Rowsell Family Wanted Down Under

For more than 20 years,

you yearned after a life

on the other side of the world

in a country you've never visited.

Now, you've got your best shot ever at making it happen

if you can persuade your wife and children to take the plunge.

Since his early 20s,

Peter Rowsell's dreamt of living in New Zealand.

Something's in the background of my head -

"New Zealand is the place to be."

There's just one problem - his family don't want to go.

Everything would have to be 110%

to make me want to leave everything behind in the UK.

And when a trial week throws some spanners into the works...

It's going to have to be a lot better than this

to persuade me and Mum.

..Peter's lifelong obsession could be left in tatters.

I'm actually devastated.

I don't think it's going to come true.

I don't think my dream is going to come true.

Lying in the south-west Pacific,

New Zealand's roughly the same size as the UK,

but is home to less people than London.

The country offers stunning scenery and sophisticated cities -

a draw for the 7,000 Brits who move there every year.

For two and a half decades,

Peter Rowsell has felt he should be living

11,000 miles away in New Zealand.

Finally, his dream could be tantalisingly close.

Peter now has one week to discover

if living on the other side of the world's as good as he believes

and to try and persuade his reluctant family to make the move.

The Rowsell's trial week begins with a journey lasting well over 24 hours,

flying from London to Dubai to Melbourne,

and then a final leg across the Tasman Sea to Auckland.

When they finally arrive after a turbulent flight,

they're shaken and shattered.

The flight was... It was long.

-It was...

-Bumpy.

-Bumpy.

-26 hours is a long, long flight.

-DENISE CHUCKLES

Peter's anxious about the week ahead.

I'm feeling a bit wary of what's going to happen.

Hopefully, everyone's still open-minded,

and this is something we could do.

But he'll have his work cut out with wife, Denise.

I'm worried he's going to really like it

and it's all what he thinks...

He's hoped it'd be for the last 20-odd years,

cos I don't know that I could come over here...

..truthfully.

Peter has just seven days to convince his family

New Zealand is where they should spend the rest of their lives.

Peter Rowsell lives with wife, Denise,

14-year-old daughter, Ella, and 11-year-old son, Taron,

in Kedington in Suffolk.

Peter and Denise grew up in the village,

and it's a life Denise adores.

I'm very comfortable living in the village.

I love it.

Can't think of anywhere else I'd rather be.

Their family's happy in the home they've spent years improving.

I've spent a lot of work here,

spent a lot of time and effort into the house.

It means a lot, this house.

We've sort of taken a long time,

but we've kind of finally getting there.

It's a beautiful house and I do love living here.

And village life's made complete with close family on the doorstep.

I've got my parents in the village,

I've got my sister,

my brother-in-law and their daughter in the village.

Mum and Dad only up the road, my sister's up the road.

It's the way it's always been,

I haven't known any different, really.

It's a peaceful existence, but one that's under threat.

While Denise is content with calling Kedington home,

Peter's become disillusioned.

The character's gone. It's gone.

Now, we're just one big housing estate.

It's horrible. It really is horrible.

I love Kedington. It's just nice.

It's just not where I want to be now.

And that means Peter's resurrected a lifelong dream

to be on the other side of the world.

Something's in the background of my head -

"New Zealand is the place to be."

I've been thinking about it for 24 years,

ever since I'd finished my apprenticeship.

A friend of mine went to a seminar in London to look at New Zealand

and it was always something I wanted to do.

Then I met Denise, and it just went on the back burner then.

But in the years since Peter met Denise, his dream hasn't died,

and with his disenchantment with the village,

he's more determined than ever.

But last three or four years, it's quite,

"I think we should move, we should be moving, we should be moving,"

once a month, at least.

Sometimes it does get on your nerves.

He probably talks about it all the time.

Although he's never been,

Peter firmly believes New Zealand can offer much more than home.

I think it'll offer my family definitely more outside experiences,

whether that'll be kayaking, sailing, swimming in fresh air.

But Denise just can't see

the appeal of a life on the other side of the world.

It is Peter's dream to move to New Zealand.

I wouldn't say it's my dream at all.

The fact we've never been, I think it's mad.

Leaving the village life she sees as idyllic is just a step too far.

It is, for me, is the family.

It would be extremely hard.

They'd be absolutely devastated, especially my mum.

If we only stayed back because of them,

JUST because of them, nothing else,

I think that's a wrong decision.

Peter believes the chance to see the country first-hand

could convince Denise.

I think she still needs to...broaden her horizon

and come out of the little bubble of village life

and actually see what's going on in the real world.

But it's not just her that's opposed to the dream Peter's chasing.

Daughter, Ella, is firm in her opposition to a move.

It's not like it's down the road,

it's not like it's maybe, like, the country next door -

it's across the world.

And family, friends...

it's all here and not anywhere else.

The family are at loggerheads, and that's starting to take its toll.

It has caused some tension, yeah.

I want to go because I think I'll enjoy it a lot more over there.

I want to stay because, like, I'll probably miss my...

..like, family.

At 46, Peter's approaching the cut-off age for a visa.

The week ahead could be his last shot

at having his 20-year-old dream come true.

He's got a week to convince us that

we're going to be better off out there,

and I've got a week to convince him that he's not.

Oh, for me, I want it 110%.

It's just the opportunity that

I feel that it is now or never for me.

The Rowsells are spending their trial week in Auckland,

New Zealand's largest city.

Their base for the week is a secluded three-bedroom house

in Beach Haven on Auckland's North Shore.

It's Peter's birthday today,

but will their temporary home be the perfect present

and get Denise and Ella onside?

Oh, it's beautiful.

Peter's spellbound,

and knowing his family's exhausted, tries to gee them up.

So, if this is the start of the week...

I know we're tired and all that now,

but imagine what the next visit is going to be like, hopefully.

Better than a swimming pool in your garden, isn't it?

Yeah, yeah. Bigger than a swimming pool.

But as the family make themselves at home,

the effects of the long flight mean it's dawning on Peter

just what an uphill struggle he'll face over the next seven days.

It was a strange flight.

It seemed to go on and on and on and on.

I think it's going to be a really hard time for me

to convince the family now.

Denise is already contemplating just how far she is from family.

They're always there, aren't they?

Come to the side of the world and you're on your own.

Peter's adamant New Zealand could give his family a better life.

I really want them to buy in with this dream of mine,

but I still think it's going to be a real hard slog for me to do.

He'll have his work cut out persuading Denise.

Everything would have to be 110%

to make me want to leave everything behind in the UK

and I don't think it's going to be.

Back in the UK,

the Rowsells have renovated a three-bedroom property

in the Suffolk village of Kedington.

They both love their home after years of working hard on it.

Spent a lot of time and effort into the house.

It's a beautiful house, and I do love living here.

It means a lot, this house.

We've sort of taken a long time,

but we've kind of finally getting there and...

-he wants to leave it.

-SHE LAUGHS

When it comes to a home in New Zealand,

Peter's not too ambitious.

Something of a similar size and near a beach or near the coast.

-We could move an hour of the road and be near the beach.

-Oh, yeah.

But one thing they both agree on

is the need for extra space for visitors.

A room that we could also be... Family can come over.

Yeah, perhaps...

-An extra room or something.

-Perhaps a granny annexe.

-Yeah.

To find out what kind of house they could have in New Zealand,

today we'll show the Rowsells three properties -

two on budget

and a third which could be their dream home.

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

For their first viewing, the Rowsells travel 30 minutes north

to Hatfields Beach on Auckland's Hibiscus Coast.

The area boasts a family-friendly beach

and a quiet lifestyle away from the buzz of the city.

But will this four-bedroom house persuade Denise

Peter's lifelong dream is worth considering?

Immediately on arrival,

Peter's trying to sell its positive qualities...

A nice double garage, a good double-sized garage.

..but inside, his efforts soon fall flat with Denise and Ella.

Big kitchen.

-Would you say it's as big as ours?

-No.

-No?

-TARON:

-No, it's a bit bigger.

-Do you think it's not, no?

-No, it's not bigger.

-It's not bigger.

Upstairs, the view from a balcony gets the thumbs up...

You can see the sea over there, look.

Yeah, you can see the beach.

..but that's not enough to get Ella's approval.

It's quite a bit smaller than our house, yeah.

Yeah, I wouldn't say quite a bit.

And Peter seems to be on a losing streak

when he's forced to admit the view from a bedroom is far from ideal.

-Your neighbours, you can see straight in.

-Straight in.

-Don't like them looking straight in.

-No, I must admit that is...

-Quite intimidating, isn't it?

-Yeah.

Outside, the garden gets a...let's say lukewarm reaction.

Can't kick a ball around in here, can you, Taron?

I think that that bit round the side

would be, like, big enough for me to just play with the dog,

but I don't think it would be big enough for me

to play, like, football.

This house hasn't had what it takes to win anyone over,

but is it something they could afford on their £400,000 budget?

I think this is valued at

about 300,000 to 350,000 British pounds.

I'm hoping it's about £250,000

because then...

-..if we... We can go bigger...

-Yeah.

-..cos I just feel this is too small.

-OK.

Turn it over, Elle. Straight over. Just straight over.

-That isn't...

-Ergh...

Yeah, that's a lot more than what I thought.

396,000 British pounds.

That's just £4,000 under their budget.

It's shocked me now and it worries me now.

-Doesn't worry me.

-No.

-DENISE LAUGHS

-It does worry me.

Definitely food for thought.

That does put a big demand on, obviously, now salaries.

-Pushing, obviously...

-And the value of our house.

And the value of our house, yeah.

It's going to have to be a lot better than this

to persuade me and Mum, especially.

Affording the coastal living Peter wants

with the space the family need could be a struggle,

so will the next house fare any better?

To find out, the Rowsells travel just a few minutes to Red Beach,

an area experiencing a building boom

driven by Aucklanders opting for

a more relaxed lifestyle by the beach.

Looks like a very nice cul-de-sac.

On arrival, the neighbourhood goes down well.

-I like the area.

-I prefer the area...

-Bigger area, nice...

-It's spread out.

A bit more like home.

Inside, the kitchen gets a good reaction from Denise.

-Ooh.

-That's a nice kitchen.

-That's a nice open-plan.

-It's clean.

And even Ella's impressed.

-What do you think, Ella?

-Yeah.

-Yeah?

Front room.

Oh, it's a front room, separate diner.

-It's a good idea having two doors opening out.

-Yeah, that's nice.

The bedrooms, each with built-in wardrobes, go down well.

It's nice looking over at the other houses.

They're all nice, sort of more spread out.

This house could be working wonders on the ladies,

and the master bedroom's perfect.

-It's got an en-suite.

-It's got an en-suite.

-Yeah.

-That's a nice size.

Nice size. Yeah, that's a nice size en-suite.

Ah, a walk-in wardrobe.

A spacious double garage means plenty of room for storage...or laundry.

That's a nice big garage for you to fill

like the one you've got at home.

-Yeah, yeah.

-DENISE GIGGLES

-You could do something in here.

-You could do your washing.

Your washing, utilities. It's a nice-sized garage.

Electric door, nice big-sized double garage.

It's all going well,

until a step into the garden sees reactions take a turn for the worse.

Not much outdoor space.

-I'm not that keen on it. I think it's quite...

-Why?

-Huh?

-Why?

-It's quite small.

-What about you, Taron?

-I don't like it, really, at all.

The garden's not great,

but inside, this house does have the space the family wanted.

So, with £400,000 to spend, is it within reach?

What do you reckon, now, having seen the two properties?

-What do you reckon? More or less?

-I think less.

Less. I think less.

I think this is going to be in our budget quite comfortably.

I reckon it'll be about the same, just because the area looks nicer.

The other one was 395, so I reckon this is around...300.

-No.

-250, 300.

-I reckon the same.

-I think it's more than that.

-Yeah?

-I reckon the same.

-I think it's...

-Or even a little bit more.

Go on, then, Taron, let's see what the...

Do you want to turn the card over?

-Ergh...

-Whoa!

-Told you.

That's £15,000 over their budget.

That's...that is surprising. 415,000.

-I thought it'd be more.

-It's more than the other house.

Yeah, you could see just driving up, it's a better area.

Got a nice house at home anyway...

that we're happy in.

Some are.

-We are.

-Yeah.

-Yeah.

The reality of Auckland's property prices

is beginning to hit home with Peter.

It is difficult for me at the moment.

It has been my dream to come out here for the past 24 years, and...

..yeah, it's knocking me for six, personally.

For the final property of the day,

we found the Rowsells what could be their ideal home...

..a short hop away in neighbouring Orewa.

Just two years old, this villa has four bedrooms and sea views.

It should offer everything the family want,

but that could come at an even higher cost.

Once more, Peter's happy with the area.

Looks nice here. Nice open area. Nice views.

And inside, he starts a sales pitch again.

This is a...sitting room, I would assume.

It's even got views of the sea.

I do like this one. This one's ticking the boxes so far...

-Yeah.

-..for me.

With two bedrooms downstairs,

the family begin to speculate on the floor plan.

-So, ah... So, what is it?

-It could be an upside-down house.

-So, downstairs is...

-Yeah.

-Sleeping area's downstairs,

and the living quarter's upstairs, obviously, for the better views.

Upstairs brings a real smile to Peter's face.

That's all right. That's much better.

That's nice. Nice open-plan.

Nice sitting area outside and inside.

Look at the views - you're not going to beat them views.

And it appears this could be

some place Denise and Ella could call home.

-So, what do you think about this then, Ella?

-I like it.

-Yeah?

-Yeah.

-I like this house a lot.

-Yeah, I like this house.

-Good.

Yeah, no, it's nice. Can't beat that view, can you?

Nope. No, no, definitely.

Back inside, the master bedroom gets the seal of approval.

-This is a nice big bedroom.

-Yeah.

-So, this would be our room.

Looks like it goes all the way through.

Ah, it's an en-suite. So, this is the bathroom. Very nice.

But already, Peter's worrying about the cost.

This place is going to be a shocker for us.

A spacious garden means everyone's sold on this home.

So, out of the three, you find this one's the best one?

This is the nicest house, the biggest house.

It really could be the family's dream house,

but will it be affordable given their budget of £400,000?

-I think it'll be about £400,000 to £500,000.

-Pounds?

I think about the same as the last house.

I think it's going to be more again.

Probably 450.

Around about 450, 459.

-It's going to be the most expensive out of the lot.

-Mm-hm.

-Cos it's the one we like.

-Yeah.

-You don't want to, do you?

-You ready?

It's more than £100,000 over budget.

For me, it's gutting. I wish I had...

Like I said before, I wish I'd done it 20 years ago.

Unless they can increase their earnings, it's out of reach,

and Peter's distraught.

Now, probably, for me, house wise prices is out of my reach...

unless, at the end of the week, we see things that can turn it.

A day house-hunting on Auckland's North Shore

has shown the whole family getting a house they'd like

would cost them dearly.

Property one failed to impress,

with small rooms and a tiny garden.

While the space offered by property two was an improvement,

again, the outside space wasn't a patch

on what the family have at home.

And though property three did hit the mark,

delivering everything everyone wanted,

it came with an eye-watering price tag.

Peter's week isn't off to the best of starts,

so how will the family vote when it comes to properties at home or away?

Based on the three houses we've seen today in New Zealand,

our vote's going to be...

-..New Zealand.

-UK.

-England.

Yeah, of course. I thought that would happen.

Why have you chosen England?

The third house was all right. It was liveable.

But the other two, they were just...

-Why did you choose England?

-Snap.

I liked the third house, but I don't know we can afford it.

The quality of life over here will potentially outweigh that.

Fair enough.

-Girl power.

-LAUGHING:

-Girl power.

Auckland's soaring property prices

means Peter's got an even tougher task ahead of him

if he's ever to persuade his wife and daughter to make the move.

Promising job opportunities and increased salaries in New Zealand

could help his case.

Back in the UK, Peter's a maintenance manager

for a pharmaceutical company.

The reason I like the job is the people, the variety.

Every day is different - there's no same day,

we always have challenges throughout the day.

Denise works part-time at the local doctor's surgery as an administrator.

Yeah, I really like my job.

I enjoy everything about it, really,

and I really enjoy working for the NHS.

It's just real life.

You're sort of seeing different things,

and it's interesting.

Peter's prepared to sacrifice some salary

to achieve the life he wants.

If, after when we weigh up all the pros and cons

with the lifestyle and the salary side of it,

if that means I have to take a drop, then...

but the lifestyle and the quality of life is still there,

then, you know, that's something I will consider.

Denise, meanwhile, wants a post with some flexibility

to increase her hours.

A part-time job that potentially could sort of up the hours

as the children get older and settled.

It's a big day for Peter

as he sets off to investigate work possibilities.

He's painfully aware his dream could live or die

based on what he discovers today.

It's very important for me this goes well today.

I need to know is it going to be the right move.

House prices in New Zealand are higher than what I expected,

so today I really need to get a good feeling of the job prospects.

If she did make the move,

Denise feels work could help her integrate into New Zealand life.

It's important for me to have a job here,

because I think to come out and not have a job would be awful.

You won't get to meet people...

You know, stuck at home all day would be...would be a nightmare.

Peter heads to a health care company where he gets a quick tour

with maintenance team leader Andrew, an expat.

I and my team look after the production machinery,

we do have a separate facility maintenance team as well.

Peter's keen to hear if working in New Zealand

would let him take advantage of the lifestyle he wants.

What is the work-life balance like here?

I still have to come to work, but I must admit,

-I spend more time outdoors than in front of a TV.

-Yeah.

Weekends, predominantly tramping, surfing, kayaking.

My biggest question -

might sound a silly question cos you've been here 14 years -

did you make the right move?

I absolutely made the right move.

Not just for me, personally, but for my children as well.

That's the answer he was hoping for.

Next, Peter meets Emma-Jane from recruitment

and asks about his qualifications.

Is my City & Guilds and NVQ Level 3s,

do they correspond to the type of skills in New Zealand?

We do have a lot of employees

that have emigrated from the UK and Ireland,

and we are really familiar with those qualifications.

They are qualifications that are very well recognised here.

In the last six months, I've been in a management role.

Do you think that's the kind of position

-I could bring over to this company?

-To be completely honest with you,

when we are entertaining a candidate outside of New Zealand,

they do need to have at least three to four years management experience.

Having to take a step backwards is disappointing,

but what other job opportunities exist?

OK, so a management role may be out of the question at this moment.

Is there any other positions you feel my qualifications would suit?

So, the positions that we would consider you for

is maintenance within the manufacturing environment.

We have roles that are either new roles or replacement roles.

They tend to come up...every six months.

So there are definitely roles that we could consider you for.

That's much more promising.

Meanwhile, across town, Denise is at Westmere Medical Centre

where she meets practice manager Melissa.

-Hi, Denise. I'm Melissa.

-Hello.

-Nice to meet you.

-And you.

A quick tour of the facilities shows Denise

she could gain some fringe benefits.

-This is our lovely staffroom area.

-Very nice.

-Look, and a garden.

-Yes.

-And we have staff get-togethers and things here.

-Yeah.

We do try and have nice times with the staff as well as hard work.

Yeah, that's good.

Then it's straight down to business.

Do you think I'd be able to find a job here

quite easily in New Zealand?

Yes, yes, I think medical receptionists and administrators

are quite sought-after because, for some reason,

there seems to be not so many with the skills that are required.

Denise could slot right in here,

but what about the all-important wages?

Can you tell me what sort of salary I'd be expected to get here?

I think, probably, you would be on

a starting wage of about 22, 23 an hour.

That's around ten pounds per hour.

I'm not sure if that's compatible to what you earn in the UK.

That's more than what I'm,

a little bit more than what I'm on in the UK.

-Oh, that's encouraging.

-Yeah.

Outside, Denise is sounding pretty upbeat.

It's very reassuring to know that if we did move

that, hopefully, I'd have, you know, potentially good job.

But she knows, as the main breadwinner,

it's Peter salary that could make all the difference.

It all hinges on Peter's job, really.

Obviously, after the shock of the house prices as well,

if his job's not right with the right money,

then it's just not even a consideration.

To find out about his earnings,

Peter meets recruitment consultant John Lawson.

You've been through my CV and all that.

What kind of salary would I expect?

The opportunity for you and looking at your background

and your experience is to say,

what is the value that you could bring to organisations

-as that type of expert?

-Yeah.

The remuneration for those sorts of positions

then jumps through into the early 100s.

100,000, up to 110, 120.

That's around £50,000,

approximately ten percent more than he earns at home,

and Peter's delighted.

His dream could be back on.

This morning I was a bit apprehensive

of what kind of salaries I can expect,

but now it's looking good.

It does mean to me that the move is still on.

So, after everything they've discovered,

will the couple choose work in New Zealand or the UK?

Based on our job experience today, our votes are going to be...

-..New Zealand.

-New Zealand.

So, why have you chose New Zealand?

Because...it's a lot more chilled atmosphere.

I must admit, today,

the environment on the shop floor at the company I just went to,

it is a lot more relaxed, chilled.

The consultant I saw was really chilled,

and the potential for me here is really, really good.

He may be delighted with a first vote for New Zealand from Denise,

but Peter's still got a long way to go

if he's to get the entire family to sign up

to his vision of their future.

With a new-found bounce in his step,

will his winning streak continue

after a day exploring the legendary Kiwi outdoors lifestyle?

The family head for a wander along Takapuna Beach,

which boasts stunning views of nearby Rangitoto Island.

You're not going to get a better view than this.

It's a great opportunity for photography fan Ella

to make the most of the scenery.

Look how many pictures you've taken already just for...

being out here in a nice environment.

Wouldn't get this in England, that's for certain.

And Peter and Taron take advantage of the low tide to explore rock pools.

Hey, Taz, a starfish. Look.

-Hello.

-PETER CHUCKLES

I feel like we're on holiday.

It is lovely.

For Peter, their time on the beach

sums up just why he's so keen to make the move.

Biggest thing for me, to draw me here is the lifestyle, easily.

I've see people leave work, pull a boat into the water

and just go swimming, just enjoying life,

and you don't get that in England.

What's it like, Denise?

-DENISE GASPS

-I've broken the barnacle.

Oh, dear.

Mind yourself. Hey, mind yourself.

But the lure of a sunny life by the sea isn't swaying Ella.

When we go on holiday, we go to a hot country

and we go to the beach and things like that,

and then, to live on it, it wouldn't feel right.

And I just couldn't... It's too warm all the time.

And when the family head to a cafe beside the beach,

Ella finds the opportunity to make her thoughts clear.

With Ella close to school leaving age,

Peter, clutching at straws,

spots a way of perhaps keeping everyone happy.

It's a possible solution, but Denise isn't happy.

-No, she's in her last year.

-I know she's in her last year.

But what I'm saying is, would you leave her at home with Nan,

and then come out, and she can come and join us at Christmas...?

-No.

-No?

-No.

Peter's desperate to cling onto his dream,

but even he realises splitting his family for good

could be too tough a step to take.

I don't really want to leave my daughter home,

which is quite worrying.

-CRYING:

-It has been my dream for 20-odd years,

but, obviously, my daughter is my number one.

Peter's passionate in his belief

New Zealand could give his family a better life,

but Ella's steadfast in her opinion

and overcoming that could be insurmountable.

With the atmosphere tense, the family head into Auckland city centre.

With Peter and Ella both camera buffs,

we've arranged for the family to take a dusk photography tour

with tutor Lea.

With manual, basically, it's all about light, right, photography?

And it's all about how we control that light,

and manual mode actually allows us to do that.

And it's not long before they're getting snap-happy.

It's been a day filled with emotion,

but has the Kiwi lifestyle done enough to win everyone over?

Based on our lifestyle experience today, our votes are going to be...

..New Zealand.

Fair enough. Why...why undecided, Ella?

I mean, I enjoyed it,

but I feel like we could have done this in the UK.

I liked going along the beaches,

and in England, you couldn't do that.

OK. What about you, Denise?

I enjoyed the day, but I don't still feel like I can live here.

I enjoyed the day all together.

As a family, I thought it was a good activity.

It was nice to see Ella enjoying herself as well this evening,

so that's why I voted New Zealand.

With the family split right down the middle,

Peter could be fighting a losing battle.

Could a detailed look at how their finances would pan out down under

give him a glimmer of hope?

He and Denise feel their house in the UK is worth around £340,000.

We sent round two estate agents to give their valuations.

Ooh, good - our kitchen.

'Lovely country-style farmhouse kitchen set back from the road.

'The first of the three reception rooms -

'really nice feel about it with solid oak flooring

'and the wood burner, in particular, features.

'Again, we've got a nice, spacious dining room,

'French doors leading out into the garden a particular highlight.'

-ELLA:

-My room.

-Your room.

-Going in.

-Is it going to be clean? Yes, it is clean.

So, a good-sized double bedroom,

beautiful feature fireplace part of the older part of the property.

Our bedroom now.

It's a beautiful master bedroom,

it's got its separate dressing area, plenty of built-in storage.

-Taron's room.

-Got a really nice-sized third bedroom.

Really refreshing to see three doubles in the house.

'So, the family bathroom, needs a bit of finishing off in a few areas,

'but generally not in too bad condition.'

In today's market, we would value this property at £350,000.

For a quick sale, we'd put it on the market for £325,000.

In today's market, I would value

this property at around £315,000.

For a quick sale, I would recommend placing the property

on the market for around £300,000.

I must admit, the price is a bit lower than what I thought.

No, I sort of thought 340, so that's...

One went 315 to quick sale 300.

-Yeah.

-That's a lot.

-Yeah.

-That's a big drop.

The estimates are lower than Peter had been hoping for.

Next, the couple compare the cost of living in New Zealand with the UK,

starting with the weekly food shop.

-Milk.

-Milk. Oh, God.

So that's £1.91 more for a four-pint bottle.

Potatoes. Potatoes are a lot more.

At the moment, most of them are more expensive.

566.

Which is a difference of...

£8.20 worse off in New Zealand.

Spending around £35 a month more on groceries wouldn't break the bank.

-..which I think is pretty good.

-It's not bad.

-Not bad.

Next, the couple move on to examine their bigger outgoings,

basing their figures on the dream home they viewed.

Oh, jeez!

The mortgage is a huge amount difference to that.

-That's four times as much.

-Mm.

-And electricity is more.

-And electricity is more.

In total, the couple discover

they'd be spending £1,874 more each month in New Zealand.

That's a shock for me.

I mean, I kind of thought it'd be more,

-but didn't expect it to be...

-That high.

-..double.

-No.

-Over double.

-Mm-hm.

That is a shock.

It's a blow for Peter.

Such a significant hike in outgoings would be hard to shoulder.

And even when they take their increased salaries into account,

the outcome isn't great.

-£898 better off in the UK.

-In the UK.

-..per month.

-Per month.

-It's a lot of money.

-That is a lot of money.

Being over £10,000 worse off each year in New Zealand

is a devastating outcome for Peter.

I've seen the lifestyle that I'd like to have here

and today, that dream has probably been shattered.

It's time to vote on finances in the UK versus New Zealand.

Based on our reality check today, our votes are going to be...

-..UK.

-UK.

The cost of living,

well, the mortgage has made a big difference in that decision.

-I think you've been true to yourself.

-Yeah, I am.

-Mm-hm.

-Mm.

Despite the country delivering the lifestyle Peter wants,

the figures have shown achieving it would mean taking a financial hit.

Peter's vision of his family's future

could be slipping further from his grasp,

and he's yet to face possibly his biggest hurdle.

Having first discussed it with the children,

the family sit down to watch messages from loved ones at home together.

Hi, Peter and Denise.

-Hello.

-Hello.

Hi, Peter.

I hope you've had a fantastic time.

Peter, a very nice guy.

Very helpful, useful guy to have around.

-Good with the IT.

-Especially with the IT.

-Helps us.

If I would describe Denise, I would say she's a real homegirl,

she's a real, you know, family-orientated person.

The kids, they're fun.

Taron's a bit of a live wire, as you'll find out, no doubt.

Ella is a great girl. She's, you know, she's a great niece to me.

She loves her photography,

and I think one day she's going to be a fantastic photographer.

They're lovely. They've helped me a lot in the past.

Some much so, you know...

They've really looked after Joshua

for me at times.

Yeah, they're just a fantastic family.

I think the world of them, I really do.

My parents would miss him terribly,

and obviously, Denise, I know Denise's parents

would miss the family as well.

I would miss them dreadfully.

-I'd miss things like Ella learning to drive...

-Yeah.

-..turning 18.

All the things that you think you're going to do together,

you know, suddenly that might not happen.

My heart says one thing

and my head says another,

but, you know, I can't stand in their way.

We're not young any more.

You know, we're getting on, obviously.

We'd like to see the grandchildren grow up and...

And hopefully get married

and perhaps have children and have great grandchildren,

and if they're out there, we would never see them,

and that would be really hard.

-Very hard.

-Mm.

It's down to you, son. Good luck.

A little surprised my mum and dad actually spoke,

which I kind of think that goes...shows quite a bit, actually.

I think it showed that they were keen to put across their view.

-Yeah, well...

-Yeah, which is fine, it's not a problem.

They put their view across,

and I know how adamant they do not want us to go,

and that's fair enough.

I just don't want to move out here and not see them all.

I think it would be extremely hard

to just pack everything up, move here,

have no-one here to support us here

when we've got all the support at home,

which we could have for years to come.

Whereas when we move here, we've got no-one.

It would just be us.

After being dealt a blow

by the financial implications of achieving his dream,

the reality of leaving loved ones may have also cost Peter dearly.

For most of his life,

he's coveted the idea of one day settling in New Zealand,

so as the family's turn of their cards approaches,

is his dream on the verge of coming true

or about to disappear forever?

For two and a half decades,

Peter's hankered after a life in New Zealand,

and the week's confirmed for him it's the place he wants to be.

The quality of life I've seen here now,

beside the sea with the nice sun and all that,

means that's the kind of environment I want to live in.

For Taron, too, the country's proved an all-round winner.

I like the beaches, the heat, the views...

..the food.

But while the trial week's challenged

Denise's perceptions of New Zealand...

It has kind of brought me round.

It has made me think differently to when I came out.

..Kiwi living hasn't exactly worked its charms on all the family.

I just find that it's not really somewhere I'd want to live.

It's more just come visit here for holiday or something.

Peter worries Ella's opinion might put paid to his dream.

I'm absolutely devastated.

It's heartbreaking to watch her make a decision for the family.

So, we have got his dreams, like, in our hands,

but at the end of the day, it's not just his decision.

And Peter's spirit seems close to breaking point.

I don't think it's going to come true.

I don't think my dream's going to come true.

It's...

..very emotional.

It's like a flame now has been extinguished for me.

That's how much it feels.

But with how Denise will vote unclear,

he's clinging onto a glimmer of hope.

If I'm honest, I'm probably not 100% sure what I'm going to vote.

If they turn over that card and it's on New Zealand,

that would be all my Christmases, all my birthdays,

everything all in one.

It would be an absolutely amazing feeling.

I've lived... I can have my dream. I can start living again.

After 24 years, everything rests on these final minutes

as the family decide where their future lies.

After a fantastic week

and an adventure that we've all really enjoyed,

this is going to be our final vote whether it's UK or New Zealand.

-New Zealand.

-UK.

Well, I have chosen to go undecided, but veering towards the UK.

I don't think we could realistically afford to live here.

Taron, why have you chosen New Zealand?

Because I really enjoyed it here,

and it's got really good beaches and houses.

-Ella, why 100% UK?

-I couldn't live here.

This isn't home.

I feel that that there's potential to still come over here,

not in Auckland, but other areas of the island

and be able to afford and have a comfortable life

with the quality of life that I feel, as a family, we deserve.

Peter may have been beaten, but he's definitely not defeated,

remaining hopeful New Zealand may still become home one day.

Whether it happens or not,

we hope the Rowsell's future is a happy one.