

What's life outside of work like here in terms of spending time with the family?

We're at the beach most weekends or going for walks in the bush or

out on bikes and skirmishes.

So, definitely a really good life/work balance.

Music to Angus's ears.

With all things considered, how will he vote when it comes to choosing

between work in New Zealand or the UK?

New Zealand.

I think it's a relief that I'd be working in a pretty similar set-up

to home so I don't feel like I'd necessarily be losing anything.

I'm not sure if this would be the same everywhere,

this is just one city, but it's encouraging.

Relieved he could get the kind of work he's after,

Angus has lodged his second vote for New Zealand,

and Jo's waiting patiently to hear the outcome.

But, first, she's excited to share her findings.

The school was massive.

To begin with Freddie was a little shy but the headmaster, Marcus, was

really, really nice and Freddie says he wants to go to that school.

Really? Do you think Freddie would settle quite easily there?

Definitely.

-So what happened at the hospital?

-It was really good.

-It's a nice hospital.

-You could see yourself working there?

Yeah, based on the hospital I saw, I did vote New Zealand.

It looked like it would be a nice place to work.

They did say that it wouldn't be easy to come in and get a job

somewhere like this, as a desirable place.

It would be easier to get a job somewhere less desirable and then

-establish yourself.

-Where's less desirable?

-I don't know.

This isn't what Jo wanted to hear.

The question over where they would live means her dream is still far

from complete.

Despite promising work prospects for Angus and a potential school for

Freddie passing the test,

it looks like Jo could be starting to lose faith in her own dream.

Will a day out exploring the Kiwi countryside be enough to reignite

her passion for making the move and keep the rest of the family on side?

Making the most of this rare time together,

the Goodsons set off to Te Puna Quarry Park in Tauranga.

You can imagine dinosaurs here, can't you?

A morning bush walk gets everyone's imagination working.

But they quickly find themselves getting a little too close to nature.

-That's mint.

-Lemon. Oh, it's horrible.

No, it stinks!

At least Angus is keeping a sense of humour about it all.

Oh, that one's really stinky. Try this one.

Oh, that's a stinky one, too.

Soon it's clear how much the children are enjoying Kiwi living.

I like the lifestyle and how beautiful it is.

It is beautiful, isn't it?

And little Arabella is as charmed as her brother.

I want to live here forever.

Next, the family check out Tauranga waterfront where they come across

some interesting characters.

Freddie, we'll look after these dogs and train them and brush them.

To round the day off, the family hit the beach.

Come on, Freddie!

It's been a fun-filled day but the time to reflect on the week so far

has left Jo questioning their potential new life in New Zealand.

So Angus likes the hospital, the kids like the beach,

we all like the school, but I can't find the location

where we could put our house down.

But Angus and the kids seem to really like it and be quite set on it.

I almost feel like I'm trying really hard to catch up with them.

Angus senses a shift in attitude.

When we started I wasn't sure and Jo was really keen, but now she seems

to be a little bit overwhelmed by the whole reality of the thing.

So far, the week has surpassed his expectations.

People are friendly, the weather's been fantastic, the scenery is

stunning and it's a standard of life here that's just good.

I don't know, maybe I'm just on a high from being away with the family.

But he knows there's still some way to go.

I'm still dreading that whole friends and family thing because

that's the big elephant in the room.

I think that's probably the big spoiler, if you like.

Overall, it's clear Jo and Angus need peace of mind.

I don't want to go back to England and still not know where we're going

to live in the future.

Difficult decisions lie ahead.

Meanwhile, the family need to choose which lifestyle they prefer.

Will New Zealand or the UK win the day?

Based on the fun we had today, our vote is...

-New Zealand.

-New Zealand.

-New Zealand.

-UK.

-You're voting England?

-New Zealand.

-I miss our little house.

-You miss our little house?

And you miss your friends?

If you hadn't taken me to the beach, I might have said UK...

-But we took you to the beach.

-But I like the beach.

Their day exploring New Zealand's natural landscape has given Jo

confidence to pledge her first vote for the country.

But with her still struggling to see where she'd fit in,

we've arranged for the Goodsons to spend some time with other mums.

Given Freddie's love of the sport,

where better to do that than the local junior rugby club?

I didn't think it would be nice to stand on the touchline and not be

-freezing cold.

-We have a great climate here and I think that's why

our city's grown because it's been a little bit of a secret for quite a

few years and now there's so many young families.

Hopefully the opportunity to meet other families who've made the move

from the UK will give Jo the reassurance she needs.

And you'll make some of your greatest friends with mums from school.

You've got this network of people you just call and...

-It's a trust here.

-We've got that in our village that I think Jo's

-worried about losing out on.

-When I first came over,

I thought I'm in a unique situation but I wasn't at all.

There's just more of a permission to do life together.

-You've done a good sales pitch, there!

-Good job.

Slowly but surely, Jo is reconnecting with her dream.

But, invariably, a move to New Zealand needs to be within the

family's financial means.

Up for consideration is their UK home,

which they believe to be worth around £350,000.

But they plan to rent it out rather than sell, so we've sent round two

estate agents to get current valuations of its worth.

Four bedroom, semidetached family home in a popular village.

-Let's have a look.

-It's a good-sized family sitting room.

It's been thoughtfully extended, nice and bright.

This is a great family garden, plenty of room for trampolines and slides.

Two enormous dogs.

Generous sized master bedroom with plenty of room for storage and a

bright and airy ensuite.

It's very strange seeing your own house, isn't it?

In today's market, I'd value this property at £395,000.

For a quick sale, I would value this property at £385,000.

-No way!

-I value this house at £395,000.

For a quick sale, I would market it at £385,000.

-Exactly the same.

-That's unbelievable.

If the owners wanted to rent this property, I would suggest a monthly

rental of £1,400 per month.

-That's a bit tight.

-I would suggest a monthly rental of £1,350 per

-calendar month.

-That's a bit more disappointing, actually.

I think to get the houses we want out here we're going to have to sell

it, which is a bit of a shocker.

With the realisation they'd have to put the home they love on the market,

the rest of the figures will really need to stack up.

I'm quite looking forward to this.

To help, we've given the couple a breakdown of living costs.

First up, it's the weekly food bill.

Sparkling water...

Ouch. £5.52.

-More than double.

-£5.52!

-More than double!

I might have to drink tap water.

In all, they'd be paying almost £10 more for food in New Zealand each week.

That's pretty good, actually.

I thought it was going to be way more than that.

A good start, no shocks.

Moving onto the bigger monthly bills.

-You calculate this time.

-No worries.

The couple look at mortgage repayments,

basing their calculations on the second house they viewed.

-UK cost 963, NZ cost 1,400 but the difference is...

-437.

-If you want a bigger garden, you have a bigger mortgage.

-Sure.

Jo's digging her heels in about Angus's countryside living.

Gas, £54 in the UK.

-Yep.

-£90 in New Zealand.

-Ouch.

-But presumably if it's a warmer climate, you're using less,

-aren't you?

-When they tot it up,

the sums show they'd be paying out over £500 more per month,

but Jo's quick to make a suggestion.

437 of it is the mortgage, so if I take that off,

then it's only £100 a month more.

So if you buy the house you can afford and not house you want,

then we're talking £100 a month more...

-Yep.

-..which doesn't sound ridiculous.

With Jo writing off Angus's dream home, they move on to look at salary.

So you would get £538 a month more.

They quickly realise they'd be marginally better off in New Zealand.

We were £537 more expensive and you earn £538 more.

So we've got an extra pound in our pocket.

A meagre amount but not cause for concern.

I'd say looking at those figures, we can afford to move to New Zealand.

So we can get a bigger house, bigger garden.

-That's quite encouraging.

-Until...

You've still got to find me a house that I actually want to live in.

So maybe we could get something a bit closer to the beach.

Seriously?!

Jo's determined to get her away, but when it comes down to money,

will the Goodsons vote for finances in New Zealand or the UK?

Based on the facts and figures we've seen today, our vote is...

-New Zealand!

-New Zealand!

-Excellent.

-We can make it work.

It comes in tight but it's the right side.

The numbers in New Zealand look the same as the numbers in England,

so there's nothing scary about that.

Albeit modest, Jo and Angus are optimistic about their financial gain.

They now know they can afford a life in New Zealand.

But it's the loss of their family and friends that's more worrying.

They decide to watch messages from home together.

This is the one I've been dreading.

-Is it?

-Yeah!

-I want to know what they're going to say to us.

I know but it's... It's the big reason why you wouldn't move out, isn't it?

Hi, Jo, Angus, Arabella, Freddie.

-Hello, Family Goodson.

-Hello, Angus.

-Hello, Jo.

-Hello, Jo and Angus.

The kids are really missing Arabella and Freddie.

Angus has done really well, Angus is getting on with his career.

He's the kindest person in the world and he's a very good dad.

Angus, he's been a fabulous son-in-law.

I couldn't wish for better.

Jo is not just my little sister, she's my confidant,

I look up to her hugely.

She's just surrounded with life and she's just such a superstar.

Arabella, what can you say about a three-year-old?

Full of fun but a typical young girl.

Freddie's an outdoor person. He'll love the rugby.

They're as bright as buttons and very clever and fun to be with.

They light up your life.

There's no two ways about it, they are such amazing kids.

You can be in the most beautiful place in the world but what you do

miss is people. Yeah, we shall miss them dreadfully.

It's really hard to put into words how much I will miss them but huge

amounts if they disappear.

I will miss them.

It's going to be very hard to cope because we see the children probably

every week.

Both of them have been very good at making sure that we've been very

much involved with the grandchildren.

So, yes, we will miss the grandchildren tremendously.

I worry about Freddie and Arabella and not having the close

relationship we have now.

You just have to decide whether leaving your friends and your

family and the community we've got is going to be worth the big move.

It's something that Freddie and Arabella possibly will miss and

maybe regret in later life.

But it's your choice, not mine, so I'd ask you to think about it.

That's hard. Thanks, Dad.

Mum and Dad send the children out to play while they reflect on what

their loved ones had to say.

You know, the children are not going to have another childhood and

they're not going to have other grandparents, that is the reality.

I was thinking about this earlier, with you being at work, you know,

you see your mum once a month, you see your friends once a week.

Whereas, I see people every day because I'm at home with the children.

Yeah.

So I think I'm going to feel it more than you do if we were to go.

I feel more confused than I was before we came.

Messages from home have left Jo and Angus feeling conflicted about the

best way forward for their family.

So as their week in New Zealand draws to an end, will they vote with

their head or their heart when it comes to deciding

where their future really lies?

When they arrived in New Zealand, it was Jo and her family's first

time in the country of her dreams but their trip has delivered mixed emotions.

I think I have been trying to weigh it up.

You know, with each experience is this good enough

to give up friends and family in order to have that?

Jo, I think, has been up and down during the week.

She wants it to be perfect so it's an easy decision.

I don't think it's ever going to be perfect.

Messages from home have been hard on them all, especially the little ones.

I will miss all my friends back in England.

That's probably the main thing I am thinking about,

especially after watching the video.

Yeah.

I miss everything.

For Jo, the past seven days have been a wake-up call.

I think because I've been at home with the children for the last four

years, my life has very much been the village.

So I think I've suddenly realised how far removed and how I'll be

starting over in a way that perhaps the others aren't so much.

In a change of fortunes,

it's now Angus who's enamoured with the idea of living there.

There's an excitement about it that you can't really detail down in cost

of living expenses or the right school or everything.

It just feels exciting.

It's just something that's there that got to me.

With a final vote edging closer, the family need to come to an agreement.

I think we either do this all together,

you know, holding hands and leap off the cliff otherwise not at all.

I could see myself fitting in to here.

I really could.

It's not exactly what I would want, so, yeah,

there comes a point where you've just got to say,

are we going to or are we not going to?

I think once we make the decision, we need to not look back.

After much soul-searching, where will the Goodsons decide to call home?

-New Zealand.

-New Zealand.

-New Zealand.

-England.

Hey, you chose New Zealand!

Come on.

Yeah!

-And you want to stay in Cuddington?

-Yeah.

-Baby boo.

I thought you were wavering. I thought you were.

I found it a hard decision to make.

I still can't quite see what my life would look like in New Zealand,

but if you guys are happy, I know I will find my place wherever we are.

And what about the little one? I think she's young enough maybe to adapt.

I think we'd have a good adventure here.

Yeah, I can see that.

Despite some reservations throughout the week,

Jo's decided to stand by her dream, and with Angus convinced

New Zealand's the perfect fit for his family,

it looks like the Goodsons could soon be on the move.

We wish them all the very best of luck.