Lawrence Family Wanted Down Under

Convincing your family to up sticks

and move to the other side of the world is a tough enough task,

but if a previous attempt had ended in a failure of epic proportions,

could you pick yourself up, dust yourself down

and convince your family to put everything on the line

for a second time?

Following a serious of hard knocks,

Jon Lawrence is desperate for a new life in New Zealand.

I didn't choose New Zealand, it chose me.

My decision has been made for the last five years.

But with one failed attempt at migrating...

I was in New Zealand for two hours before I booked my return ticket.

..his wife can't face putting everything on the line again.

I cannot go through the turmoil.

I can't do it.

While a trial week shows the merits of a move...

This would be a nice house to live in, wouldn't it?

..it could mean the end of Jon's dream.

I've got two people in tears here

who probably mean more than the dream.

Lying in the temperate south-west Pacific,

most of New Zealand enjoys at least 2,000 hours of sunshine every year.

With jaw-dropping scenery, thanks to its mountains, glaciers,

volcanoes and beaches, it's a popular choice with Brits

looking to start a new life overseas.

And more than a quarter of the migrant population

hail from the UK and Ireland.

Jon Lawrence's first bid for a new life in New Zealand

ended in disaster when he was forced to fly home

after just one day on Kiwi soil.

Now he's considering making the move for a second time.

But with one last shot at persuading his wife and children

the countries where they should be living,

will it be a case of once bitten, twice shy?

The Lawrences trial week begins with over 24 hours in the air,

travelling from London to New Zealand's capital Wellington

via Dubai and Sydney.

A somewhat bumpy flight has proved too much

for a rather pale-looking Jon and his sensitive tummy.

Somewhere in the Tasman Strait is probably my stomach.

If anybody actually finds it, I'd be grateful

if they would hand it back.

Hayden and Austen have just one thing on their minds.

I'm looking forward to sleeping.

Mum Kerry-Ann is keeping an open mind about the week ahead.

-We're not sure what to expect, are we?

-No.

So, it'll be full of surprises.

Hopefully nice ones.

Jon will need to make a quick recovery if he's to set to work

convincing his family New Zealand is where their future lies.

Jon Lawrence lives with his wife Kerry-Ann and their two sons,

Hayden, who's ten, and eight-year-old Austen, in Norfolk.

Jon and Kerry-Ann were teenage sweethearts.

-We met at school.

-Yeah.

-We met...

1993. And we've been together ever since then.

We had lots of laughs. We still have lots of laughs. That's what's great.

Lots of hassles, but we do have lots of laughs.

And then 9/11 happened and...

our whole world sort of turned upside down, really.

The terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center

killed nearly 3,000 people.

One of the victims was a close friend of Jon's.

Well, her name was Kylie and she was a friend of the family

and, you know, we were very close. She was a lovely, lovely person.

It did hit him hard, really. It did hit him hard.

Losing Kylie wasn't the only tragedy to befall the family.

Just over a year after 9/11,

my mother suffered a very serious stroke.

And then in the March following that, I had a miscarriage.

That was really, really hard as well.

Deeply trying years took their toll and Jon developed depression.

You know, it was a very difficult couple of years

and I started to get lower and lower and lower.

It was watching him go through it every day...

Sorry.

It was tough.

Yeah.

Suffering from stress and anxiety, Jon started to look for

a new beginning away from the pressures of the UK.

His research led him to New Zealand.

I didn't choose New Zealand, it chose me.

I was attracted to the landscape.

I was attracted to its physical beauty.

I was attracted to its culture, the Maori culture.

In 2010, Jon applied for and was offered a teaching job

in the country.

The whole family took a trip to New Zealand to discover

if everything he'd read about the land was true.

We went from Auckland all the way down to Wellington.

And we'd go, "Wow."

And then you'd go round the next corner, and you'd say, "Wow!"

You'd think, "How many more wows can I have?"

Jon was smitten and the move was on,

with him heading out first to set up home ahead of the others' arrival.

-Everything about it stressed me out, didn't it?

-Yeah.

Selling the house, packing everything up

and getting it over there.

I had a leaving party.

-I'd said goodbye to all my friends...

-Your family.

-..my family.

I said goodbye to Kerry-Ann and the kids.

It was very, very difficult.

Everything was going to plan until Jon handed over his passport

at the immigration desk in New Zealand.

The gentleman said... Asked me to see my paperwork.

And they said, "Well, it's not all in order.

"You shouldn't be here."

It was a huge shock.

Jon discovered he didn't have the correct visa

for working in the country.

I was in New Zealand for a grand total of...

two hours before I booked my return ticket.

-I was just angry at myself.

-Yeah.

-I was livid that I'd been so stupid.

Yeah.

On returning to the UK, the fallout from the failed move was massive.

By this point, he'd got no job, he'd got no car, I'd got no job

because I'd handed my notice in.

It was a pretty dreadful time.

Over the last five years, the family have slowly rebuilt their lives.

But despite everything they've been through, Jon's dream hasn't died.

I still have it in my head and my heart that...

that it would be a great place for the kids.

They would be so happy in that kind of environment

where there's a lot of outdoor stuff going on.

Still bearing the scars of the first failed attempt,

Kerry-Ann doesn't want to risk everything all over again.

I cannot go through the turmoil of everything that we went through

building up to it and afterwards when it all fell apart.

I can't do it.

And the children agree.

They're with me on this. Jon's totally outvoted.

Kerry-Ann's also deeply worried about leaving

her close group of friends, especially fellow teacher Mrs P.

Drop of a hat and she's there, isn't she?

We've been through so much together in the last, what, 12 years

-that we've worked together.

-Yeah.

The couple both know, second time around,

the stakes are higher than ever.

It's a huge risk because if it all goes wrong again...

..I'm going to have to deal with another failure

and I'm not sure how many more failures I've got in me.

It has to be right for us all, not just him.

To find out if Jon can persuade Kerry-Ann

New Zealand should become their home,

the family are visiting Wellington,

located on the far southern tip of the country's North Island.

The Lawrences' base for the week is a three-bedroom cottage

directly across the road from Worser Bay beach -

a popular destination for families.

Arriving in less than favourable weather,

the family are keen to explore their temporary home.

Right, let's go and nosey then, shall we?

-Oh, yes.

-Can this be my bedroom?

Not a chance.

We've got a nice place for you under the stairs anyway, Hayden.

That's lovely, isn't it?

Neither his air sickness or the pouring rain have dampened

Jon's enthusiasm.

Look at that view.

Good grief, look at that.

I still think it looks great, even in this sort of weather.

As they settle in, Jon's happy to be finally spending

more than just hours in the land of his dreams.

It's magical to be back in New Zealand.

I've been thinking about it for five years or so,

and it's... I'm actually here now.

Couldn't have hoped for better.

But he's under no illusions he faces an uphill struggle

over the coming days.

I still think it's going to be difficult to convince Kerry-Ann

to come out. Especially after the flight we've just had.

It was draining.

But it's also a reminder of just how far away we are from home.

And the boys agree their mum will be a tough nut to crack.

I think it's going to be very, very hard for my dad

to convince my mum to go.

I think my dad's got a pretty big job trying to convince my mum.

Kerry-Ann knows how happy a yes vote would make a husband.

I think if we all voted yes, I think he might actually do

a little party dance. I think that would be the reaction

you'd see at the end of the week if we all decided

that yes, it was the right option to do it.

Back in the UK, the Lawrences live in a three-bedroom

semi-detached house near King's Lynn in Norfolk.

Full of memories, it's a home Kerry-Ann loves.

It's the only home we've had.

It's the one the kids were born in, the one we had dogs in.

I can't imagine leaving it for anything actually.

If they did move, the couple would have a budget of around £150,000

and their wish list is fairly modest.

Nothing has to be massive or anything, does it?

A garden would be nice so the kids can go out and play.

I'm not really worried about a smart house.

I'm not worried about swimming pools, tennis courts.

I'm not worried about underground heating.

I just want it to be a home.

For Jon, it's more about the quality of life.

I'm not worried about upgrading.

I'm more worried about upgrading my life.

To find out what kind of house the Lawrences could buy

in New Zealand, today we'll show Jon and Kerry-Ann three properties -

two on budget and one which could be their dream home.

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

For their first viewing, the family head 20 minutes north of Wellington

to the Stokes Valley area of Lower Hutt.

It's an area known for its scenery and serenity

and could be an ideal location for a young family.

From the outside, first impressions could be better.

-Shall we have a nosy?

-I'm not overly enamoured with the overhang, but...

I'm sure it's lovely inside.

Once up the steep staircase though, Jon's outlook improves.

It's a proper Kiwi house, isn't it? Nestled in the hillside.

And living amongst the trees gets the thumbs up.

-That's nice, isn't it?

-Wow.

Nice little place to have your breakfast.

Having all the ferns around and the beautiful greenery around you,

I love it.

The bedrooms are the subject of some robust discussion.

It's bigger than the rooms in our house, isn't it?

-This is bigger than your room.

-No, it's not bigger than my room.

It's not bigger than Hayden's, bigger than Austen's though.

-No, this is bigger than Hayden's.

-No, it's not.

-No, listen, don't forget you've got

-the sloping ceiling which comes much lower.

-That's got nothing to do with it.

You're outnumbered! Let's go.

It's clear that Jon and Kerry-Ann

aren't singing from the same hymn sheet.

I could see myself living in somewhere like this.

It's not really to my taste at all. I don't like it at all.

But other than that, it's great.

Oh, dear. Refusing to give up, Jon has plans for the basement.

I think I see a recording studio here.

-Oh, dear.

-HAYDEN LAUGHS

I think I see somewhere to put a car rather than fill it with rubbish.

Maybe even a pool table.

I'll get my coat.

Inside has failed to completely wow Kerry-Ann.

How will outside fare?

Garden is a little bit too small for my liking.

Yeah, it's not big. It's nice.

It's big enough for what we would want, isn't it?

Then Jon spots a surprise.

I wonder if you can get up on that bit up there.

Yeah, I can't resist it. Let's go up there. Go on.

Oh, look, there's another path up there as well.

Go on. So, the garden is actually pretty huge.

And before you know it, the boys are in their element.

This is unbelievable.

And Jon's pleased as punch.

I could see myself here, that's for sure.

This property has received a mixed response.

But could they afford it with their £150,000 budget?

So how much do you think it is, Austen?

£170,000.

-170.

-What do you think, Hayden?

240.

I think it's about 160,000.

I'd say 140.

Turn it over.

That just £1,000 over budget.

So that's roughly the same as ours then.

I still think, in terms of the setting, it is amazing.

Well, onwards and upwards.

Kerry-Ann doesn't seem impressed so far.

So, will property two turn things in Jon's favour?

Staying in the Stokes Valley area, just a few minutes away,

is this three-bedroom 1950s weatherboard home.

Despite the outside not immediately grabbing Jon...

Bit more closed in, isn't it?

..inside, the vibe is more positive.

-Very spacious.

-Yeah.

-Lots more space.

-Much lighter as well, isn't it?

-Yeah. Not quite as dark

-as the other house, is it?

-No.

-Decent-sized kitchen for us, isn't it?

-Yeah.

-It's nice.

It's much lighter, isn't it? That's the thing that hits you,

-isn't it?

-It's more homely.

-Yeah.

-Yeah.

It's not as large a lounge.

But it's more homely.

The light theme continues into the bedrooms.

It's a lot brighter than the other one.

Don't know. It just feels airier, even though

the room's probably not much bigger than the last house.

It does feel more spacious and more airy.

And Kerry-Ann could be coming round.

Yeah, maybe this one's more liveable in for me than the other one.

It's a relief to hear you say that because...

Yeah, I could see that the last house wasn't really to your liking.

Currently used as an office,

the largest of the three bedrooms is a real crowd pleaser.

Ooh!

-This is big, isn't it?

-This is a bit more like it.

-This is good. It's got a lot of space, hasn't it?

-Yeah.

It's light again, isn't it?

All the light coming through that window again.

Outside, the garden gets a thumbs up from Jon and Kerry-Ann.

-That's a decent enough size, isn't it?

-Yes.

-Yes.

-A nice-sized garden.

Doesn't look too difficult to maintain either.

Even if the boys feel it's missing a certain something.

The other garden is a bit better than this garden.

Yeah, it'd be better if we joined them together.

You mean what you want is a treehouse

-and a swing in this garden...

-Yeah.

-..and it'd be fine.

-Yeah!

So far, so good.

That is until a furry friend from next-door makes itself known.

DOGS BARK LOUDLY

-Those dogs are giving it a bit of welly, aren't they?

-Plenty of room.

Excellent.

I'm not sure I could cope with that dog barking all day though.

DOG BARKS

Not the best way to end a viewing, but barking dogs aside, the house

has gone down well, so could they afford it with their £150,000 budget?

If we were to move over, this would be a nice house to live in,

wouldn't it? It's probably out of our price range.

I feel a little bit hemmed in by the close proximity of the other houses.

But it is a lovely house.

I reckon it's going to be a lot more than the last one.

And the last one was 151, wasn't it?

I think it's going to be nearer 200,000.

Go on then, Hayden.

Um...

That's £7,000 over budget.

-I am surprised.

-Doable.

I really did think it would be a lot more.

-I'm more sold on this house than on the last one.

-Yeah.

-Yeah.

-For this house, I would actually consider being able to move here and live here.

-Yeah.

-So you can see yourself moving over here with this?

-No, I can see me living in this house.

-All right.

OK. It's a start!

Jon could be edging closer to persuading Kerry-Ann.

Will property three seal the deal?

Just a few doors down on the same road is this four-bedroom home,

tucked away in a private setting in the bush.

-Look at that!

-We're out in the sticks here, aren't we?

-Jon's a fan of seclusion.

-You like the fact it's hidden, don't you?

I do, I like it. It's... It's out of the way.

And already, he can imagine it as a home.

-It's just so peaceful.

-Yeah, it is.

-I could see myself here.

-Could you?

Guitar on the porch.

-LAUGHTER

-Hillbilly.

Inside pleases the whole family.

-Oh, wow!

-Mm.

-Wow!

-It's a nice living space, isn't it?

Especially Jon.

It's lovely, isn't it? It's quite bright, isn't it?

Yeah, nice size as well.

Yeah, I like it.

The family bathroom wins praise.

-Oh, it's a bigger bathroom!

-It is bigger, isn't it?

-Yeah.

-It's a reasonable size.

Until they realise the bath might be

more suited to other worldly creatures.

I've got a feeling that New Zealand baths are smaller than ours.

-Or that New Zealand people are smaller than us.

-They do have Hobbits.

Stepping outside, everyone's breath is taken away.

-Look at that! Look at that!

-Wow!

-Lovely, isn't it?

-Isn't that beautiful?

It's amazing, isn't it?

Look at these lovely trees.

What a stunning setting.

And Kerry-Ann can envisage the alterations she would make.

Yeah, it would be nice

if you had this bit of grass and cleared the path over there.

-Are you making plans?

-No.

Nice try, Jon!

So will this house fall within their £150,000 budget?

Right.

Oh, I think this house is going to be massively out of our price range.

-I don't think we're going to be able to afford it.

-Maybe 220?

220,000?

-I don't know. 240.

-Right. Shall we see?

-Yup.

-Yup.

-Oh, my word!

-Ah!

That's £26,000 over budget, but...

-That's surprising.

-A lot cheaper than we thought

-it would be, isn't it?

-Yeah.

-That is brilliant, actually.

That's not so much out of our range at all, is it?

That makes me feel really confident about a move.

Depending on what job opportunities there would be out here.

-And the price of our house.

-Yeah, and what house prices are...

Well, we'd get... That might be possible.

It's been a mixed day on the property hunt front.

Property one didn't have the best kerb appeal,

but impressed with its secret garden.

Property two's light interiors hit the spot, but the barking dog didn't.

And hideaway property three got top marks for peace and quiet

and its wow-factor garden.

So when it comes to the vote,

will the family choose properties at home or away?

Based on the properties we've seen today, our vote goes to...

-UK.

-New Zealand.

-Can't decide.

I think it's a bit of no-brainer, personally.

Nothing grabbed me worth moving and leaving what we've got for.

Travel halfway round the world for something I don't really feel comfortable in.

So it looks at the moment it's 2½ to 1½!

So New Zealand's winning at the moment.

LAUGHTER

Jon knows he needs to start winning Kerry-Ann around.

Finding good jobs with decent wages in New Zealand could do the trick.

Back in the UK, Jon runs his own business,

offering specialist music classes to students of all ages.

I love my job at the moment.

As long as I do something creative every day, then I'm happy,

but I never quite know what I'm doing day-to-day,

which is one of the great things about my job.

In New Zealand, he expects he'll have to return

to his former job of working as a college lecturer.

It'll have to be in further education again,

or the tertiary section, as it's known over there.

Because I have to work for a while and get my citizenship

before I can then start a business, which is what I'm doing now.

-Why are you moving country?

-Why am I moving country?

Well, I might be, I might not be.

I don't know.

-Do you think I should move?

-No.

No, OK.

I think I know someone else who's got that kind of view as well.

Kerry-Ann's a primary school teacher, which brings mixed fortunes.

I love my job.

I don't like all the pressures and massive amounts of paperwork,

but I do actually enjoy the time in the classroom with the children.

She's hoping the teaching profession in New Zealand is less pressured.

I'm hoping to find a job that will give me some sanity, yes!

And a lot less stress!

It's an important day for both Jon and Kerry-Ann, as they set off

to discover what work opportunities there might be in New Zealand.

Jon heads to the New Zealand School of Music

at the Victoria University of Wellington.

After a sleepless night, he knows today has to come up trumps

if he is to bring Kerry-Ann around to his way of thinking.

I've been up throughout the night,

thinking about what might happen, what might transpire.

If Kerry-Ann doesn't vote for New Zealand, I think

that'll be the end of it and that'll be a real kick in the teeth.

Kerry-Ann's visiting Silverstream Primary School,

just down the road from the houses the family viewed.

I think Jon's hoping that today will change my mind,

regarding jobs in New Zealand

and hopefully change my mind overall,

but there's no point uprooting everything in the UK

to come over to New Zealand and not be able to manage.

Jon meets musical director Euan Murdock,

who gives him a tour of the university's performance spaces,

recording studios and collection of instruments from around the world.

Just being here now, I can... My knees are going a bit.

And Jon can't resist having a go.

-See if you can do a scale, so you go one ahead of the other.

-OK.

HE PLAYS

You're an absolute natural, Jon!

Jon's eager to know what music teaching opportunities

might exist for someone with his level of experience.

You would struggle to find a job at a university level.

However, the community college experience you have,

in my opinion, directly relates to institutes, polytechnics

and institutes of technology.

-Yes.

-Of which, there are a number through New Zealand.

What do you think my salary expectations might be?

My sense is that, given your leadership already

in that area of work back in the UK,

that you would be in the senior band, which would put you

somewhere between 70,000 and 90,000 New Zealand dollars.

That's about £35,000,

over double what he currently brings home

on a self-employed basis in the UK.

But what about the all-important work/life balance?

New Zealand is a fabulous place to bring up a young family.

You have to work hard, there's no question about that,

but there's also an expectation that families are very important

and certainly within this school,

I'd like to think that families come first.

It's exactly the kind of news Jon had been hoping to hear.

And he's anxiously hoping Kerry-Ann's day is as encouraging.

I don't really know how Kerry-Ann's going to get on.

I'm hoping she'll be open-minded and positive, so fingers crossed.

School principal Mary shows Kerry-Ann around

and introduces her to ex-pat deputy principal Zach Mills.

She wastes no time in grilling him

on how he's found teaching in New Zealand.

-And the work/life balance is better?

-Yes.

Certainly the schools that I've worked in,

they really want their teachers to have that work/life balance,

to go out and play their sport or do the things they really love

because they find they bring that passion and energy back into the school.

Next, she wants to know if there are jobs with her name on them in New Zealand.

Absolutely cos I see that you've been teaching for 16 years,

-is that right?

-Yes. Too long!

-Round about that.

-Yes.

-And of course, you've got some real strengths in PE and in Music.

And of course, when we're looking to employ new teachers,

we're looking at what else they can bring to the school,

not just the reading, writing and maths.

It's all sounding very promising,

but then Kerry-Ann asks about the hard cash.

How much would she earn?

Roughly, you would be starting on round about 50.

-OK.

-OK.

So... But then, you'd work up through the steps.

That's around £22,000.

Significantly lower than the £30,000 she currently earns at home.

OK. That's quite a bit lower than what I am on at the moment.

Absolutely. Yes, yes.

So, based on everything they've discovered today,

when it comes to work, will the couple choose home or away?

-New Zealand.

-Undecided.

-Well, that could have been worse!

-SHE LAUGHS

It's just that massive pay cut that worries me about the work.

It's not all about the money, is it?

It is also about the quality of life when you're at work.

And if I would be earning a bit more, then it might...

-Maybe that might balance things out a little bit.

-Yeah.

I did think that if you voted no, that it would be the end of it,

-the whole thing, to be honest.

-Mm.

So, the fact that you were edging towards maybe a yes...

..is positive.

Gives me a little bit of hope.

With Kerry-Ann yet to cast a vote in favour of New Zealand,

it looks like Jon's facing an uphill struggle

if he's to stand any chance of realising his dream.

With the sun shining,

the family head out to explore the lifestyle Wellington could offer them

and for Jon, it could be the ideal opportunity to get Kerry-Ann onside.

At home, much of family life revolves around football,

so the family start their day with a training session with the Juniors.

I like your top. Fantastic.

And while mum and dad meet some of the parents on the sidelines...

-This seems like a lovely area to live.

-Oh, it is.

..Austen and Hayden are immediately at home,

kicking about with their new Kiwi friends.

We came out ten years ago and...

I mean, I didn't have my children when we came,

so it was a little bit lonely for me,

but you meet so many families through the kids and the clubs

and activities and we just spend our life outdoors, on the beach.

It's the kind of experience Jon had been hoping for.

Today has been fantastic.

We've had a chance to see what our lives could be like if we were here.

And everywhere that you go, people are friendly.

-Kerry-Ann's happy too.

-Seeing the kids totally fit in,

being greeted by the parents that were there,

being spoken to quite happily, you know, it was really nice

and they just kind of welcome you with open arms.

-See you.

-Thank you.

-Bye-bye.

Next, the Lawrences head in to Wellington

for a spot of lunch beside the harbour,

giving the family time to catch up on how the week's going.

-What about this morning? Do you think the training was better?

-Yeah.

-No. I don't think it was better.

-It was equal.

It was equal. It was a lot more friendly though.

For Kerry-Ann, the week's improved as it's gone on.

Gradually, the week has got better for me,

whereas I think Jon started off on a high and will continue on a high.

But Jon accepts she's not entirely sold.

This week's been a bit of a mixed bag for Kerry-Ann.

I think she's seen that the lifestyle that she could have,

or we could all have here, it would be superb.

But I... I'm not sure...

I'm not totally sure she can look past

that huge pay cut she'd have to take.

I'm not sure at the moment which way I'm going to go.

It's borderline, which is a positive,

I suppose, on the first day, isn't it?

But yeah, still not sure if I'm swayed enough or not.

And the boys also know Mum's yet to be convinced.

I don't think Dad's quite done it.

Not quite convinced her to come, no.

Keeping his thoughts to himself, even Jon's beginning to realise

just how much he'd be leaving behind in the UK.

I know that I have wonderful friends at the moment

who have supported me through some really horrible, horrible times

and I have such a heightened appreciation

of what friendship really means now.

Could it be just a blip for Jon, or a complete change of heart?

Despite his disclosure, it has been a fun day out for all the family,

so when it comes to lifestyle, how will they vote?

Based on the experience we've had today, our votes are...

-New Zealand.

-New Zealand.

-New Zealand.

It's clean sweep.

-Everybody got New Zealand.

-Ho-ho-ho!

-Are you slightly happy there, honey?

-Back of the net!

SHE LAUGHS

Right...

Kerry-Ann's first vote for New Zealand

could mean Jon's dream isn't over yet.

But if it's to become a reality, the finances will need to stack up.

The couple feel their house in the UK is worth £160,000.

We sent round two estate agents to give their valuations.

This is actually a property I put on the market a couple of years ago.

Oh, good size room. Nice fireplace. Great views.

And a broken picture frame!

D'uh!

Since I was here last time, the kitchen's been replaced,

which is great, to a modern, high-gloss unit,

so it looks really, really modern.

Main bedroom. And again, dual aspect, which is really good.

Makes the room really nice and light.

I'd probably remove this, as it impedes a bit in the room.

-We could remove that, but then we would have no clothes.

-That's true!

-That's my room!

-Hayden!

-Ah, so this is bedroom two.

It's obviously got a lot of things in here, including a bunk bed,

wardrobe and wildlife.

Um... You could alter this round and easily accommodate a double bed

-in here, so it's a nice-sized bedroom.

-Whereas Austen's bedroom...

It's quite compact, but it's got everything you need in it.

Bed, wardrobe, drawers, games box... But it's got beautiful views.

Bit of lawn over to the side.

But of course, the main thing is the open view at the rear,

which is what so many people want,

when they live in the country. Great.

I would suggest marketing the property at £159,950,

but for a quick sale, I would suggest marketing at 155.

In the current market conditions, we'd probably recommend

a marketing price of £159,950, but to go no lower than 155.

-Price has gone up slightly.

-Yes.

-By about 10 grand.

-Yes.

-That's good.

-Amazing what a lick of paint will do.

-It is.

The valuations go down well,

and next, the couple sit down to compare

the cost of living in New Zealand with the UK.

Starting with the weekly food shop.

Let's see how skint we are.

We drink milk by the bucket load and that's more expensive already.

Almost double the price, look.

We get through loads of ham, don't we?

Well, we won't if we're here, will we?

I've got it at £117.96. An extra £27 a week.

With groceries coming in at around £100 a month more in New Zealand,

Jon puts on a brave face.

That's not great news, but... It's not dreadful, is it?

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

basing their figures on the dream home we showed them.

The mortgage is massively different, isn't it?

It's an extra 300 quid gone already.

Mm.

Look at petrol, look how much cheaper that is.

That's... That's good.

£462.49...

worse off a month.

In total, the couple work out,

they'd be spending nearly £500 a month more in New Zealand.

Jon's speechless, but once they take into account how much

they might earn in New Zealand, the figures begin to look better.

Yes, I can feel the smug smirk coming right now.

£629.51 a month better off.

-So...

-SHE LAUGHS

Shall we get the tickets booked?

Their sums show they'd be better off to the tune of £7,500 every year.

It's made my decision a lot harder.

You can't argue with that, can you?

I can just feel the smug coming this way!

So will it be another clean sweep,

as the couple choose between finances in the UK and New Zealand?

Based on the figures we've seen today in the reality check,

our vote goes to...

-New Zealand.

-New Zealand.

You can't argue with the figures, can you?

When you think about it, you know...

600-odd pounds a month better off is a no-brainer.

-I was tempted to do a little lap of honour around the garden.

-Please don't.

KERRYANN LAUGHS

Such a significant boost to their finances has been impossible

to argue with, helping Jon's dream gain yet more momentum.

But the week's far from over,

and the family now face what could be the biggest hurdle to a move.

Having discussed it with the children first, they sit down to watch

messages from friends and family back home together.

FROM TV: Hi!

-Hi!

-Hi!

Hi, guys.

Hi there, all of you.

Hi, Jon. Hi, Kez.

I love her to bits, yeah.

She's one of my best friends and yeah, she's very loyal.

Yeah, she's a great friend.

She's a lovely lass.

Mad, but lovely.

Jon is really fun to be with, really outgoing.

Hayden's the more grown-up one.

He looks very much like Jon

and acts very much like Jon

when Jon was younger, whereas Austen acts like Jon is now,

-a bit crazy and a bit...

-THEY LAUGH

-Lively, entertaining...

-Very accident prone.

-Very accident prone, yes.

-Yes,

but good kids, really good kids.

-I must admit, I really didn't want them to go, did I?

-No.

Nikki was in a state of depression for weeks on end,

used to be waking up in the night cos she didn't want them to go,

and I had to be consoling her.

We would never be able to take Mum to see him over there.

That would be an impossibility.

It's just the distance between us, I wouldn't be able to do that.

The one thing you want to do is watch your grandchildren grow up,

which we're not going to be able to do.

It's going to be a big loss to us all.

It's the birthdays and the Christmas and the Easter and the...

you know, when we're all supposed to be sat around a table, aren't we?

That'll be the hardest time.

Make the right decision based on what you want,

not what any other people want.

We think it's a great idea for you and a great opportunity,

so make the right decision.

We really don't want you to go, but if you have to,

if you want to follow your dream, you've got to do it.

If you decide that New Zealand is the place for all of you,

then you go with my best wishes.

I'd be losing part of me.

Because of...

I won't change anything.

Because I think, if they want to go, it's right.

Take care.

I don't know what to feel.

I know how I feel.

But I've got two...

two people in tears here...

..who, um...

..who probably mean more than the dream.

Just as the balance seemed to be tipping in favour of New Zealand,

messages from home have been a tough reminder

of how hard it would be to leave friends and family behind.

With their week in Wellington drawing to a close,

both Jon and Kerry-Ann are struggling with conflicting emotions.

So, where will the Lawrences decide their future lies?

When the Lawrences arrived in Wellington seven days ago,

Jon was desperate to see if New Zealand could deliver second time round.

The whole week's been fantastic.

We've had lots of good things like... I still think we'd have

a good house over here and good financial prospects.

But has New Zealand shown Kerry-Ann enough to sway her?

I'm still kind of torn between the fact of, yes, it could work,

then it could be fantastic and it could be for the best,

but if it doesn't, you know,

what are we losing out on that we're leaving behind in the UK?

I'm still torn between the two things.

Seeing messages from home brought focus to the thorny issue

of leaving loved ones behind.

Just watching your dad get upset's not really that easy, is it?

And friends as well that, you know, we really do heavily rely on,

and they're always there for us, so to find that

and get that again somewhere else is going to be tricky.

Well, I know it took a lot out of her.

And Austen was clearly upset.

She only usually cries when she really doesn't want to do it

or she's really sad, and...

She cried then, so...

Jon faces the ultimate dilemma -

having to choose between his dream and family.

I wish I could explain what's going through my head at the moment.

I'm massively confused.

I've been thinking about New Zealand for five years or so,

and I'm here now.

And yet I feel further away from it than I ever have.

But on the other hand I feel closer to my family than I've ever felt before.

So, where will the family finally decide their future lies?

My decision has been made for the last five years,

and now I have to kind of formalise it by turning the card,

all of a sudden it's not so straightforward.

We've had a great week.

Based on the experiences we've had this week, our vote goes to...

-UK.

-Undecided.

-Undecided.

-UK.

Why is yours undecided?

-Because it has to be right for all of us, not just for me.

-Yeah.

Seeing Austen so upset brought it home that it might be my dream,

but it can't be...

It has to be all of us.

So...but having said that, I've got a dream family.

Why did you change your mind?

-The video changed my mind.

-Why?

-I just didn't want to leave everyone.

-OK.

What about you, Austen?

I just really didn't want to leave my friends and family.

It's time to move on and it's time to think of someone other than myself.

In the end, his week in New Zealand's shown Jon

the dream life he's been chasing may actually lie closer to home.

It's been a long journey for the Lawrence family,

but wherever they go on to spend their future,

we hope it's a very happy one.