Taylor Wanted Down Under

Welcome to Wanted Down Under,

the show that catapults a British family

right across to the other side of the world to help them make the biggest decision of their life -

whether to stay in the UK or to move to New Zealand.

Teachers Vanessa and Phil Taylor have been thinking about going to New Zealand

for a better life for their family for some years.

As a teacher in the UK, your work life intrudes into your home life.

The work-life balance is the key factor in us looking to move to New Zealand.

But they have three teenage children and not all of them want to go.

I don't think it's for me. There's not much around that I can do.

I think I'd miss my friends and family and I don't really like it here.

It's a massive decision because I've got the option to stay behind and not go.

Will their dream be shattered

when their home is valued at a rock-bottom price?

That is ridiculous, I have to say.

I would rather stay in the UK, simple as that.

And all this will have been for nothing.

The Taylors have some tough choices ahead of them. What will they decide?

With its magnificent landscape and small population of only four million,

New Zealand is many people's idea of the perfect place to get away from it all.

To apply to live in New Zealand as a skilled migrant, you must be between the ages of 20 and 55

and be on the skills shortage list, but a move down under is never straightforward.

We've given another British family the opportunity

to spend a week down under

to see if it's all they've dreamt it would be.

After that, they'll have to make a decision one way or the other -

to stay in the UK or to move to New Zealand.

Vanessa and Phil Taylor live in Acklam in Middlesbrough

with their teenage children Liam, Ryan and Megan

and they're about to find out what life is really like in New Zealand.

Teachers Vanessa and Phil have had enough of the rat race in the UK.

They want a better work-life balance and more opportunities for their children's future.

When all comes to all, it's about lifestyle, and being a teacher is very busy, very time-consuming.

It's a lifestyle issue that we seemed to be working and we didn't have a great deal of time for ourselves.

We were getting pretty dismayed with things that were going on in the UK

and that's what instigated the fact that we wanted to move away.

New Zealand with its open spaces seemed like the ideal place to go.

For all of us, especially the kids in the future.

Ryan and sister Megan think they're sold on New Zealand's outdoor lifestyle.

I was quite excited at first because my immediate reaction,

I put a connection between New Zealand and New Zealand rugby team.

I really love rugby, so it just kind of clicked straight away.

I hated it to start with.

I didn't know anything about New Zealand being like horse countryside. I had no idea.

I've researched about horses and stuff over there

and Mum and Dad have said I might be able to get a horse over there, so I'm feeling happy with that.

But 17-year-old Liam doesn't want to leave behind his friends and his work

with the St John Ambulance Service.

I'm 99.9% sure I won't go. I think I'm going to be the hardest one to convince to go to New Zealand.

It's going to be a bigger decision for me than it is for Megan or Ryan or my mum and dad.

When it boils down to it, I think it'll be whether I'm prepared to leave my family to stay here

because I think they'll all decide to go in the end, but I don't see what's in it for me.

PHIL: Liam doesn't really want to leave his friends

which is a shame because I think the opportunities that New Zealand can offer Liam

will be probably more beneficial than all of the rest of us.

Hopefully, he can see the potential that that lifestyle can offer him.

I'm really hoping that it does convince him

because if it doesn't, then, you know, what is there?

He'll be staying here and we'll be 12,000 miles away.

Vanessa would also be leaving behind her grandma. The thought of abandoning her is unbearable.

Since my mum died when I was 19...

My grandma sort of took her place.

She's just been very supportive of everything,

taking over the role, I suppose, of what my mum would have done if she was here.

She doesn't think she'd be able to cope with the long flight,

so I know that she won't be able to come over.

It will be difficult, but it's something that I'm prepared to do.

With such strong emotional ties back in the UK, it's clearly not going to be an easy decision.

We're sending the Taylors to the vibrant city of Auckland

for a chance to experience life down under.

Auckland is situated at the top of New Zealand's North Island and is known as the City of Sails.

It's the perfect base to explore the island.

The Taylors reckon their housing budget is £235,000,

so they should be able to find a suitable property if they shop around.

We've found three possible lifestyles for our family,

each one offering a brand-new way of life for them to try on their budget,

but which one will be the most suitable?

Living in the city would be a world away from the Taylors' life back in Middlesbrough

and would provide them with easy access to schools, colleges and sports clubs.

In Auckland, property is plentiful from high-rise living to townhouses,

but these come at a premium, especially if you want a five-bedroomed house like this

which could cost over £500,000, too expensive for the Taylors.

But there are more affordable homes in the suburbs

and it should only be a 15-minute commute to work in the city.

So, very different from their life in the UK, but what about the second option?

Country life is what the Taylors are longing for and would be very different to their life back home.

Close to beautiful parks and wildlife, the family would have plenty to explore.

Bigger properties with land are more affordable in the country

and could give them both the space and land for horses that they crave.

Also, with both Vanessa and Phil being teachers, they have some flexibility as to where they work.

With good transport links to schools in the city centre, the children can have the best of both worlds.

That all looks very inviting, but what about the third option?

Coastal living could be ideal.

The Taylors are looking to relax and spend time together as a family,

so the coast would provide the more laid-back lifestyle they're looking for in New Zealand.

There are great houses on the coast, but those sea views don't come cheap

and extra land for horses could double the cost.

Vanessa and Phil could commute easily to work

and the children would enjoy going to the beach after school.

So three very different options there, all of them life-changing.

So where did we decide to send the Taylors?

We decided that the rural option is the most suitable for the family.

It will provide them with a good mix of country living

and opportunities to find spacious family houses within their budget.

For their trial week, we've lined up a teaching job for Vanessa.

And get some ideas from you. I won't just stand here telling you. I'd like input from you as well.

They'll sample housing options in the west of Auckland.

-You didn't get lost?

-Sort of.

-How are you going?

-Better for finding the place!

They'll get a taste of New Zealand life.

-What did you think of that?

-Loved it.

-You loved it?

But they have a tough week ahead of them as they try to make the biggest decision of their lives.

I would want them not to worry about what's going on back here. This will always be home.

But it doesn't have to always be THEIR home.

The Taylors are finally making the trip they've dreamt of for years.

The journey takes them 12,000 miles as they cross three continents from Middlesbrough to New Zealand.

32 hours later, they reach Auckland, jet-lagged and tired.

I thought the flight was pretty awful, actually, so extremely tired.

But it has made me realise that I don't think there's any way that my grandma would be doing that flight.

Not unless she can afford first-class which I don't think she will.

Now I'm here, I just want to get out and go somewhere.

I just can't wait to just find out really what the place is all about.

Let's see what New Zealand has got in store for them.

It's the first time any of the Taylors have ever been down under.

They'll be staying in the rural area of Piha in West Auckland

which should suit Megan's dream of being near horses.

The house is classic Piha living - open-plan and designed to capture the ultimate use of space and light.

So what will they make of it?

-Lovely and big, the rooms. Good first impression.

-They're obviously keen on the barbecues as well.

Well, you'd be into barbecues too if this was the view from your veranda.

Look at that!

How close are we!

It's amazing, isn't it?

So considering this is your first hour in New Zealand, it's not going too badly then, is it?

-No. But I'm sure I'll find something I dislike in a second.

-Oh, I'm sure you will.

While the others soak in their surroundings, Megan's beginning to feel unsure.

I didn't expect it to be this much plant life. I thought I'd see more animals. All I've seen is sheep.

The beach looks nice and the view and the house is nice, but I haven't seen any horses.

That's quite bad, considering that's what I wanted to do here.

They all agree it's a stunning place, but can they see themselves living here?

I mean, just at this moment now, you can't beat where we are now.

But how long will it take for the novelty to wear off? That's the thing.

There's been many places where I've been on holiday and thought, "I like this, but I couldn't live there."

The danger is that you treat this like a holiday.

If you decide to come for real, that's when it's going to make the difference.

And if the family do decide to come, son Liam may choose to stay in the UK.

I think it will definitely be a difficult one

because if we do decide to come here and Liam decides he's not coming,

then it means that he's on the other side of the world and we're over here without him.

Well, it's not really a question cos I don't particularly like this place. I don't like Piha.

-Why?

-I just don't. The views are the only good thing about it, I think.

-It's too quiet.

-So you can make a judgment on a place,

even though the only place you've been in that place is here cos you fell asleep on the car ride here.

I went 24 hours on a plane. I'm knackered. Leave me alone.

With tensions high, this could be a difficult week.

Back in the UK, the Taylors live in a five-bedroomed detached house which they love.

If they make the move to New Zealand, they'd want something of similar size.

It's on the market already for £235,000 and if they can get that asking price,

they'd have £100,000 in equity to put towards the New Zealand home,

but property near Auckland is expensive and, with lower wages, could they afford that dream home?

Property further out of town is cheaper,

so they start their search in the Waitakere area of West Auckland.

-Hi.

-Hiya.

-I'm Kathleen.

-I'm Phil.

-How are you?

-Not too bad.

-You didn't get lost?

-Sort of.

-How are you going? I'm Kathleen.

-Better for finding the place!

Property one is a four-bedroomed detached house, recently re-decorated by its owner

with a definite steer towards one end of the colour palette.

What do you think of the colour?

-There's a little figure that was called Tinky Winky and I would call this Tinky Winky.

-Teletubbies!

-Tinky Winky...

-Was purple.

-Yeah.

Well, this is aubergine.

# Purple rain, purple... #

-Ah, aubergine! That's all right, then.

-There's a lot of it everywhere else as well.

-Yes, there is.

Well, come on. Let's have a look through the living areas.

Neutral colours.

Apart from our rather purple wall.

# In the purple rain... #

-Any non-purple selling points you'd like to share?

-It's a beautiful home.

It's not too far from anywhere. One of the added touches is not only the bush surround,

but magnificent views. They're very, very pleasant.

-Come on through to the bedrooms.

-They're not huge, but there's a bedroom for everybody.

Pick them now by all means!

It's quite light and airy. I think it's not too bad.

Now, obviously, for Mum and Dad. Got your own patio area.

A nice cool breeze runs through here in the summer.

It's really pleasant.

Yeah, I like it.

Well, they like bits of the house, but they're hardly bowled over by Property One.

The big question is can they afford to be picky?

-So how much is it, then?

-It's on the market for 539,000.

Obviously, the vendor will be negotiable. To what point we don't know at this stage.

Well, that's not too bad providing they can sell their house in the UK for the asking price.

-Then their mortgage would be about the same. But what do they think about it?

-I like the location.

I mean, the views, really, are great.

But I'm not too keen on the inside of it, I have to say.

The bedrooms are quite small. For five, it's not big enough.

The children love the style of their spacious rental,

but do they like this more modest home?

It's not for me. There's not much around to do apart from hang around the house.

This just doesn't fit the bill, really.

If the other properties are like in the Piha area, you might be able to convince me,

but at the moment I still prefer England for houses.

Oh, no. Househunting definitely isn't convincing Liam that this move is a good idea,

but for their budget they might just struggle to fulfil their aspirations.

So we've taken them to the village of Riverhead to look at a do-up - Kiwi-speak for rundown.

Don't worry about shoes. You can leave them on.

This is a do-up. You will appreciate there's quite a bit of work to do.

The bathrooms need to be done up. It's structurally sound.

It's fine, but on presentation you'd need to do some work.

So how much do you expect this property to realise on the market?

He would look at something in the region of 500. In the 500s.

Wow. That's a big price tag with the work that needs doing,

but if they do most of it themselves, it's still got a good chance of coming in on budget.

This is a rumpus area. Good for teenagers to...

use this on a rainy day.

Is this a damp smell I'm smelling?

-Er...

-What is it?

-There is a bit of a damp smell in here.

-You said it was structurally sound, but there's some damp.

-It's a concrete building.

Obviously the carpet and all of the drapes and things like that have a fair bit of moisture.

I would think all that needs to be changed.

Megan doesn't seem impressed, but luckily Phil can see past the end of his nose.

I'm thinking what you'd have to do. Doesn't particularly bother me.

You could plaster it, maybe do the ceilings, but none of that would put me off.

-You're a brave man, Mr Taylor!

-It looks to me as though it's had no modernisation whatsoever.

Maybe the upstairs will be more up-to-date.

-This is slightly better!

-It is.

This is basically the living area. The bedrooms are at this level.

The lounge here extends out into the open deck.

-Nice to sit out there in the evening sun.

-It doesn't look very safe out there.

-They'll need to do a lot of work before they enjoy those views.

-I'm not overly keen to come out.

There is extensive work to do to actually make it safe.

-And the list goes on.

-There's obviously been a leak at some point.

-Oh, yeah, yeah.

-I see that, yes.

-The roof would obviously need attention as well. That's more money.

I'd recommend getting a building inspector in.

-Get all aspects of it looked at thoroughly.

-Hang on! I thought you said it was structurally sound.

-Money well spent!

-It would be.

Basically, you've got an outer shell and I would be tempted...

It's such a poor layout inside that I would take all of the interior walls out.

Anything that wasn't load-bearing. And start from scratch. I don't think there's much you can save.

As you said, it's just a shell. Little more than the shell.

-I really don't like it.

-Right. I think we're agreed that the Taylors aren't into Property Two,

but Ryan's come up with a plan to build their own house and he's going to design it.

He goes to university to become an architect. You start the building and become a builder.

I'm not going into partnership with you.

I'll be the MD. You two can work for me.

I'll be the interior designer.

Right, that's it. I'm out.

It's good to see they aren't too put off by Property Two, but what do they really make of it?

It's a good size house and a reasonable plot of land,

but the interior layout is a little bit ad hoc, put together over time.

It was built in the '70s. It's been lived in since the '70s.

And it's still stuck in the '70s.

Right. Let's hope that Property Three can take the Taylors into the 21st century. It's further out,

but it may just tick all the boxes

with stunning views over the harbour and a large plot of land.

-Phil, is it?

-Yeah.

-I'm Bill.

-Pleased to meet you.

-Vanessa?

-Hello.

-Do you want to go through the house first and then the land?

-Yeah.

-After damp and dark Property Two, this is a breath of fresh air.

-This is quite nice, isn't it?

-Yeah. Very nice.

-That's the boundary fence there.

You've got three paddocks here. Two small ones and up to the road there is a larger paddock.

-So that and that...?

-It all belongs to this.

-Not the first fence?

-You have two and a half acres.

That's amazing! It's all they've ever dreamt of.

If they could afford this house, Megan could keep a horse at home.

-This has got to be out of our price range.

-Four bedrooms, 2.5 acres.

Asking price of 699.

Sold!

Fine, sold!

-I like it. Very good.

-Yeah?

Another 20 minutes drops the price considerably. In town, it would be another 100,000 more.

20 minutes travelling time makes it a bit cheaper.

I found two rooms that could possibly be mine. Both amazing!

Hopefully one's next door! No, this one and that one.

It's great to see Megan so enthused. I hope they won't be squabbling over the rooms.

That's also my room.

-Bathroom.

-Ooh, I say.

This is the main bedroom with its en suite. Three-piece en suite.

-It's mine!

-Don't be so sure, Megan. You might get the smallest room.

-This is just wrong.

-It's just wrong.

-This is a bedroom?

-Or a study.

-You could get a single bed in here. Just.

-Yeah, it's a bit small, isn't it, this one?

There is another room in the garage that might do very well.

The rear half of the garage is being converted into a fifth bedroom.

-I'll have this. My horse can go in the corner, my bedroom here...

-It'll be quiet in there.

This house could be just right.

Meanwhile, the boys waste no time dreaming about the great outdoors.

It's a massive amount of land.

I'm sure you could make a bit flat enough for a set of rugby posts to practise your kicking on.

Or is that wishful thinking?

That property was far superior to the other two.

We're a bit happier now.

-That was pretty much perfect.

-This is much more the kind of thing that we had in mind.

When you couple that with the view from the living room, it's pretty spectacular. Very nice.

They've found their perfect home, but it's out of their budget.

By how much depends on what they'll make on their UK house,

but for now how would they vote on property?

Living on an estate in Middlesbrough with four or five designs of house that are the same,

I prefer the individuality here.

The New Zealand houses just pip the UK, so I'll choose New Zealand.

My vote's going to have to be for New Zealand.

-New Zealand is my vote.

-Finally, with Liam adamant that New Zealand is not for him, how would he vote?

Because I'm an outrageous kind of guy, I'm going to go for... New Zealand.

But if all they could afford was Property One, would they still be so sure?

Well, it's good to see the Taylors could all agree on something.

Now it's up to Vanessa to find work to finance the new lifestyle and a new mortgage.

Back in the UK, Vanessa's been teaching food technology at secondary school for four years.

She earns around £30,000, but work often involves long hours and less time with her family.

It's time to find work to finance the dream home and lifestyle that she craves in New Zealand.

I'm going to Balmoral School to teach a class of Year Sevens.

I'm a little bit nervous about it, which is probably a good thing.

I've ran through lots of things in my head, what it will be like.

I'm looking forward to it and think it'll be quite a good experience.

This is what I've been planning, so I'll love it or hate it. Hopefully, I'll love it!

She's arranged to meet the school's principal, Malcolm Milner. He has plenty of experience employing Brits

and is happy for Vanessa to get straight to work.

-I'll leave you here. All the best. Have a good afternoon.

-Bye.

Now this term you've been working on creating a product.

The brief also asks you to design the packaging and a packaging label.

Fortunately for us, we have an expert, Mrs Taylor.

She's going to work with you and help you design your packaging and packaging labels.

Right, so I'm going to be just briefly giving you a quick overlook at food packaging and labelling

and how it happens in the UK.

I don't know everything about New Zealand yet.

I'm just going to go over a few quick things and get some ideas from you as well.

It's not just me standing here telling you. I'd like a lot of input from you as well.

Across the town of Muriwai, the rest of the family do research into the surf lifestyle.

-Guys, keen on a bit of surfing?

-Definitely.

-Ever done any surfing before

-No.

-Perfect. I expect you all standing and riding in one lesson.

-Great expectations!

Don't worry, Megan. The girls always do best.

We've got to be in the middle of the surfboard, on the sweet spot.

Too far forward and it nosedives. Too far back, the handbrake's on.

When the wave's about two surfboard lengths behind us, we start to paddle. Here it comes!

As soon as I feel the wave push me along, I put my hands underneath.

One, keep weight forward on the arms.

Two, back foot in position. Three, front foot in position.

The more you pull that back leg up, the easier it is. Looking good.

Megan, it's on.

This is quite interesting because they've never surfed before.

It's a level playing field, so it will be interesting to see who does best.

It's fantastic to see them out there.

It's something that I would never have said to them.

"This weekend, we'll find a beach and a surf shop and go surfing."

There are opportunities on the northeast coast to surf.

They might not take to this,

but it might open some avenues for trying new things.

So it is good, yeah.

'Phil knows this lifestyle is reliant on the New Zealand education system

'making a good impression on Vanessa.'

I'm hoping that Vanessa's experience

will give her an insight into what it's like

to work in a secondary school, for Vanessa, in New Zealand.

I'm hoping she just shows what a good teacher she is.

It's going to be difficult going into a class that you don't know.

You don't know the capabilities.

But I'm sure she'll do absolutely fine.

Right, just to get your brains going.

There are three words all mixed up.

Have a go at working out what those words might be.

'It's such a joy, really, almost,

'to be in a classroom where the kids are attentive'

and listen to everything that you say, and are willing to work.

Excellent. You've got one. You've got two here.

'Some schoolchildren in the UK'

have a lot to learn from the kids in New Zealand.

When it's on a supermarket shelf,

jumping out, very eye-catching that, very bright colours.

'She was doing exactly what I would do with the kids.'

At the moment, there's a shortage of technology teachers in New Zealand.

'So that's a positive for her.

'And seeing her teach,'

she fits in well, as if she's been here, knowing the kids for a while.

'Vanessa seems to have really enjoyed herself

'and the children have a package of their own to give her.'

On behalf of room 8, we would like to thank you for coming here

and teaching us new skills.

Thank you very much. That's really nice of you. Thank you.

Can I just say, it's been a real pleasure to be in here today.

I've loved coming in and working with you.

I hope to come back and see you soon.

Thank you very much. It's been really good.

That was a really nice surprise. I'm very touched.

-It was great.

-Thank you very much.

-I hope the kids enjoyed it as much as I have.

-They have. Yeah.

You've done the hard work for me. LAUGHS

'Vanessa really fits into this school,

'but how have the rest of the family taken to new challenges?'

I'm pleased that they're attempting something new, out of their comfort zone.

A new experience never hurt anybody. That's why I'm on the beach.

LAUGHS

He's up!

I don't believe that!

Go on, Liam. Up you get. He's up.

He's down again. CHUCKLES

The work-life balance is the key factor in us looking to move to New Zealand.

As a teacher in the UK,

you do find that your work life intrudes into your home life.

You find that it's very easy

to let the leisure time slip and let work take over.

I'm hoping that by moving to New Zealand,

it'll redress the balance

and we get more time to be together as a family,

to do things together, even new stuff.

I think it'll do us all good as a family.

Well, how was that? >

Wet? Megan? What do you think?

I got hit in the ear by the surfboard.

-What did you think of that?

-Loved it.

Because you were the first one up? >

I don't know.

INSTRUCTOR: A bit of saltwater up the nose never hurt anyone.

'It seems that New Zealand has a lot to offer the Taylor family,

'in terms of the work-life balance they crave.

'Vanessa still needs to have that important discussion about salary.

'If they can't make the sums add up, a move could be in jeopardy.'

I earn nearly £30,000 in the UK.

I know that the wages are lower in New Zealand

but the costs of living is lower.

What could I expect?

You'd possibly be in the range of about 55,000,

-with your experience and qualifications.

-That's quite good.

Cost of living's lower, so...

If you live in Auckland,

you get the same wage, there's no "London weighting".

For a teacher to live in central Auckland, it's very expensive.

If you live in a provincial town where the houses cost 50,000,

or you could live in the heart of Auckland where you pay, around here, 650,000 upwards for a property.

That's quite interesting.

The salary for teachers in New Zealand was lower than the UK.

I was worried that we wouldn't be able to manage, it wasn't something we could do.

Because the cost of living is lower, that will offset that.

So it doesn't seem too bad, perfectly manageable, anyway.

'Until Vanessa's worked out the figures, she can't be sure.

'Before she gets that chance, how will she vote on her experience?'

Teaching in New Zealand is very similar to the UK.

But it does seem that there's more opportunity to actually teach,

rather than deal with behavioural issues,

which there's a lot of in the UK, and it's a friendlier environment.

With that in mind, I'm going to choose...

New Zealand.

'Vanessa and Phil have been dreaming about moving to New Zealand for some time.'

There's loads of space and a better lifestyle for all of us.

Especially the kids.

'Convincing them to move to the other side of the world isn't easy.'

I'm just not sure if it's totally possible for me...

'Will Megan's fall put her off New Zealand for good?'

I'd miss my friends if I moved out here.

'They have fallen in love with rural properties, but the week's not over.

'If the sums don't add up, New Zealand may only be a fantasy.'

What the estate agent said about our house,

it would be less equity, we'd be paying out more.

What's the point?

The Taylors may have found their dream house down under,

but the property they can afford in New Zealand

will depend on the price they can get for their house.

'Their home is a five-bedroom property they bought in 2000. They extended it to fit their family.

'The Taylors believe it's now worth £235,000.

'We sent an estate agent to give his opinion on what it's worth.'

MEGAN: Hey, it looks clean!

- It looks tiny. - It does, doesn't it?

Reception room. Nice bright room. Plenty of natural light.

MEGAN: It makes it look tiny.

Pleasant dining area, ideal for entertaining.

-We've entertained lots in there.

-Attractive kitchen. Nice appliances.

Very nice garden as well.

Yes! Well done! Shoes off!

Nice bright, spacious bedroom. Must be a rugby fan.

Yup.

Nice bright room. Walk-in wardrobe.

Nice feature. Good selling point.

-There's one in the other room!

-Good size room.

-We haven't been in the disastrous bedroom yet.

-He's not going in!

'The Taylors have had their house valued previously at £235,000.

'What does the agent think its current value is?'

This is a lovely five-bedroom extended property in a sought-after location with links to schools.

The master bedroom would benefit from an en suite, though it's still charming.

£185,000 for a quick sale.

-You are joking?!

-For a quick sale?

That is ridiculous, I have to say.

It was 225, 235 and 245, the three valuations we got.

So we went for 235, It's on the market for 235.

That's probably why you haven't had any viewings, cos it's too high.

It's pointless.

We'd hardly have any money to bring over.

To sell it at that, I'd rather stay in the UK, simple as that.

And all this will have been for nothing.

With that crushing news, Phil and Vanessa have to do their sums

to see if a move to New Zealand is possible at all.

'We've prepared a comparison of their UK and New Zealand expenses,

'to see if they can afford a life down under.'

Cost of weekly shop.

107. If we bought it in the UK.

Total weekly shop in New Zealand, 128.

Cost of living is supposed to be cheaper here.

Looking at that, it's not.

Horse riding lessons. £315?!

Petrol, that's got to be cheaper here.

It says £41.

More for water.

So this is the interesting bit.

Apparently,

it's £1,000 more expensive per month to live here.

It's drastically worse off living here.

'A bad exchange rate and possibly only half the equity in their house

'make their outgoings more expensive than they'd bargained for.'

The biggest expense on there, which makes the difference to that figure, is the mortgage.

If these figures are correct, the cost of living

is £1,000 a month more, then it's just not worth it.

There's no point buying a cheaper house

just because that's all we could afford.

You'll resent coming, and that's not the objective of what we want.

What's the point?

The Taylors want to spend more time together as a family,

and hope to find this in New Zealand.

What exactly does the Kiwi lifestyle have to offer?

'Back in the UK, Liam and the family give up a lot of free time

'to the St John's ambulance service.

'Leaving this will be hard for Liam, who sees it as a stepping stone to a career as a paramedic.

'Phil and Vanessa hope that showing him the same opportunities here

'might convince him he has a future here.'

You've got an interest in St John in the UK.

Liam started it all. He's probably the most knowledgable.

-It's your fault, then? >

-All my fault!

My son has grown up with the ambulance service

and he's an advanced paramedic.

He's followed on as well. >

What's the chances of Liam doing this?

With experience in the UK, probably a good chance.

I'm not involved with recruitment but he'll have a good chance.

'We thought it was something that Liam might enjoy. It looks like we've been right.'

He's very excited and this might be the thing that brings him here.

PHIL: 'The type of stuff that we do in the UK, we do "eventing".

'It's virtually all volunteer work. This takes it to the next level.'

The type of thing that Liam had his heart set on with our NHS.

This might be a way into it for him. That's why he's so excited.

Fingers crossed.

You can probably tell by the smile on my face that I'm extremely happy

being able to come to an ambulance station here.

It's given me quite a lot to think about.

New Zealand might be a good option to take.

At the moment, I'm still quite swayed towards the UK.

But...

I think New Zealand is slowly growing on me. I do have to admit.

'That's potentially great news.

'Vanessa and Phil are delighted that they may have found something that could convince Liam to move.

'There's still Megan.

'If she doesn't see some horses, they could be back to square one.

'Back in the UK, Megan loves horse riding.

'If they move down under, Mum and Dad have promised her a horse.

'The Taylors are off to check out the local horse riding centre.'

Do you want to saddle them up?

'This is what Megan's been looking forward to.

'If anything's going to convince her, this should be it.

'I hope it lives up to her dreams.'

This is the most exciting thing that I'm looking forward to.

I just love horses better than anything else. Hello.

'Vanessa's anxious. She was injured falling in the past, but she'll do anything to persuade Megan.'

A bit nervous. You never know with a new horse.

But should be fine.

Up until this morning,

Megan actually said, "At the moment, it's the UK for me."

But she hadn't seen any horses up until then.

I'd think, by the end of the day, this would change her mind.

'Phil is absolutely sure their plan is going to work.'

Yeah, I think this is...

This is the lifestyle I could live with and Vanessa could.

If there's a horse involved, Megan will be more than happy.

That horse seems... It's a little bit spirited.

'Megan's in her element, but is Liam warming up to a life down under?'

I think this is an excellent lifestyle to live, if it's possible.

I'm just not sure if it's totally possible for me yet...

'This stumble couldn't have come at a worse moment.

'If she won't get back on, this could put her off New Zealand.'

She's come off before but never like that.

You just don't know the horses.

Don't fall. If you fall off your horse it's cool.

If you fall off the trough, it's bad.

'Like a true professional. Megan's back on.'

< You didn't panic, Megan.

Because I've been on a lot of horses that try and buck me off.

'Phil and Vanessa have done everything they can

'to convince Megan she could make a life here.

'Will it be enough?'

I like riding in England better. I like the horses better.

It's a lot different riding. These horses are a lot bouncier.

The horses I ride at home, they're quicker but they're a smoother ride.

I'd miss my friends if I moved out here.

I wouldn't like to go to school here. I don't really like it here.

'It sounds like Phil and Vanessa have their work cut out for them.

'Will they vote UK or New Zealand for lifestyle?

Everything about the lifestyle in New Zealand seems better,

so I'm going to vote New Zealand.

From what we've seen so far,

I would have to vote New Zealand.

There's more opportunity. I'm going to stick with New Zealand.

I'm just going to have to vote New Zealand.

I like my lifestyle in the UK and there's not much to do here.

So I vote UK.

'A terrible blow. Phil and Vanessa spent months getting Megan on side.

'Could this be the end of the road?'

The Taylors, apart from Megan, of course,

have really enjoyed their time in New Zealand.

How will hearing messages from friends and family help them make their final decision?

'We've prepared a DVD of messages from loved ones back home.'

Hi, Vanessa. Hi, Phil. Hi, boys. Hi, Megan.

Hi, Vanessa.

I hope you've had a fabulous time.

Hope you've enjoyed yourselves.

I can't say it enough. I do love him. He's my boy. That's how I feel about him.

She's quite quiet. She has a dry sense of humour.

She's very loving.

She's very loving to me because...

we're very close, with her not having a mother.

She was old enough to look after herself,

but I was there when she needed me.

She's more than a grandmother to her.

She is a substitute mother for her.

That bond is there, always has been, with her grandmother.

If Liam went out there

he wouldn't settle anyway, I think he'd want to come home!

I think my sister would be disappointed if he didn't go.

Round the other side of the world, it's a big thing to leave him behind.

Ryan and Megan are two outstanding children.

He's a very loving child, Ryan.

We get on really well.

And Megan, she gets a bit stroppy, but girls do, don't they?

Across the board, they're great kids.

What we'd miss most is the noise. They're always quite noisy.

The friendship with Vanessa I'll miss, really.

It's something you've built up over the years.

It's hard, really, when you've just always been there.

I just want them to make it. Every mother wants to see the kids get on.

-Be happy, that's the main thing.

-That's very important. Be happy.

I don't blame them, actually. They've got a grown family.

You have to do what's best for your family.

As much as you don't want them to go, they'll do what they want to.

You should give it a real go. It's difficult leaving us behind.

But go for it, Vanessa. And Phil. You'll have a ball.

For purely selfish reasons,

I would want Vanessa to stay here.

But I'm not selfish.

I would want them to thoroughly enjoy it

and I would want them not to worry about what's going on back here.

This will always be home, but it doesn't have to always be their home.

Vanessa, don't think about anybody else.

Just think about you, Phil and your children. If you want to stay, stay.

If you want to come home, you come home.

It's a difficult time for you, lots of decisions to be made.

We'll do everything we can for you. We just want you to be happy.

I just hope everything goes OK for you, Phil. You're a good man.

Missing you and look forward to seeing you again.

Hope you make the right decision.

PHIL: It's pretty much the way I expected it to be.

All the family's been very supportive.

They've wanted us to do what we feel is right.

RYAN: I know everyone's supportive.

They even told us, "When making your decision, don't think about us."

But you can't not bring them into mind.

I'm going to miss them but I wouldn't have a choice anyway.

If Mum and Dad decide to go, we have to.

It has made a difference seeing that.

She's just very matter-of-fact.

Just puts her cards on the table and tells you how it is.

"If you want to stay, stay. If you want to come home, come home!"

It is as simple as that with her, really.

LIAM: It's a massive decision.

It's an even bigger decision for me.

Because I've got the option to stay behind and not go.

And that might impact the rest of the family's decision.

That's the hardest part.

Making the move to live down under

is the most difficult decision for them all,

emotionally and financially.

Their week has been a mixture of highs and lows.

'The past week has been a roller coaster ride for the Taylors.

'They found their dream home.'

-Pretty much perfect.

-Much more the kind of thing we had in mind.

It's pretty spectacular.

'And the children took to New Zealand's outdoor lifestyle.'

-What did you think of that?

-Loved it.

'Horse-mad Megan wasn't taken with the New Zealand horses.'

She didn't enjoy the horse riding as much as she or I thought she would.

She's had quite a few negative days and I thought she would have liked everything about it.

That hasn't been the case.

'The work-life balance won Phil and Vanessa over,

'but the cost of living put a spanner in the works.'

It does seem to offer everything that we were looking for.

But, at the moment, the obstacle is the financial situation.

PHIL: I'd rather stay in the UK in a nice sized house

than come here and struggle financially.

New Zealand was attractive to begin with, whether it still is...

Eventually, we have to make a decision.

'And the question mark over Liam still looms large.'

There is a lot of pressure on me to make a firm decision,

to whether I want to stay or go.

I think it affects my mum a lot, which sways my decision

towards, "I won't be selfish at all.

"I'll just go to make everybody else happy."

But whether that's the best decision for me to make is another question.

'Now, it's crunch time.

'The ultimate decision could be down to Liam.

'If he chooses to stay in the UK,

'the pain of leaving him behind could be too much for the family.

'How will they vote?'

New Zealand has a lot to offer

and I'm really going to miss people in the UK.

However, with the age of technology the way it is,

and I know I'll regret it if I don't give it a go.

I'm going to go with New Zealand.

There's a lot to leave behind and look back on.

I also think that there's a lot to look forward to.

For that reason, I'm going to choose New Zealand.

I know my friends are going to beat me up, but I choose New Zealand.

'It all rests on Liam and Megan to cast their votes.'

I've enjoyed myself more than in the UK.

As well as having the Bay of Plenty, it's the land of plenty.

So I'm going to choose New Zealand.

I've lived in the UK for 12 years.

I've got loads of friends and family in the UK.

I don't think I can leave them so I'm going to say UK.

This is good news that Liam's chosen New Zealand.

Bit of a surprise that Megan hasn't.

We've got nine months to work on Megan.

Didn't work the last nine months we worked on her!

If it turns out that we can't move to New Zealand, it will be quite devastating.

I've been looking at it for a long time.

But, as always, I'm going to try and find a way round it.

And I will. Cos I'm coming.

Despite being disappointed by what they can get for their house,

the Taylors all found something that life in New Zealand could offer.

And if they can persuade Megan,

it looks like they will be making the move to live down under.

Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd