Richards Family Wanted Down Under

If you had built a happy and successful life for your family,

would you be willing to set aside all your doubts

and start over on the other side of the world?

Claire Richards wants to follow her brother to New Zealand.

It's for me as well but it's for them, it's for their futures.

But her husband Paul has serious doubts.

If we were to come here we're giving up an awful lot.

And after a week of highs...

SHE GASPS Look!

Yeah, fair dos.

..and lows, they'll have to make a choice that could leave

someone broken-hearted.

If he turns round and says it's an absolute, definite no,

I think I'd be absolutely...

Well, I'd be gutted, I suppose.

I am honestly, honestly undecided on what to do at this moment in time.

I don't know how I'm going to make the decision.

For thousands of Brits every year, New Zealand offers the dream

of an ideal life set amongst epic surroundings.

However, that dream doesn't always work out

and for many new arrivals, their journey could end right back where it started.

Over the next few days,

the Richards family will get a taste of everyday life in New Zealand.

At the end of it,

they'll face one of the biggest decisions of their lives -

whether to stay in the UK or to make the move down under for good.

After crossing three continents, flying 11,000 miles

and facing 24 hours of in-flight movies,

the Richards arrive in Auckland.

On hand to meet them is a welcoming committee in the shape

of Claire's brother and his family, who moved out here nine years ago.

It's a reminder of what this move is all about.

It was lovely to see my brother, I haven't seen him for over a year

and I haven't seen my nieces in nearly two years,

so that's really lovely.

I'm going to embrace the situation

and take that opportunity to have a look at what working here

and living here has to offer for us and the family.

We'll wait for the light bulb moment with Paul

-when it all comes on and he thinks, "Yay!"

-We'll see.

I didn't like the aeroplane food.

I'm quite excited about the week.

Back in the UK,

the Richards live in the town of Penkridge in Staffordshire.

They are Paul, an IT project manager,

Claire, a part-time primary school teacher,

and their three daughters,

nine-year-old Elise,

seven-year-old Isabella,

and Francesca, who is five.

New Zealand has been on Claire's mind since 2003,

when her brother and his family first made the move.

After spending Christmas with them three years ago,

she began to wonder if emigrating could be a real possibility.

I've always wanted to go out there,

partly because of my brother being there.

And my mum and dad have been every year since he's been,

and that's all they talk about,

how fantastic it is, and for the children and the way of life.

And then when we went, we did see that side of it.

But all the time you are aware that you're on holiday

and therefore you see it through holiday glasses and you see it as...

Well, you're not in the practicalities of it all,

going to work and those sorts of things.

But from what I did see of it, it is a fantastic place.

That's my honest opinion on it.

Which may be different to yours, probably.

Moving down under may be Claire's dream,

but convincing Paul to share it is not easy matter.

In our relationship, I would say I'm the risk-adverse person

and I like to know what's around the corner.

I like to know what's going to happen

and moving to New Zealand, the reality is, for me,

it's a big change in the way that I conduct my life in terms of giving up everything

in that manner.

Paul's also the main bread winner, and New Zealand would mean

giving up a career he loves and the security it provides for his family.

One of the things, for me,

is I'll be giving up a good job to go and effectively start again.

And that's a big, big risk, especially in today's climate.

But it isn't just finances that worry him.

It takes time to build up friendships. And, you know, I'm 42.

I'm 42 now, and Claire's no spring chicken herself.

Right? I just think to start again and get new friends

like the friends that we have here, is a tall task.

Saying goodbye to friends may be hard enough.

But for Paul, there's an even bigger price to emigrating.

Leaving family, it's going to be extremely difficult.

I'm not really an emotional person but that quite...

It's quite cutting.

To think that, to think that something could happen

and I couldn't be there to help is...

very daunting.

However, Claire's confident that the benefits of moving could offer

the family a better future.

I'm not naive enough to believe that the grass is always greener

but I do think we ought to go and find out if it is.

If not just for us, for the girls as well

so they get that life experience.

And even the girls can see plenty to look forward to in New Zealand.

I'm excited cos my cousins live there

and it's fun there and nice and hot.

I'm excited cos I love my cousins.

It will be nice to go to New Zealand because it will be a change.

But I do like it in England because there's lots of...

I know everywhere and stuff. So...

Elise is also a keen horse rider

and moving down under could make another dream come true.

Mum, can we have a horse again in New Zealand?

I don't know about that, Elise, we'll have to see what it's like, won't we?

For Claire, it's a chance to enjoy the lifestyle

that's most appealing about New Zealand.

I think they'd have a lot more of an outdoor life.

More opportunities to do...

Elise would love it, because Elise loves...

They love being outside, don't they? They do.

And as soon as the weather starts to improve, they want to go out.

But we haven't been to New Zealand when it's been winter,

we went when it was sunny.

Very sunny, in the summer.

So, knowing what's at stake,

is Paul prepared to turn his life upside-down for Claire?

I'm happy to try and give it a go on behalf of Claire and the family.

If Paul was a big no and he didn't want to do it,

then I would be devastated.

I'm apprehensive about it.

We'll go out there and see what it has, make a more educated judgement.

If we don't try this, if we don't at least, you know, go for it,

we're going to be sitting here in five years, less maybe,

thinking, "We should have done, we should have at least had a try."

Claire has her work well and truly cut out in the week ahead.

It'll be a tough task convincing Paul that New Zealand is a gamble worth taking.

And with just a few days to do it in,

she could be facing the end of her dream.

The Richards are spending their week

in Auckland, New Zealand's largest city.

With a growing economy and plenty of wide-open spaces nearby,

it should offer a good mix of big city bustle and room to relax.

They're staying in Torbay on the north shore,

an up-and-coming area popular with families.

Home is a three-bedroom clapboard house.

Hopefully it'll get the week off to a good start.

Yeah, it's perfect for the week.

You've got a good view, haven't you?

That is very happy looking girls, but Claire isn't so relaxed.

I'm a bit anxious that Paul still won't realise,

won't see what I can see, I suppose.

At the end of the week, my head might tell me

something different to what it's telling me now.

Because now I'm still in the..

If we were to come here, we're giving up an awful lot.

Back home, the Richards own a large four-bedroom house in Penkridge.

They believe it's worth around £245,000.

They hope to find a home of equal value down under,

and Paul has a few extras on his wish list too.

Ideally, in a new property, I would like a place that

I could call my own, in which I could set up an office.

I'd like it to be... have more land, really.

The girls are at an age now where they must have their own bedroom.

And if we had a paddock for a horse, that would be even better.

Today, we'll give the Richards a taste of Auckland's property market.

We'll show them three options based on what they want

from their ideal home and what they can afford.

After seeing for themselves what's on offer,

they will find out how much each house costs.

Their first stop is in the Stanmore Bay area,

30 miles north of the city centre.

It would mean a 45-minute commute for Paul,

but it's located in a quiet backwater surrounded by coastline,

ideal for the outdoor life Claire is hoping for.

This three-bedroom house has a terrace and gardens,

so the residents can enjoy the sea views.

But will it make a splash with the Richards?

-Very nice. I'll take my sunglasses off.

-Mummy...

Nice.

It is nice, look at your view from your lounge window!

It's quite comparable in size to our living room back in the UK,

-isn't it?

-Yeah.

-I wouldn't say it was any smaller or any bigger.

That's a cautious start from Paul.

Can the kitchen heat things up a little?

Do you think it would be big enough for you, Claire?

I don't think this would be big enough for me, no, not the kitchen.

Er, perhaps not.

While the girls test out the exterior features and fittings,

mum and dad continue with the tour.

Let's have a look what's in this one. Oh, it's an office.

-That's all right.

-Yeah.

Pretty a decent sized one.

Good office, that's what you want, an office.

But, knowing you, it will become office-cum-junk room.

Having an office would be a plus for Paul,

but with only three bedrooms available, he may have a fight on his hands to keep it.

These are comparable to the size of bedrooms the girls have got now.

Let's have a look in here. This has got to be the bathroom.

-I would think so.

-Process of elimination.

-Hmm.

-OK.

-It's nice, though.

-That's got to be a bedroom, hasn't it?

Oh, my life!

SHE GASPS

-I wasn't expecting this.

-It's more of a formal lounge, isn't it?

Oh, this is lovely.

The open-plan sitting room would be ideal for a large family,

-which just leaves the final bedroom to explore.

-Master bedroom, Claire.

Yeah. It's nice and bright.

Nice sized. Is this en suite?

I don't know, I hope so. Or is it just a cupboard?

Oh, no!

No? What is it?!

SHE GASPS Oh! A walk-in wardrobe.

-Just what you've always wanted.

-Yes.

-You don't get that in Penkridge.

-No!

The views may be to die for and the garden a big hit with the girls,

but can they make up for a lack of bedrooms in this house?

And more importantly, is it within their £245,000 budget?

-450.

-450, and I'm going for 500.

£239,000. 495,000.

So I was the closest.

-Yeah, fair dos.

-Round one to me, I'd say.

I'm pleased with that, aren't you?

-That's...

-Yeah.

-..a pleasant price.

-Comfortable with it.

-Pleasant price.

OK.

It looks like a win on points for Claire after the first house,

but without that fourth bedroom it failed to deliver the knockout blow.

So can the second property offer more without a big jump in price?

It's in Browns Bay, an area popular with Brits emigrating to enjoy

the nearby surfing beaches. As a new build,

it's closer in style to the Richards' current home,

but will it impress?

-I'm liking that. I'm liking that. Modern.

-Are you?

-Yeah.

I don't know what I think actually, at the moment.

I don't know.

Well, I think that's ALMOST a yes.

-Go on then, let's look and see.

-It's like Christmas!

-Like Christmas?

-Oh.

-It's a garage.

You could have this as where somebody stops, couldn't you?

What, in the garage? Where would you put the boat?

I don't know. The boat or the horses!

Next to the garage is the first downstairs bedroom.

It's not a main bedroom, is it? It's like a guestroom.

No, but again, it could be guest... guest quarters.

Oh.

The second comes equipped with its own en suite,

but it's not clear who for.

I'm just intrigued at the moment to see

whether this is a guest area or actually the master bedroom.

Let's find out.

This is a topsy-turvy home, with living space on the first floor.

This is nice. So, main living room and this is obviously your veranda.

Yeah. You can't see the beach at all, can you? Or the sea.

You can see the sea a little bit through that gap,

but it's nothing compared to what the other one was like.

Without the wow factor,

this house is starting to look decidedly undercooked.

-Fairly nice, big kitchen, isn't it?

-Yeah, it is actually.

-No, I can see the potential in it, it needs a bit of a face lift.

-Clean.

The toilet is horrible.

There's no shortage of critics.

I wouldn't want to...

..to sleep in here, personally, and wake up...

Well, no, it's not an offensive view, Paul. It's just nothing of...

Doesn't grab you, but it's not offensive in any way,

it's not like a wall or something.

Yeah, I'm just not getting I'd want to move to the other side

-of the world to move into this property.

-No.

Paul may have hit the nail on the head.

Despite having the fourth bedroom they need,

this house simply hasn't impressed.

And given that it's closer to the city than the first,

will its price be the final nail in its coffin?

I'll be surprised if...

as a property, if this is more than 400,000.

Shall we see how much it is worth?

-Yeah?

-Yeah. OK.

-Go on, you do it.

SHE GASPS

Oh, my gosh. There you go.

Priced out of it.

-£279,000.

-Pounds.

579,000.

-That's surprised me. I wouldn't pay £280,000 for this.

-No.

-So, it's quite disappointing, really.

-Yeah.

It is. You're paying for the postcode, aren't you?

This house may be a des res but at £30,000 over budget,

it's put a big dent in Claire's hopes of moving.

Heading further from the city should give the Richards

more of the indoor and outdoor space they're looking for.

The last stop is in Waimauku,

just under 20 miles northwest of the city.

It's a rural area with a coastline facing the Tasman Sea.

This modern bungalow comes with plenty of land,

perhaps even enough for a paddock.

But can it entice Paul away from the city?

-Look at this forecourt.

-Oh, wow, look at that.

Oh, look at that veranda!

Oh, rabbits! And guinea pigs!

-Claire, look at this, though, in front.

-Aw!

SHE GASPS Look!

-Wow!

-Girls, look this side.

-Look, sheep!

Oh, and hens!

-We'll be able to have a horse.

-Well, I don't know about a horse.

-You can have a few old nags.

-A few old nags! I love it.

-It's lovely.

-It's very nice. Very impressive.

-I could actually see us living here, to be honest.

-Big garage.

-Yeah.

Cos I'd need a big lawnmower. Let's go and have a look inside now.

See if it's as good inside as outside.

See if it holds the promise that the outside holds.

Wipe your feet.

Ooh!

-Oh, the music room.

-Yeah.

Wow. Office, really, isn't it?

Yeah, that's very nice as well.

That's a perfect start.

So, have the Richards arrived at their dream home?

Ooh, I like it.

-Oh, yes.

-Ooh!

-Oh, yes.

-Wow.

-I want to live here.

-Do you?

Do you want to move, pack your bags and come and move in?

This house has left everyone speechless.

And the tour has hardly even begun.

I can see myself definitely coming back here of an evening,

when the sun's shining.

-Because the kids can be well away, can't they, Claire?

-Yeah.

-Doing their thing.

-And feel as though the kids will be safe.

It's lovely.

That's exactly the response Claire was hoping for.

And after two failures,

this house looks to be just what the family was dreaming of.

-This must be the master bedroom, I'd say.

-This is...

Look at that for a view out as well. Very nice.

SHE GASPS

-Walk-through wardrobe.

-It's a walk-in wardrobe!

-Yes.

-Yeah.

Shoes all there, yeah.

-I can't fault it at the moment, there's no negatives, is there?

-No.

Should we go and see what else there is?

Let's just stay here a little bit.

Yeah, but there might be other rooms. Bigger rooms.

Yeah, come on then. Let's go and have a look.

Oh, it's another bedroom.

-That's all right. For one of the girls.

-Nice size again.

Could quite easily move in tomorrow.

Another decent size bedroom.

-This is the third bedroom. This is a good size as well.

-Very impressed.

-We better go.

-Got to stop saying very impressed.

-Yeah.

Every word is impressed.

I can't wait to find out the price on this!

This house has impressed on all fronts,

with its stylish, open-plan design.

It has plenty of room for everyone indoors and out.

It's everything the Richards wanted to find in a Kiwi home,

but can they afford it on their £245,000 budget?

It's definitely over 600 for me, with all that in mind.

-So what are you saying?

-625.

625. I'm going to go higher. 775.

-That's another 150,000 more than me.

-Yes.

-OK.

We ought to have a little money wager.

-775.

-625.

720, 720, dollars.

I think I'm closest. 720...

-Well, I'm almost 100 out.

-720,000.

Which is £347,000.

But that is a lot of money and it's out of our budget currently.

But...

If you compared that to back home.

What, £347,000, Claire?

We haven't got. Well, you don't know.

You don't know cos you don't know what your...

-job prospects might be.

-It's impressive. It's...

-Food for thought.

-Yeah.

And the Richards have had plenty of it today.

The first house was big on views but not on bedrooms.

The second property's postcode may have been right,

but the price certainly wasn't.

And the final stop was a genuine Kiwi dream house,

flooring even Paul despite its heavyweight price tag.

But has property in Auckland done enough to convince the Richards

that New Zealand could offer them a home?

Based on the properties that we've seen today,

our vote is going to go to...

..UK!

New Zealand!

Lis, why have you made that decision?

Well, I liked the houses in New Zealand, but...

..I just think that I prefer the ones in England.

Right, why have you said that, then?

Based on what you've seen, why have you said that?

Based on just the three properties we've seen today,

I can't say they are better than the ones we get in the UK.

Their day house hunting was a real eye-opener for the Richards.

And Paul and Elisa's vote showed Claire she still has a long way to go to win them over.

Which makes it vital that Auckland can offer Paul his dream job.

In the UK, Paul is an IT project manager.

It's a career he loves and can see a future in, at least at home.

I would like to have the same opportunities that I have here

to advance that career even further.

I think if those opportunities weren't available for me,

then, on a personal basis, I just don't think the move

would be a thing for me.

But there is one thing New Zealand could tempt him with -

a better work/life balance.

I am personally missing out on that, the children are missing out

on me being around.

I get to see them for about a half-hour to an hour

at the end of their day before they go to bed.

This move could all hinge on what New Zealand's job market

might have to offer Paul.

So, he's heading into the city to meet Jonathan Maltby,

a local IT recruitment expert.

You've seen my CV.

What do you think the outlook could be like for me?

I'll give you a good snapshot of what's going on.

The companies that we tend to deal with...

relate more to the people who have come from a technical background,

they've been a developer, gone through the ranks

-and they've become a project manager.

-That is very good news for me

because that's the kind of background I currently come from.

I have left the extreme technical development aspects,

and moved to that exact area that you're talking about.

It's a great start.

Being able to fit into a role he already knows would be ideal.

Meanwhile, a few miles away,

Claire and the girls also head off to try something familiar.

-Claire.

-Claire. Hi, Claire.

Claire and the older girls have ridden before,

but today is Frankie's first time.

It's a special treat for everyone.

I am going to put you on the biggest horse, the best horse we've got.

-Hold the saddle and pull yourself up.

-That's the girl.

-That's it. OK.

Enjoying the outdoors together is one of the big reasons

Claire is so keen on moving down under.

But for Paul, there's an important question.

Could a career in New Zealand offer him the time to join them?

What is the normal working hours that people tend to work?

In New Zealand we have quite a not necessarily laid-back,

but very much an easy-going sort of culture.

Knock-off time is usually about five.

In the summertime people tend to leave in the evenings,

probably 4.30-5, maybe 5.30-6, because we have daylight saving

and it gets dark at about 8.30-9,

people can head down to the beach with their families right after work

and that is a really good atmosphere to be in.

That all sounds very good.

That's exactly what I'm trying to get through for the family.

That's just what Paul had been hoping for.

So, is life in New Zealand starting to look more appealing?

Across town, I think the answer is a definite yes.

We haven't ridden for quite a long time

and it was just the best experience I think I've had an absolutely ages.

It was just lovely.

It was the best horse riding I've ever done, really.

Well, at the start I was a bit nervous

and at the end I was happy.

It was probably the best horse I'd ever been on.

It was just amazing.

Just sniffing now because of my allergy to horses, but it was...

I'd do it again ten times over, it was that lovely, that good.

Seeing his family happy and being able to share it

would be priceless for Paul.

But would that change in work/life balance mean taking a cut in salary?

What kind of packages do you think would be on offer for myself?

For someone in a team lead sort of role,

you're looking at about anywhere between, say, 90 to 110.

In some cases pushing a little bit higher.

But that all depends on the structure and the size of the company as well.

The figures are comparable to what he earns in the UK.

So has Paul heard enough to convince in New Zealand could offer him

a career worth leaving home for?

Given the discussion I've had today about work opportunities

in New Zealand and relevant packages, my vote goes to...

..New Zealand.

I managed to find out that there appears to be an awful lot

of opportunities available.

But I think one of the clinchers is the fact of the laid-back

attitude too, there's much more of a focus on getting the job done

but the family aspect is also important as well.

Let's just say I think it's one more step closer to

the possibility of moving to Auckland.

I think that's a cautious but happy Paul.

And back at the house,

the girls have a request after their day out.

So now we want a horse.

-Do you?

-So can you buy us one?

How do you feel about moving to New Zealand now then, Paul?

Well, today has put one step in the, let's just say,

-right direction.

-Right direction.

It's a matter of just finding that right job now.

Yay! That's good news then, girls.

But there are obviously other risks, other factors, which are...

-Which come into play.

-Yeah.

Paul is playing his cards close to his chest,

but that vote for New Zealand is a big step in the right direction

for Claire. But with houses looking pricey

and the girls keen on a new family member,

it's crucial that the Richards find out if this move

is affordable or not.

Selling their four-bedroom house in Penkridge is vital to raising

the funds they need to emigrate.

Paul and Claire believe it's worth around £245,000.

We've asked two local estate agents to give us their opinions.

Lovely feature fireplace. Stands out well.

And the French doors going into the dining room.

Lovely. Nice contemporary kitchen, nice double oven there.

Lovely extra room, conservatories.

Nice family, they've got it set up as a dining room, which is perfect.

-Very good, nicely decorated lounge.

-Oh, thank you.

Colour scheme is very good, very popular today.

Very modern, up-to-date kitchen.

The people who live here have utilised the garage that was.

I'm all in favour of that.

There you go, selling point.

Lovely, airy room. Perfect family home. People like this.

I like this man.

He can come again.

Looks like these people are supporters of the second best team.

Not all of us! Not all of us!

After Wolverhampton Wanderers.

Lovely bright room, just needs de-cluttering slightly.

-I thought Lisa's room was nice.

-I totally agree. Totally agree.

So I'd place the property on the market currently

at about 270,000.

With a view to getting round about 260, 265,000.

Overall impressions of the property, very sought-for location,

four bedrooms, very central to Stafford as well as Cannock.

Value, I'd say around 249,950.

For a quicker sale, between 230 to 240.

Even though they're both quite different figures,

we know that slap in the middle of those is probably

what we would want for it

and expect to get for it, or wouldn't sell it for any less anyway.

Our house looks good there, on camera.

And you're quite happy with the way it's been portrayed,

cos that's the way it is. So realistically...

Is that what you think?

In my head, that's kind of said, "We have got a really nice house,

"why would we want to be giving it up?"

You'd have to de-clutter certain rooms

and take the professionals' advice.

Which I've been saying for quite some time.

Yeah, but I think, in regards to the cluttering,

I think that's cos, as a family, we've outgrown that house.

Well, at least they agree it's a fair valuation.

And, if they could get a good price, they'd have a budget of

between £180,000 and £245,000,

depending on whether they took on a mortgage.

But what about their weekly cost of living in New Zealand?

Yorkshire puddings.

A pound in the UK, are £2.64 here,

and the kids love Yorkshire puddings.

-I'll have to make my own.

-Have you put those in?

-I've put those in.

Toilet roll, £3.34 and we get through tons of that.

We'll have to use newspaper.

THEY LAUGH

With the weekly shop going up by more than £30, it looks as if

living in New Zealand could be a painful experience, in lots of ways.

That's... I mean...

It is a bit of an eye-opener, actually.

Because Paul's New Zealand salary would be almost equal to his UK earnings,

they've opted to base their mortgage calculations

on a mid price property.

-Yeah.

-Mortgage repayments. Yeah?

850, here in the UK

and in New Zealand it would be 668.

Paul's spotted a problem.

OK, so even though the figures are cheaper there at 668,

and it's 880, right...

-You're paying it for longer.

-..it doesn't really reflect...

No, because you pay it for a longer period.

Yeah? So we're paying 850 over the next six years,

whereas we'd be paying 668 over 20 years,

which defeats one of the objects

we've tried to do with the mortgage. Anyway...

The figures don't look promising, so what's the bottom line?

It looks here that we'll be £200 a month better off in the UK

than what we would in New Zealand.

-For me now, knowing all of this...

-There's a lot to weigh up.

Yeah, there is still an awful lot to weigh up.

We could afford to live here, OK,

but it would mean us taking on a larger mortgage in terms of...

than what we've currently got, but also the term of that mortgage

and is that something we really want to be doing?

-It's something to consider.

-It is something to consider,

but it is...

..from what I've experienced so far, that is the number one factor.

-Which was the job. It's now changed to this, hasn't it?

-Yes.

It looks like emigrating could be affordable,

but only if the Richards are willing to dig deep.

So how will they vote?

OK, so based on the cost of living out here in New Zealand,

our vote goes to...

-The UK.

-The UK.

I think, even though we've said the UK, based on those figures,

-I think we still need to evaluate...

-The whole lifestyle.

The whole way of living over here and ultimately what you want, I think.

-You took the words right out of my mouth.

-There you go.

That's cos we're peas in a pod. That's cos we evenly matched.

-No, but I think you've got to weigh everything up, haven't you?

-We have.

And, if your lifestyle is going to exceed everything else,

then that's ultimately what you go for.

-But cost of living-wise, it's definitely living in the UK.

-Yes.

Seeing the figures laid out in front of them

put the brakes on even Claire's enthusiasm to emigrate,

but could those high prices be worth paying?

For Claire, it's the possibility of living a better lifestyle

and being close to her family that's always been behind this dream.

The Richards are visiting Auckland

at the start of the Kiwi winter.

With average winter temperatures of around 14 degrees,

living and outdoor lifestyle is a year-long prospect.

For Claire, this chance to spend time together is priceless.

It's for me, as well, it's for Paul,

but it's for them, it's for their futures.

I think maybe they'll keep their childhood for longer,

staying here, rather than...

the sort of things you might see happening in the UK.

And Paul can also see how much living down under

could offer the family.

We very rarely get to do anything of an evening.

You know, by the time I get home from work,

Claire's already had a few hours with the children,

predominantly stuck inside or at clubs, you know?

Given the fact that we can be outside

till later on in an evening,

for the vast majority of the time

throughout the year,

it's a very, very, very big positive.

With so many opportunities to enjoy the outdoors,

the Richards' lifestyle could change for ever, if they make the move.

It seems a very safe environment out here for the children.

They can safely play out on the beaches, whereas back home

we'd potentially be, "Where are they?"

You know, they couldn't be able to run free.

You know, exercising all the time, running up and down on the beach,

again, is another positive.

So it's all positives at the moment.

With the final vote only a couple of days away,

meeting up with Claire's brother and family is a welcome break

from the strain of such a big decision.

Making new friends may take time, but being back together has

reminded Claire of what inspired her dream in the first place.

All that I've seen and we've done so far

and seeing how the children are,

it does bring it home to me how important it is.

I'm hoping that what he sees here and what he's done here,

I'm hoping that he thinks, "Yeah, it is better."

For Claire, New Zealand would mean being close to people

and a lifestyle she loves, but have Paul and the girls

been convinced that Kiwi living is for them, too?

Based on the lifestyle here in New Zealand, our vote goes to...

-ALL: New Zealand!

-New Zealand.

So far, there's been nothing to fault

anything to do with the lifestyle.

The beaches, the scenery, the climate, the outdoor living,

everything is superb.

That's quite a turnaround from Paul

and great news for Claire.

And, to top things off,

a family barbecue is a fitting end to the day.

-Do you want a go?

-No, it's November, Rob. You can't do this in November.

It's not only the seasons that are confused down under.

After not seeing each other for three years, some of the family

need a little more time to put faces and names together again.

Grandma!

LAUGHTER

Thanks, Ben.

I don't know why he's calling me grandma,

unless I look like my mother.

And while the girls catch up on Kiwi fashions,

Mum and Dad can drink to old friends.

-Ready?

-Cheers.

-Cheers.

Good to see you, good to have you here.

The Kiwi lifestyle was a big success with the Richards

and seeing familiar faces

would make emigrating a lot easier to handle,

but being reunited with family in New Zealand won't come

without the pain of leaving others behind at home.

Right, do you think we're OK to let the children watch it?

-Let's ask them. Do you want to see what people have got to say?

-Yeah.

-Yeah?

-Yeah.

-Yeah? OK.

Hello, Paul. Hello, Claire.

'Hello, girls. Woo!'

Hi, Paul,

Claire and girls.

Hi, Claire, Paul and the Penkridge three.

I've worried about Claire from

the day she was born and I

never, ever, you know,

go very long without thinking about her,

some time or other.

I think the lifestyle, for them, is good there,

cos that's the way they are.

I think it will be the best thing ever for them,

but I'll be gutted.

I don't want them to go.

Well, I'll just be brokenhearted.

Yeah, we've got two children,

then we wouldn't have any children, would we?

If they feel that they can

move to New Zealand and better themselves

more than what they have done, well,

we can't say anything against you.

We'll support them, but I don't want them to go, obviously.

I'm going to miss the girls hugely.

They're... It's been an honour

being their godfather,

and watching them growing up over the last 12 years.

It's going to be like losing part of the family, you know?

It's going to be hard.

It's being selfish, I know,

to say that we don't want you to go,

but we don't really.

But whatever you decide, we'll back you up.

You know, somewhere down inside I just...

I can't think about that one.

We just wish you well.

And...

buy a big house so we can

come and stay with you.

So what do you think of that, then?

Well...

-You look like you're a bit touched by it all.

-Yeah, I was.

What about you, Elise? What do you think?

I'm going to be sad.

What? Cos you wouldn't see them so often?

Right. And what about you, Paul?

Yeah, I didn't think it would

pull at my heartstrings so much, to be honest.

One of my reasons why I don't really want to come out here

was cos of family and friends.

-But we've got cousins here.

-I know we've got family here,

but we haven't got all the family

out here, have we?

And it's not just family,

it's friends, as well.

Watching messages reminded the family just how much

they'd have to give up for a new start down under.

But, having fallen for the lifestyle,

they know the rewards that could be on offer, too.

So, how will the Richards make their final decision?

Had an absolutely brilliant time, all round.

Everything that we've done, everything we've experienced

has just been above and beyond

what I expected, I think, really.

Thinking about it properly, it's been a bit of a rollercoaster ride.

I am honestly, honestly

undecided on what to do at this moment in time.

I don't know how I'm going to make the decision.

I am really anxious about the way... what Paul's decision will be.

I think, for him, in fairness to him,

whatever decision he makes won't be...

Well, it's not going to be, for either of us, an easy decision.

My heart is kind of saying, you know,

I really should be coming out here,

because it is fantastic.

But, you know, decisions like this, you really shouldn't...

my personal view is you should be making with your head.

You know, weighing up absolutely every option.

If he turns around and says it's an absolute, definite no,

I think I'll be... well, be gutted, I suppose.

It would make me sad, but you know... definitely.

It's been a week to remember for the Richards,

but, at the end of it, will heads rule hearts,

or will the promise of a new life make Claire's dream come true?

Based on our week here in New Zealand,

our final vote goes to...

-The UK.

-New Zealand.

-New Zealand.

Elise, why have you voted for the UK?

I really like New Zealand, but I'd just miss my family.

I mean, it would be nice

if we could all live in New Zealand.

I voted for similar reasons as Elise, and based on the fact

on the friends and family that we'll be leaving behind,

I think it's too much.

So, have you dismissed it now, or are you going to consider?

No, I haven't dismissed it as an option.

It's given me a lot more information as to what

we need to take into consideration.

It's something that we need to take away and look and review.

Choosing the right future for your family is never easy

and it looks like this is one conversation

that still has some distance to run.

But, wherever their journey takes them,

we wish the Richards all the very best.

Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd