Smith Family Wanted Down Under

You lead a comfortable and happy existence close to the ones you love.

But your husband's set his sights on a life much further afield.

Could a week in the country of his dreams persuade you to up sticks

and move right around the world?

For as long as she's known him, Clair Smith's been

living in the shadow of husband Paul's desire to emigrate.

Our daily life revolves around Australia.

When a trial week down under shows Paul the life he dreams of...

It's absolutely amazing. I love it.

..Clair's faced with an emotional decision.

From day one I knew I was either going to break Paul's heart

or I'm going to break my mum's heart.

So, will Paul convince his wife to make the move?

Or be forced to give up on his dream forever.

For me, this is last chance saloon, if you like.

So, I need it to be a good week.

Promising blue skies, beaches and a healthy outdoor lifestyle,

Australia's been the destination of choice for British families

seeking a new life for over two decades.

Latest figures reveal over 5% of the country's population

hail from the UK.

And with an estimated 23 families making the move every day,

the figure continues to rise.

From the moment they met, Paul Smith's bombarded wife, Clair,

with talk of a new life in Australia.

And his obsession's only grown since the couple became parents.

Knowing Clair will do anything to give their young children

a better future, he believes it's now or never

if he's ever to convince her to make the move.

With Clair a self-confessed home-bird

and part of a close-knit family, though,

persuading her could be his toughest challenge yet.

The family's journey starts with over 17.5 hours in the sky,

flying from London to Perth, with a stopover in Dubai.

When they finally touch down in Australia,

Paul admits the flight was easier than expected.

We got quite lucky with the kids.

They slept for about eight hours,

so I managed to get a little bit of sleep myself.

But all that time in the air has given Clair food for thought.

It does make you realise how far away you actually are.

And she's already missing family back home.

When I landed I had eight texts from my mum.

I phoned her straightaway to say we were here.

After years spent dreaming of Australia,

Paul's just happy to be here.

I'm absolutely buzzing.

Looking out the window and seeing the blue skies, no clouds

and just hoping that it's like this all week.

Unlike Clair, who's already feeling nervous about what lies ahead.

It's a big, big week for me in particular, I think.

Paul will like it regardless, but for me,

I'm the one who's going to make the ultimate decision.

With just seven days to persuade Clair

this is where their future lies,

Paul's first trip down under is going to be anything but a holiday.

Back in the UK, the Smith family live in Glasgow.

They're mum, Clair, dad, Paul, two-year-old Jamie

and baby of the family, Ryan.

Social worker, Clair, loves an ordered life

surrounded by her home comforts.

I'm a homebody, without a doubt. And I've got a routine for everything.

You know, on a daily basis I know what I'm doing

from the minute I wake up to when I got to bed.

Whenever we do anything it's like, right, tick, that's done.

Tick, that's done, tick, that's done.

Paul has a more laid-back approach and unlike Clair,

he's always up for a new adventure.

Paul would think, "Well, I'll try new things, new experiences."

I just want the same things that I've always had.

Clair's love of familiarity even extends to food.

Just the usual, please.

As a vegetarian who's picky about what she eats,

she's a self-confessed creature of habit.

I order the same takeaway pizza every single Friday,

for the last ten years.

But if Paul gets his way,

Clair's routines could be a thing of the past.

Ever since meeting nine years ago,

he's made it clear he wants a new life in a country he's never visited.

There's just something in me

that says that I want to emigrate to Australia.

Well, he's said to me before, "I feel I'm supposed to be there.

"Maybe if I look up my family tree I might have ancestors who have

"came or went to Australia."

Paul's convinced the country offers a future worth getting excited about.

I have friends that have travelled and come back and told me

what a wonderful country it is.

From what I've seen on the TV, I think

the lifestyle for myself, Clair and the kids will just be wonderful.

Whereas, I think you can't base it on what you see on the TV

cos that's not reality.

Determined to give Jamie and Ryan the best possible life,

Paul's constantly chipping away at Clair's resolve.

I'm showing her houses, showing her weather reports.

Paul has a list of areas that he would like to live in.

I obviously do people's heads in with it.

Our daily life revolves around Australia.

Clair will do anything for the boys,

but she won't give up the life she loves without a fight.

I've got great friends, great family.

I've got a good job, a nice house

and I think what could be better over there apart from the weather?

As an only child, she can't comprehend

the possibility of being on the other side of the world from her mum.

My dad passed away when I was very young

and my mum's been the one person in my life that's always been there.

Living just eight doors away,

Clair and the boys spend their time with her mum, every single day.

And the thought of taking her only grandchildren away

is too much for Clair to bear.

If she walked past our house and another family were living here

and they had children and they were at the window...

..that would really break my mum's heart. Sorry.

She also worries about putting even more distance between the boys

and Paul's mum, who lives in England.

I know I'm going to break Paul's mum's heart,

so everybody's going to heartbroken.

Including me.

Moving would mean Paul being separated from his son

from a previous relationship, Owen.

But as much as he realises it won't be easy,

Paul remains confident the distance won't break their bond.

Who knows?

Years down the line he might decide, "Well, I want to emigrate, as well".

So, although there might be negatives there,

there could also be positives.

But at the end of the day, he's always going to be my son

and I will always love him.

After years of dreaming, Paul's desperate to make Australia his home.

The week ahead will be his one

and only chance to convince Clair it's the right move.

This week will be decision time.

So, I'm really hoping it goes well and I can change her mind.

Ultimately, I'm going to break somebody's heart.

I'm going to have to break my mum's heart,

or I'm going to have to break Paul's heart.

For their trial week down under,

the family are visiting Western Australia's capital city, Perth.

Home for the week is the coastal suburb of Mindarie,

just 30 minutes' drive from the city centre.

But will their first taste of Australian living be enough

to whet Clair's appetite?

Oh, it's nice. It looks nice from outside.

-It does look nice.

-Yeah.

It's a promising start.

-Go and have a look, then.

-Daddy, I like this one.

-Oh!

-You like this one.

-This looks nice.

Fortunately for Paul, Clair likes what she sees.

-Yeah, Mummy's happy.

-Oh, this is nice, isn't it?

And it doesn't take long for Jamie to spot something he likes, too.

-A pool!

-A swimming pool.

-Oh, wow!

Paul's more than happy with his first taste of Australian living.

-Swimming pool.

-Yeah.

-This is what it's all about, isn't it, Jamie?

Clair's far from ready to take the plunge, though.

The house it absolutely fantastic,

but everything else has to be perfect, as well.

Or near enough perfect.

After a quick look around, the family settle into their new surroundings.

And Paul's feeling quietly optimistic to have got Clair this far.

Even just getting her here, at the moment, has been a big step.

She's always been dead against it.

So, now that I've got her here,

I just need to prove to her that it's the right thing for us.

But erring on the side of caution, Clair's already feeling homesick.

I'm excited about being here, but I actually am missing my mum.

It's only a day, that's sad.

After almost ten years spent trying to convince Clair to make the move,

the next seven days will change the couple's lives forever.

For me this is, like, last chance saloon, if you like.

So, I need it to be a good week.

I feel that I'm being made to choose between Paul's happiness

and my mum's.

And I'm kind of just stuck in the middle.

Back in the UK, the Smiths live in a three-bedroom house,

close to Glasgow city centre.

We always wanted a detached house in a nice area that's safe for kids.

And that's what we've got.

Convincing Clair to give up the home she loves won't be easy.

If I'm giving up the house that I see as my ideal house,

it has to be better for me.

But if Paul does persuade her to make the move,

the couple agree on the kind of property they'd want.

A modern house.

-Open plan would be nice, wouldn't it?

-Open plan is a must.

-Like kitchen, living area.

-Yeah.

A big enough garden that

if we don't have a pool we could build one in the future.

And also, I would like something that

if my parents did come, that we could convert that for them.

So, maybe an outbuilding or...

-Double garage, or something like that.

-Yeah, double garage.

All the modern houses seem to have very, very small gardens.

That just doesn't cut it for me. I need a grassy area.

I need it to be big for the kids to run about.

The couple's maximum budget for a house in Australia is £320,000.

To find out what their money might buy,

today we'll show them three properties.

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

Only after viewing each one will they discover the cost.

The search begins in Butler, a popular neighbourhood

40 minutes' drive north of Central Perth

and just a 15-minute walk from the coast.

-That's the kind of style I like.

-That's beautiful.

With the darker windows and nice brick.

It's an up and coming area, perfect for young families,

but will this well positioned family home prove a hit for the Smiths?

-This is lovely, isn't it?

-Yeah. It's glorious.

Hopefully, inside will be as appealing.

-Yep. Nice and open.

-Yeah.

The first room isn't big on space.

I suppose this would be your little snug room

-where you'd watch TV at night.

-Aye, it's nice and cosy.

But the adjacent master bedroom is more generous.

-This is really spacious.

-It's a nice, big room, isn't it?

-Yeah.

But it's a bit strange having a bedroom at the front.

I don't know. That wouldn't bother me.

A built-in wardrobe quickly distracts Clair from the room's location.

This is what you want from an Australian home,

definitely a walk-in wardrobe.

But the en-suite isn't as impressive.

I would have liked something a wee bit bigger

cos this isn't much bigger than ours at home.

And the open-plan living area isn't what Clair wants either.

It's a bit smaller than what I first expected.

I think it's a little bit enclosed, isn't it?

There's not enough light coming in.

Clair's really struggling to get excited about this property.

I wouldn't give up my house in the UK for this.

It's not a good start.

The garden with its own pool is impressive.

-Wow.

-Oh, look, Ryan.

-Oh, that is nice, isn't it? That's lovely.

But the lack of greenery gives Clair something to think about.

This is ideal, I love the fact of having a pool

cos that is the Australian dream.

But I need even a bit of grass just for the kids to run about.

Paul, on the other hand, could easily make himself at home here.

Oh, I can imagine it, definitely. I'd love it.

Does it not make you sad thinking that you'd have all this,

but you wouldn't have any friends or family to share it with?

Clair could prove harder to win over than Paul thought.

Meanwhile, the couple still need to find out what the house costs.

It could be the end of your dream.

Their budget is £320,000.

Ready...

£268,900.

-That's surprisingly good.

-Yeah, for the money.

What you're getting for it is definitely value for money.

I'm happy again now.

I'm happy to have a look at others now, seeing that price.

Realising this home's £50,000 under budget has finally given

Clair something to smile about.

And Paul's hopeful the next property will be even better.

If that had been over, I think I'd have felt

-so deflated going to the next one.

-I would have.

I'd have been gutted cos I don't think I could have persuaded you.

But you know we're not going to get everything we want.

Staying in Butler, the family move on to view another four-bedroom house.

Boasting fabulous views, it's just a short walk from local amenities.

Really fancy.

Clair's happy with the location.

Hopefully, this home will deliver inside, too.

Let's see what we think here.

This is nice and airy.

But her positivity's short-lived when they check out the master bedroom.

This is nice, but it's dull again.

-I don't know if it's the windows that makes it look dull.

-I think it's the fly-nets.

The en-suite provokes a mixed reaction.

I would make it a bit more modern, but size-wise it's ideal.

Big, massive shower.

But a potential bedroom for one of the children wins approval.

-This is better.

-This is a nice room, isn't it?

This is a better size that the last one.

Jamie's pleased.

-Do you like this room?

-Yeah.

Do you think this could be Jamie's room if we get

all your stickers on the wall?

-Yeah?

-Yeah.

Again, the house offers the open-plan living the couple want.

-Oh, this is much more spacious.

-Oh, this is brilliant, isn't it?

-Yeah.

But it's not quite perfect for Clair.

-Make it a bit more modern again, but size-wise it's ideal.

-Aye.

And the bathroom could also do with a bit of a makeover.

Again, it's quite dated for me.

I would like to have it more modern.

Change the tiles, get a big shower head on it, do you know what I mean?

This is all stuff that I could do.

-It's like a bit of a maze, isn't it?

-Aye, there's a lot of...

Paul's determined to keep Clair on side,

but he could be fighting a losing battle.

And though the generous-sized garden is exactly what she hoped for,

Clair finds it bitter-sweet.

I love it, but every time I see something like this I just think...

It reminds me of having family over and that makes me sad.

Perhaps the pool will lift her mood.

-Look at that.

-Yeah, that's beautiful.

But...

I think I would probably, if I had to choose between

a pool and grass, I think I would choose grass

because they're so young.

-What are you like?

-I know.

Paul can't win.

But spotting an outbuilding that could convert into a home

for Clair's mum changes everything.

This is a great space.

Definitely, for my mum.

If I could tell my mum, "We've got a house with space for you".

-This would be brilliant, wouldn't it?

-It would be.

The house could be perfect after all.

But with £320,000 to spend,

can they really afford a place with a pool and potential for a granny flat?

-I think it's going to be over budget...

-350, I'm going for.

..but I've got my fingers crossed that it's not.

Time to find out.

Oh, my God.

I would probably move for that,

if I knew my mum could be here there would be nothing stopping us.

-Space for your mum and Owen to come and stay.

-I would sign today.

Oh, I can't believe that. I actually cannot believe that.

It's not my dream home, but we could make it my dream home.

Discovering it's within budget is a real bonus

and could help Paul's argument for moving.

And there's still one more property to check out.

-That's nice there, isn't it?

-These look much bigger.

-These are well going to be out of our price range.

-Yeah, they're a bit well-off.

Moving on to Jindalee, a family-focussed,

beach-side suburb 45 minutes from central Perth,

we found what could be the Smiths' dream home,

just a stone's throw from the beach.

I like the look of that, that's really nice.

I like this stone effect.

The exterior wins Clair's approval.

And inside...

-Wow.

-It's nice, isn't it?

-I like this.

-The entrance has definitely got the "wow" factor.

-Yeah, like them?

High ceilings, wide hallways and solid-timber floors.

There's not much room for improvement here.

Yeah, this is lovely. Wow.

-Yeah, this is.

-Really, really like this one.

The plush master bedroom's an instant hit.

It's massive.

-Look at the space you've got as well.

-It's huge.

This is the way I would decorate, as well. So modern.

And the en-suite's to Clair's taste, too.

Absolutely gorgeous. I wouldn't change a thing.

I would not change a thing here, so far.

The more they see, the happier they get.

This is definitely to my taste.

-I could move in here and not do a thing, just put our furniture.

-Aye.

Clair has only two words to sum up the kitchen.

Absolutely stunning.

And Paul loves it, too.

There's nothing you'd change.

-Absolutely nothing you would change.

-It's all really snazzy.

-It's done to a good standard as well, isn't it?

-It is, isn't it?

Sounds like this could be the house to encourage Clair to make the move.

From what I've seen just walking in, the interior,

all the layout, everything, it is, like, the dream home for me.

Result.

And outside there's both a pool

and space for the family to relax and entertain.

A lot more outdoor space than I expected.

Yep, loads more than I expected from a new, modern house.

This property's exactly what Clair's been holding out for,

which makes Paul concerned about the cost.

I'm feeling slightly nervous cos I certainly think

this will be £400,000 plus.

I'm thinking 440. Maybe more.

To find out if they're right, the couple head back indoors

and Clair admits this is the only place for her.

Now that I've seen this, I can't even consider the other houses.

I can't.

But with £320,000 to spend,

can the couple really afford the dream house Clair's longing for?

Oh, my God. £380,800.

It's over budget, but it's nowhere near where I thought it would be.

We might not be able to achieve it,

but it's not completely out of reach, I don't think.

It just does come down to jobs and that's what we need to find out.

It's down to salary.

Just over £50,000 stands between Clair and the house

that could help convince her to follow Paul's dream

and make the move.

Despite an uncertain start, the day has ended well for the Smiths.

Property one was complete with a pool,

but the cramped interiors didn't cut it with Clair.

Property two had a generous garden and potential for a granny flat,

but the dated decor did little to win Clair over.

But the final property of the day proved to be Clair's dream home.

And even its considerable asking price didn't deflate her enthusiasm.

So, having seen what Australian houses have to offer,

will the couple choose property in the UK or down under?

Now, it's time for us to vote.

-Australia.

-Australia.

-Australia.

-Yay!

-Yay!

I voted for Australia just because I feel as though the houses,

especially the last two that we looked at,

were far better than we could have got in the UK.

They got better and better and I did find what would be my dream house.

I think we'd be mad not to vote Australia.

Step in the right direction.

Yeah, but we've still got a long way to go.

Clair's vote for Australia's a brilliant result for Paul,

putting him one step closer to the life he longs for.

But with Clair sold on the dream house, he knows his hopes

could still be dashed if they can't find jobs

to afford them the lifestyle they want.

In the UK, Paul works as a plumber, fitting bathrooms and kitchens.

Working long hours, he hopes a job in Australia will give him

more time with his wife and children.

It's crucial for myself to get the right job with a work-life balance,

just so that I can persuade Clair that we can have more time together

and enjoy the time off with the family.

Clair qualified as a social worker five years ago

and works with children and families.

As the main visa applicant,

she'll be looking for something similar down under.

I'm happy in my job and I want to be happy in a job in Australia

and that is going to be the main source of income for us

to probably get the dream home and live the life that we want.

So, it has to be the perfect job

and I won't settle for anything less.

The children are looked after by a childminder

while Paul and Clair explore work options down under.

First, Paul goes to find out about qualifying for a tradesman's licence.

Hi there, I'm Paul.

Hi Paul, I'm Lachy. Welcome to the MPA, come through.

To find out more, we've arranged for him to meet training supervisor

Lachlan Marr at one of Perth's registered training organisations.

Would you advise me to seek employment

before I actually emigrated to Australia?

-It would be better to have that job before you get here.

-Yeah.

Yeah, because to do the migrant course you have to have

the plumbing experience in Western Australia

to fulfil the tradesman's licence.

As you turn you give it a squeeze.

Paul's conversion course would last two weeks,

but Lachlan recommends he qualifies in gas fitting, too,

which would involve a three-week course

and up to six months' on-the-job training.

But Paul needs to know how much it would all cost.

If you gained employment, you would get some funding.

The actual cost of the course would be about £4,400

-and the funding of that would be about £500.

-Right, OK. Right.

It's a considerable amount

and Paul knows his findings are unlikely to go down well with Clair.

It's very important to me to find an employer where the wages

would be substantial enough to persuade Clair

that this is worth doing.

Meanwhile, Clair's finding out about her own work options.

We've arranged for her to meet Penny Webb,

divisional manager at Rise Network,

a private provider of support services for young people.

Used to working in the public sector,

Clair's anxious to find out how she could fit in with a private employer.

Would my skills be transferrable to this type of job?

In the youth area, in our youth and mental heath area,

absolutely transferrable.

I'm pleased to hear that. I thought it would be quite difficult making the transition.

Clair's further encouraged to discover part-time work

could be an option.

So, flexibility's really important for us.

Part-time roles absolutely happen.

All that remains now is to find out

if the salary's in line with her expectations.

What would I expect to earn, based on the experience that I have?

You're probably looking at around about £32,000 to start

and then you would move up incrementally.

If you stayed at that kind of level,

you'd probably be looking at 33,800.

That is a bit disappointing.

It is a bit lower than what I earn back home.

I currently could earn, full-time, £38,000.

After a generally positive meeting, Clair's salary's

a bit of a letdown, which could leave Paul's plans up in the air.

To find out more about his prospects,

he's gone to meet Grant Busby at one of Perth's largest plumbing firms.

Is there the opportunity for me to get employment in Australia?

Anyone with a good work ethic will always find work here.

It's good news.

What would normal working hours be for a plumber?

Between 7 to 3.30 would be a standard day,

but most employers are really flexible.

Sounds like Paul could have plenty of time with the family.

The big question now is how much he could earn.

Well, the start-off wage would be something like 27.50 an hour.

That would be something like equivalent to, I think,

about £30,000 a year.

You could go up to maybe £38,000 a year.

The fact that I'd actually be earning more here as a trainee

than what I would be back in Britain

is going to go a long, long way to persuading my wife

to make this move.

With the potential to earn about £11,000 more,

Paul meets Clair to share his news.

How did the day go?

Probably not as well as I expected.

The salary was a drop.

-It was about £8,000 less than what I would receive just now.

-Per year?

That's the annual salary.

It would cost me around about £4,000 to retrain.

-What?!

-Yep.

-£4,000.

-£4,000.

-Although you're a qualified plumber and you've got experience?

-Yep.

But Clair soon cheers up when she hears his potential earnings.

Starting salary would be around £30,000 a year,

so it's an improvement.

After the six-month period,

your earnings can go up considerably, up to about 38,000.

That's a huge amount of money.

The day's delivered plenty of food for thought.

But has it done enough to persuade Paul and Clair

to choose work in Australia over the jobs they've got back home?

-Australia.

-Undecided.

I have a feeling you'd maybe go with that, but how come?

Because although your salary was good,

a drop in salary again

after five years of being qualified is quite disheartening.

But for you it was pretty good.

It was a pretty good outcome for you, anyway.

Paul always knew it would be difficult to get Clair

to sacrifice the job she's so passionate about.

But he's not ready to give up the fight yet.

He's firm in his belief

Australia's lifestyle has more to offer Jamie and Ryan than the UK.

And knowing Clair's happy when they're happy,

a day exploring those opportunities could be just what's needed

to secure another vote in his favour.

The day starts at Caversham Wildlife Park,

home to the largest private collection of native animals

in Western Australia.

First stop, the kangaroos.

I like the baby one.

That's kissing Daddy at the moment.

I never actually thought you would ever be able

to come this close to them.

Well, it's like being at the park, but instead of ducks it's kangaroos.

Mm. Next, the chance to meet Karen the Koala.

Is she nice and soft?

-Is she the same as yours? Look!

-Yeah.

And the morning ends with an introduction

to the park's largest marsupial.

This wombat's name is Big Bubs because she likes to be cuddled.

Ah!

Do you like that one?

Australia's lifestyle is definitely living up to Paul's expectations.

I just can't see how Clair could not want to live here

because it's absolutely amazing. I love it.

But for Clair, it's much less clear-cut.

You realise when you're here the life you could give the children.

But it also means leaving my mum, which is the hardest thing for me,

which would just break my heart, it really would.

To find out about the healthy lifestyle Paul believes

the country can offer Jamie and Ryan,

the family visit a sports lesson run by the local group Ready Steady Go.

Coach, Greg Bland, fills Paul and Clair in on the programme.

Our programme runs a multi-sport,

so they get a little bit of a taster of each sport as an introduction.

By the age of six,

most kids are ready to go into a single stream sport.

Greg assures the couple

sport is also a big feature in Australian school life.

We have kids that go through and do surfing,

there's mountain bike riding, canoeing, kayaking,

white water rafting. There's a huge range of wild and crazy sports

which are part of the school curriculum.

That sounds, actually, really, really good.

Jamie's delighted to join in a game of football.

The afternoon's cemented Paul's desire to move.

This is why I want to make the move, so the kids can do things like this

every day, or at the weekend or whatever,

whenever we've got free time.

CHEERING

But even though they've enjoyed their day out,

Clair admits she's still struggling with

the idea of living on the other side of the world from her mum.

I'm still torn because I think of all the great things you can do

and how happy the kids are.

Who would not want to live in a beautiful place like this

and have this life?

It's just what I'm giving up back home.

And it's about that balance.

The life Paul dreams of is far from a done deal,

but for now it's time to discover

if the day's been enough to see Clair pick Australia over the UK.

-ALL:

-Australia.

That's brilliant. I'm really chuffed that you've voted that.

Well, I think you would be crazy not to vote for Australia

after the day we've had and seeing how happy the kids are.

That's made me happy, obviously,

and it is the kind of life I want for them.

That's brilliant news.

The Australian lifestyle has put Clair back on Paul's side,

but he knows keeping her there will be a challenge

if he can't prove emigrating makes financial sense.

If they move,

the couple plan to sell their house in Scotland for around £170,000.

While Jamie and Ryan take a nap,

they view current valuations from estate agents.

Fingers crossed.

-I know, fingers crossed, definitely.

-Right, go.

That's weird.

Wow. Absolutely immaculate.

The first impression, the sitting room is a converted garage.

Great extra space, obviously perfect for kids.

Definitely an added advantage.

Looks bigger than what it actually is.

Bright and spacious lounge, excellent entertaining space.

Neutrally decorated, which is obviously a big advantage.

It's a blank canvas for someone coming in.

Looks really plain, though, doesn't it?

Doesn't look as bright as it normally does, like, when you're in there.

A new kitchen. Yes, the hub of the home.

Definitely.

This room will sell the house alone.

And French doors out to a landscape garden.

So weird seeing it on TV.

Nice big master suite, yes. Beautifully dressed.

Plenty of storage.

Ah, it makes you miss home a little bit.

Ah, beautifully tiled.

A newly fitted bathroom.

Newly fitted by Paul.

The couple have certainly added value with this.

And it will help it sell well.

-I'm nervous.

-In the current market I would value the house

-at between £180,000 and £185,000.

-What?!

For a quick sale, I would value the house between £170,000 and £175,000.

In the current market, I would value this property at £175,000.

As a quick sale, I would value this property at 155.

-155, no chance.

-No, liked the first one.

But I'm actually so happy with those figures.

Encouraged, the couple move on to work out

what living in Australia is likely to cost.

Shall we go for it? Right, let's do this.

We've supplied them with some cost of living comparisons,

starting with a breakdown of their weekly food shop.

Bacon. Oh, my God.

That's nearly double the price.

Vegetarian sausages. £2 at home, £3 here.

-Butternut squash.

-Oh, my God.

That is horrific.

-89p back home.

-£3.24.

-£3.24.

So, £2.35 of a difference.

Overall, the couple would be paying almost £11 more for food every week.

£40-£50 a month. That's really surprising.

Staying positive, Clair and Paul factor in the bigger, monthly bills,

basing their mortgage repayments on the second property they viewed.

429 back home. And we'd be 1,086 here. That's a huge difference.

That's crazy.

Council tax. So, we're 198 at the moment.

-That's £70, so that's...

-That's pulling it back on the mortgage.

Yeah, you're saving a bit.

We would need to save in every aspect of it, not just the one area.

Clair's proving hard to convince.

And when Paul works out what they'll spend every month, she's not happy.

£3,140.

OK, that's a huge amount of money. A huge amount of money.

Everything now depends

on the couple's potential salaries down under.

At home, our combined income is 2,710 and in Australia 3,055.

It is more, but it's not looking as if it's going to

cover that shortfall.

Clair's right.

The sums show they'd be spending almost £60 more than they'd earn

every month.

And when they compare that to their finances at home,

the figures just don't stack up.

£312 worse off, per month.

So, that's a lot of money.

They'd be down over £3,700 every year.

So, that's not good news, at all.

It's not adding up like I wanted it to.

It's a devastating realisation for Paul

and as the couple make their choice between finances at home

or in the UK, he's not looking confident.

-Australia.

-UK.

I just think it's too big a risk with two young children.

And I know the life's great out here,

but I don't want to come out here and then we can't afford to live.

You know, that's not going to be any life for us.

Uncertainty over finances

has put Clair firmly back in favour of the UK,

denting Paul's chances of getting the life he so desperately wants.

And the biggest obstacle of all is looming.

As the couple prepare to watch messages from loved ones back home,

Paul knows this could be the thing that puts paid to his dream.

-Hi, guys!

-Hi, kids, how's it going? Hope you're enjoying.

Missing you!

Hiya, Dad. Hiya, Clair. Hope you're having a great time in Australia.

Hope Jamie and Ryan are loving it.

-We love you all, don't we Abby?

-Yes.

-BOTH:

-Hi, hope you're having a great time.

Clair, we're like best friends. I'm going to miss that.

I love him, I have a good time with him.

She's a friend that's there through everything.

You can go out and have a good night out with her

and she'll say what she thinks.

But I think I appreciate that more.

Yeah, it's upset me. It's gutted me, actually.

Cos I won't see my grandkids grow up.

It will be my last time seeing them and it will be really sad because

they're my really best friends and I don't want them to leave.

I just can't visualise her being without her mum.

So, I think I'm holding on to the hope

that if she does go she'll miss her mum so much and she'll come back.

I see them every day. There's not a day goes by I don't see them.

And that's going to hurt me bad, it really is.

-It's not easy.

-...the boys and just adore them so much.

You mean the world to me, you mean the world to Alan.

In fact, you stay there and send the kids.

But make the right decision.

Yeah, I will be sad that you're moving,

but whatever decision you make, we'll always support you through it.

And I've got another message for Jamie and Ryan.

I love you both to pieces, you're the best little brothers

I could ever ask for and I just hope you like it.

That was heartbreaking.

I don't think I've ever really seen my mum cry.

Even Owen, like, Owen's never really spoke about

how much he misses you or how it's going to affect him,

so hearing that, even for me, was quite difficult.

-I thought he done really well.

-Yeah.

I thought he done really well, he, erm...

It's hard, I must admit, then I started welling up.

Other people may not be able to afford to come out here,

so you could potentially be saying...

well, my friends, goodbye for...

-..forever.

-It won't be forever.

From the moment they touched down in Australia,

the distance she'd put between herself and her mum

has constantly played on Clair's mind.

Heartfelt messages from everyone at home have only reinforced

the reality of being so far from loved ones.

So, will such strong emotional ties be what ultimately prevents Paul

from securing the life he's wanted for so long?

When the Smiths arrived in Australia for the first time,

Paul had clear ideas about what the country could offer his family.

And the Aussie lifestyle has more than matched his expectations.

It was just everything that I'd expected of Australia.

If you could pick up your friends and family and bring them here

and fall straight into the perfect job,

then, I mean, it's a no-brainer. I'd be here tomorrow.

For self-confessed home-bird Clair, experiencing life half a world away

from Scotland has brought mixed emotions.

Every day, it's literally been a different feeling.

I wake up thinking, "I can do this".

And then I wake up the next day thinking, "No, I can't do this".

Having fallen for the lifestyle Australia offers Jamie and Ryan,

Clair's now split between making Paul's dream come true

and staying close to her mum and the life she loves back home.

From day one, I knew I was either going to break Paul's heart,

or I'm going to break my mum's heart.

And potentially the kid's, as well because I'm also going to be

taking them away from everybody that they love and that loves them.

Paul knows his future's still far from certain.

I feel a little bit strange at the moment,

not knowing which way it's going to go.

Whether the dream's come to an end.

I honestly don't know.

And with the all-important final vote inching closer,

Clair's feeling the pressure.

This is the biggest decision I've ever had to make in my life.

I've never faced a challenge as difficult as this

cos it's not just a decision

that's going to change one aspect of your life.

It's changing everything about not only my life,

but my children's lives, as well.

After much soul-searching,

it's time to find out where the Smiths will ultimately call home.

After a really emotional week, we're now going to have our final vote.

-Australia!

-Australia!

-Australia?

-Yep.

-Yeah?

I was really torn, right up until twisting the card,

I was going to go for undecided.

I just can't actually believe that you've voted Australia,

to be honest.

If it had been just about me and you,

I definitely would have voted the UK

because I feel I've got everything I want back in the UK.

But this decision isn't about me, this is about our family

and it's about the kids.

I'm just really glad that you've gone that way. Thank you.

-Love you.

-Love you.

Yeah, say bye-bye. Bye-bye.

Driven by her desire to put her children's future first,

Clair's managed to put her own feelings aside

and finally agree to make Paul's Australian dream come true.

It will be an emotional journey for everyone,

but we wish the Smiths the best of luck

as they embark on their new life, down under.