Treagust/Woodward Family Wanted Down Under

Many couples dream of moving down under

in search of a better life, but, for some,

the reality of emigrating is a tougher challenge

than they could ever have imagined.

Andrew Treagust has high ambitions for a new life down under.

I could so do this for a living. It could be my office every day.

But wife Emma's just not convinced.

I like the idea of it, um, I don't know if I like the reality of it.

So, he's on a mission to persuade her.

-That view is stunning, isn't it?

-But when the figures don't add up...

We can't make this model work. It's got to be rethought.

..will his dream be over?

With its amazing scenery and diverse culture, New Zealand has long been

a place of interest for British citizens looking to emigrate.

But, of the estimated 12,000 who make the move every year,

almost a quarter return.

Proof indeed that achieving a dream lifestyle on

the other side of the world isn't as easy as you think.

Ahead of Andrew and Emma is just one week to explore whether

New Zealand could give their family the happier, healthier lifestyle

they've always dreamt of. At the end of their trip,

they'll have to make a heartbreaking decision -

whether to stay in the UK or leave family and loved ones behind

and move to the other side of the world.

To get from the UK to New Zealand, Emma, Andrew

and the boys have endured 25 hours in the air.

It's a long and difficult journey for anyone,

but, with two young children in tow, how was the flight?

It feels a really long time when you're on the plane, doesn't it?

-Yeah, you wouldn't want to do it all the time...

-No.

-..that's for sure.

But, it was better than I expected with two young children.

-And we didn't have much sleep, really, did we?

-No.

-But no toddler meltdown, so it was good.

-Yeah!

It definitely feels real now we're here and really exciting as well.

-Yeah.

-It's going to be a big adventure.

-And there's an aeroplane.

-And there's an aeroplane.

-Aeroplane!

-I know.

Albert's still thinking about how he got here,

but Andrew and Emma's thoughts have turned to the week ahead.

I'm really looking forward to experiencing being here as

if we live here, I think that's going to be a really important indicator.

-Yeah.

-That's really where my hopes...

-And my fears are is that we're really split on our opinions.

-Yeah, true.

I just hope we either like it or dislike it.

-Yeah, I don't want to come away more confused.

-Exactly, yeah.

Where are we? We're in...?

-New Zealand.

-New Zealand, that's right!

-Yay!

Young Albert and George are blissfully unaware -

this week, their mum and dad will have to make

one of the toughest decisions of their lives.

Back in the UK, Andrew Treagust and Emma Woodward live with

two-year-old Albert and baby George, just outside Brighton.

Life's good in the UK - a beautiful home, two lovely children

and plenty of friends and family to support them,

but Andrew wants to give it all up for a new life down under.

We've worked really hard and I think we've probably worked too hard,

especially over the last ten years.

In 2012, Andrew resigned from a high-powered career in the city,

a job he loved, but which eventually wore him down.

It was very hard work, and the stressful nature of

just being on all the time, was probably too much.

If he does something, he has to do it to the nth degree

and it has to be perfect and it has to be the best

and, um, I think that he feels he feels like he needs a complete break

and a complete change from the life that he has here in order to

be able to not do that any more.

We've worked to generate money to buy a nice house and

do all those things that you need to do, and, during that process,

we've realised that there's more to life than just working.

He could just go and be...

relaxed Andrew, rather than driven Andrew,

and I think that's what New Zealand represents to him.

Andrew knows exactly what he wants from New Zealand.

It's got to give us a great house, it's got to give us

a great lifestyle, it's got to give us community,

it's got to give us good schooling, and it's got to be

somewhere that we want to live for the rest of our lives.

But Emma's torn over a potential move.

I don't know if I really want to go. I like the idea of it.

I don't know if I like the reality of it, to be honest with you!

And her career in the UK could prove a huge sticking point.

I love my job. I'm passionate about what I do.

I can really use my knowledge in order to help people effect positive

change in their lives and that's a great thing to be able to do.

Having left school with few qualifications,

Emma's spent more than ten years striving to achieve her dream -

to become an educational psychologist.

Abandoning it would be an enormous ask.

To give that up and move somewhere else that might not be as...

as I want it to be, is really hard.

Emma also dreads the thought of breaking strong family bonds

in the UK, especially taking Albert away from her mum, his beloved nana.

They adore each other.

They meet on some kind of level, it's bizarre to see

a 60-year-old woman and a two-year-old, but they just...

They connect and they just love each other.

I've seen such an amazing side of my mum since Albert was born...

that...

..I don't think she deserves me to take him away from her.

Emma is prepared to give New Zealand a try.

If there's a possibility that our family life could be...

more equally shared out in terms of happiness and potential

and enjoyability and all of those things somewhere else then

I have a responsibility to go and explore that.

That's about being a family, isn't it?

That's about compromise, that's about sharing.

But if she doesn't like what she sees,

Andrew's dream could be over for ever.

Emma has to like it, or it's not going to work for any of us.

If Emma says no, then no is the way it's going to go.

The Treagust Woodwards face a massive dilemma -

Andrew's convinced New Zealand's outdoor lifestyle would

offer his family a better future,

but, unless he can persuade Emma it's worth giving up a job she's

fought so hard to get, his long-held dream could come to nothing.

And with such strong emotional ties in the UK,

could leaving loved ones behind prove a step too far?

For their trial week in New Zealand, Andrew, Emma

and the boys are visiting Auckland.

Home for their stay is a two-bedroom cottage

on the outskirts of Devonport,

a seaside village just a ten-minute ferry ride from the city centre,

but will it be the introduction to Kiwi living they're hoping for?

What do you think?

-I think it's really cute.

-It is cute.

-Yeah.

-It feels quite quirky, doesn't it?

-It does feel quite quirky.

-Nice kitchen - it's nice, it's just small.

-It is, isn't it?

-Yeah.

Albert's already found somewhere to sleep, but what about Mum and Dad?

-Is it the master bedroom?

-Yeah, it looks like it's the master bedroom.

-And, again, it's nice.

-It's nice and it's quiet.

Emma's quite taken with the place.

I actually really like the feel of the house and I like the fence

and I like the rooms all going out to the decking area.

For a base, it's a really lovely little...

place to be staying.

-But Andrew isn't overly impressed.

-This will be good for the week.

-Yeah, definitely.

-And I think the boys will really enjoy it.

-Yeah.

But a house that we buy would need to be of a different size.

With Albert still out for the count, Emma and Andrew's thoughts have

already turned to the big decision they face at the end of the week.

At the moment, I'm quite...

tired from the journey, and that tells me something -

it's a really long way, you know, so that's already

kind of making me think...

You know, it's a big separation from your family

and it is a massive effort to get here.

I'm worried, um...

that we're not going to be able to afford the property that we

think we are going to be able to afford.

I've got a lot to lose if we do leave the UK and I want to make sure

that what I'm leaving behind is being replaced by something better.

But, in spite of their fears,

they're both looking forward to what lies ahead.

I'm quite excited about it. I'm quite up for it at the moment.

It's really interesting just to be here...

and it be turning to reality now.

Back in the UK, Emma and Andrew live with Albert and baby George

in a four-bedroom detached house in Saltdean just outside Brighton.

They love their house, so what kind of home

would lure them to New Zealand?

It's got to be a good size, four bedrooms,

and, possibly, somewhere for guests to stay.

It's got to be fairly open plan, it's got to be self-cleaning!

THEY LAUGH Just bright and airy and comfortable.

Hopefully, near to the sea, so that we can go surfing quite a lot.

I want it to be fantastic.

Andrew and Emma own a number of properties and have set

themselves a healthy starting budget

of £540,000 for a home down under.

I don't want to have to do any work, I want to be able,

if we're going to move, to just move in.

We've done enough.

We've renovated house after house after house.

I don't want to move to another country, a different job,

and have to start renovating.

-Not at all. That's not what the move is about.

-No.

Finding the right house down under will be crucial

if Andrew's to persuade Emma to make the move.

So, today, we'll show them three properties based on what

they've said they want and need.

After they've seen each house, we'll reveal how much it costs.

Leaving Albert and George with a childminder for the day,

their property search begins at the newly-built

Kensington Park development on the Hibiscus Coast.

20 minutes north of Auckland,

this modern four-bedroom house is close to the beach,

which should be perfect for surf-mad Andrew,

but will it have the space they're after?

-It's a big house!

-Yeah, it's a big garage.

-And it's a nice garage as well.

-Yeah.

Early days, but Andrew seems happy with the size so far.

-Look at that view.

-Oh, it's a lovely view.

-And it's big.

-Yeah.

-Oh, it's nice. It's a proper family area, isn't it?

-Hmm.

It feels like it, doesn't it?

Open-plan kitchen.

-Not much of a garden.

-Not much of a garden, is there?!

-It's kind of an uphill yard, isn't it?

-Yeah.

The outdoor space might not be perfect, but Emma's still impressed.

-A really nice kitchen.

-It is a nice kitchen.

-Yeah.

-I like the work surfaces.

-And you could cook... Look at that view

-when you're cooking.

-It's really nice.

You could just cook looking at your sea view.

-You'd want to do your washing up, wouldn't you?

-No!

The views have put a much more positive spin on things

and the higher you go, the better they get.

-Look at that!

-Wow! That's got the wow factor, hasn't it?

-What a view.

-Now, if that doesn't entice you to get up

and go surfing in the morning, I don't know what will. That's amazing.

That is gorgeous and the balcony as well.

You wouldn't be able to wake up unhappy with that view, would you?

It's not a large room though.

Uh, oh. It had looked almost perfect.

As this development is still being built,

will potential neighbours be a turn off too?

-You feel really high up, which I really like.

-Yeah, I like that too.

So, you don't just get the view, it just feels like you're not

-so overlooked up here.

-Yeah.

Even though, your neighbours are really near, aren't they?

But, they're not...

-They're sideways, you're not feeling encroached upon, are you?

-No.

That's a relief, as, with four bedrooms, this house

certainly has the space the couple want for visiting friends or family.

-But that would work really well as a guest bed, wouldn't it?

-Yeah.

-It's the...

-Would you want to use it more often,

-cos it's got this lovely view?

-Yeah.

This house has everything they've been looking for, but...

I'm not sure if I'm absolutely smitten with it.

I don't know if I've got to say I have to buy this house right now,

but what would you not like about it? That's the thing.

Will their impressive £540,000 budget cover it?

-So, what do you think it's going to be?

-I'm not sure.

It's going to be a lot, isn't it?

-Yeah. Shall we find out?

-Let's find out.

Wow! £648,500!

That's more than £100,000 over budget, but...

-That's good.

-That's a lot of house for your money, isn't it?

-Yeah,

-for that view.

-For that view.

I'm surprised, I thought it was going to be nearer 900,000.

That is really good. Let's buy it!

It may be over budget, but,

thanks to a property portfolio in the UK,

Andrew and Emma would have the ability to increase

their spending power, so they're not put off.

Next up is a spacious six-bedroom house in Mairangi Bay,

also on the North Shore.

With fabulous beaches and excellent kindergarten,

and a lively community, this area could be perfect for

Andrew and Emma's young family, but will they agree?

-That's a really interesting shape, isn't it?

-Yeah.

It's quite close to that main road.

It's really close to the main road, isn't it?

Which worries me with two young boys.

-And you can hear the road as well.

-Not the best start,

but will the main living area of the house win them over?

Ah, here's the kitchen. I like it.

It's a nice through area, isn't it?

-Oh, it's really nice.

-It is very long and narrow.

No, it's not. It's...I do, I think I prefer it to the other house.

-I feel it...

-It's not as good as the other house.

It feels more homely, I think.

It does feel more homely, but it's just not as open and airy.

Maybe it's cos it feels...lived in, because this is somebody's house.

It is lived in.

Looks like Andrew and Emma have different opinions on this one.

See, I like that it feels open-plan, but it's got defined areas

and I quite like that, because where we live at the moment,

-it's all open-plan.

-Yeah.

And it's lovely cos you can see the kids,

but if one area's messy, the whole area's messy.

But they're small, defined areas, aren't they?

It's like...the rooms feel quite small to me.

Size is still an issue for Andrew

and it's not the only problem they've noticed.

There's a reason why that's drawn, isn't it?

Because that's obviously quite overlooked.

And there's a shared access right outside of the house.

-Yeah, there's a lot of stuff that you can't control over here.

-Exactly.

I'm not sure this is going to be the house that convinces either

Andrew or Emma to make the move down under.

And then the kids' bedroom is slightly bigger...

It's a good room, apart from its view onto the road...

..which I don't like.

-They're not huge bedrooms, are they? None of them really.

-No.

There weren't huge bedrooms in the other house really though,

-were they?

-Bigger than this.

One thing this house does have that the last one didn't is

the granny annexe that the couple are looking for.

It's a completely different spin on it, doesn't it?

This is perfect for when people come and stay

-and they literally walk themselves down and there's not a problem.

-Yeah.

And you can have friends with kids stay because there's two spaces.

-Yeah.

-The grandparents would be happy as, wouldn't they?

-Yeah.

-It'd be lovely.

-That's something they agree on,

but will the garden offer the space

-the couple would like for Albert and George?

-It's OK.

It's not much of a garden though, is it?

No, the other one didn't have much of a garden, though, did it?

And there are two big deck areas and a garden, so, actually,

outside space is quite big, it's just all on different levels.

-Do you think I'm being quite fussy?

-What? You, Andrew?

-Yeah.

-You have to be fussy, I think, but, still,

there's not much of a garden space.

So, I suppose we'd better go and see how much it's worth, really.

If we can't afford it, there's not much point.

Will their starting budget of £540,000 cover the cost

if they did agree to go for this house?

I think about 700 to 750.

-I reckon 850.

-Let's see.

-Wow!

-There you go.

687.

It's almost £150,000 over their budget, but finding the extra funds

doesn't seem to be a problem for Andrew and Emma.

That's a good price for what you get, isn't it?

Yeah, it's interesting.

And now confusing.

-It still doesn't make me want to go and buy it right now.

-No.

It's affordable, but Andrew's heart isn't in this house.

With two down, let's hope the last property can offer the couple

everything they're looking for.

It's a four-bedroom house in Torbay, also on the North Shore

and close to the beach.

The house has a completely separate granny annexe, perfect for

visiting parents, and offers the open-plan living the couple love.

From the outside, it looks promising.

Yeah, it's lovely.

-But will the interiors be what they're after?

-Wow.

-It's nice.

-Yeah.

-Oh, my gosh, it's nice.

That's OK, isn't it?

Not too shabby, is it?

That view is stunning, isn't it?

And it's all about being outside and eating and barbecuing.

-Oh, it just feels so nice, it feels quite secluded, doesn't it?

-But...

You can hear the road though.

Can you get to the kitchen?

DISTANT TRAFFIC

-Yeah.

-The road noise could be a problem, but can Emma see beyond it?

Well, it is absolutely beautiful,

it's just also...you want to kind of...

..take everything out and start again.

-It's just not done to my taste at all.

-Yeah.

First the road, then the decor... Are cracks beginning to show?

-It's quite a small room.

-They're all small bedrooms.

-Do you know when you're kind of coming into the house...

-Yeah.

-..and it looks really quite imposing?

-It's imposing, isn't it?

-Definitely not as big inside as you think it's going to be.

-No.

Especially when you consider that there's the granny flat downstairs.

As it stands now, this may not be the house for Emma or Andrew,

but could the cost change their mind?

I don't feel confident about making a guess. What do you think?

-I think slightly more than the last one.

-OK, what about...?

I just think it's so central in Torbay and it's on a nice road...

-About 750?

-I think about 7.

-OK.

My goodness!

-That's great value.

-Really good value.

£521,000.

That's almost £20,000 under budget.

-If you spent...what? £50,000 changing it...

-Mm-hm.

..that's still...

..70 grand cheaper than the last cheapest house.

I'm really surprised.

Exploring the local housing market has been

a real eye-opener for Andrew and Emma.

Property one was something of a show stopper,

and less expensive than the couple expected.

The second house was £147,000 over their starting budget,

but the price didn't seem to put them off.

And although property three didn't live up to first impressions,

it's price tag meant they could afford

to turn it into their dream home.

So, based on what they know now,

will the couple vote for property in the UK or New Zealand?

We've had an interesting day looking at properties and,

based on that, we vote for...

BOTH: New Zealand!

It was a good day, wasn't it?

A really good day.

I was really surprised that you got that much property for your money.

-Yeah.

-Amazing locations, everything that we asked for on spec...

Big enough for the family.

-Big enough for friends and family to come and stay.

-Yeah.

And amazing views and in a lovely location.

I don't know what else you could ask for, really.

It's a great start for Andrew.

Emma's first vote for New Zealand is a big step in the right direction.

The desire to come to New Zealand has always been

about the relaxed outdoor lifestyle they could enjoy as a family.

So, will a day out of Kiwi style living be enough to keep

the dream alive?

Andrew and Emma are both keen surfers, so we've taken them to

Piha Beach, a popular surfing spot just 40 minutes drive from the city.

While baby George is looked after by a child minder, it's a chance for

Andrew to show Emma, and Albert,

the kind of lifestyle he's been dreaming about.

-I think we'd come down every weekend, wouldn't we?

-Yeah!

It's so close to the city and it's such a beautiful place,

not just a beautiful beach.

Previously self-taught, the day starts with a quick lesson

for Mum and Dad, while Albert plays on the beach.

So, by getting your feet 100% right,

your board becomes an extension of your body.

-'It's so much fun.

-Yeah.

'Not the kind of surf you get very often in the UK, really.'

-Well, where we live, anyway.

-No.

Albert might be a little young to fully appreciate the surf,

but can Andrew and Emma picture this for his future?

We'd love to see the boys growing up in a wet suit and just surfing

every weekend, getting really good at it, being really natural.

Just being happy, enjoying it, you know?

It's the sort of thing that I suppose, we wish we'd done as kids

and it'd be really lovely to afford

-Albert and George that, wouldn't it, really?

-Definitely.

After their morning riding waves,

the couple take the boys to a nearby park for some playtime.

Oh, there's a cool ship down here...

Emma knows the day so far is everything Andrew's been hoping for.

It ticks a lot of boxes for him in terms of the kind of work-life

balance and getting that kind of adrenaline hit in a lifestyle

rather than in kind of a high-pressure career, which is

where he seems to get it in the UK.

But is Andrew confident he can get Emma to agree to this

lifestyle on a permanent basis?

She seems really comfortable here and, um,

'when we've been driving about, she says sometimes that she thinks she

'could live here, so I think that's a really good indication of

'the way things might go in the future.'

Watching the kids here has been brilliant,

I don't feel so far away from home. It feels familiar, but...different.

It's... It feels relaxed and then I think about being at home...

I don't know, really.

They're all kind of...

There's no clear tipping point at the moment.

Will Andrew be disappointed as the family choose

between a lifestyle in New Zealand or the UK?

-Ouch!

-Sorry.

-I got flagged on the head!

ALBERT LAUGHS

We've had a lovely day today and, based on that, we vote for...

-New Zealand.

-New Zealand.

-New Zealand.

-Yay!

You're fantastic, aren't you? You've got sand all over your face!

You said, "New Zealand!"

Emma's vote for New Zealand may have given him some confidence,

but Andrew knows there's a much bigger battle ahead.

Back in the UK, Emma loves her job as an educational psychologist.

It's a career she's worked hard for.

I kind of went back to college in the evenings and worked and got...

the GCSEs that I needed and then did an Access course

and then took myself off to University and did my degree

and then worked for three years

to save up enough money really to

take another three years out to do my doctorate.

I'm really passionate about my job, it's really important to me

and it enables me to empower people to make change in their own lives.

Giving all this up would be a massive wrench.

I feel quite entrenched in my role here,

I feel quite loyal to where I work, um,

I feel quite loyal to my colleagues and my boss,

because it's an amazing place to work and I'm going to have to,

potentially, give all that up if we move.

Andrew's dreaming of a complete career change,

if the couple did move.

I'd love to be a snowboard instructor.

I can imagine waking up and being really excited

about going to the mountain and having the mountain as your office.

You know, it's a fantastic dream to have.

But unless Emma can find the right post,

his dreams could come to nothing.

It's a deal breaker for me, I suppose. It is a deal breaker for me.

'You can't change the way that you feel about it and,

'if it doesn't feel right, I genuinely don't know'

if I'd be able to do it.

The stakes are high. While the boys are looked after by a childminder,

Andrew and Emma set out to explore work opportunities in Auckland.

Andrew's dream rests on Emma being satisfied

she can get the type of work she wants.

I think, if this bit doesn't come right then, obviously,

it doesn't really matter whether I prefer the rest of it or not, um...

because I'm going to be the main breadwinner.

We've arranged for Emma to meet a clinical psychologist

at the Waitemata District Health Board.

-Hi!

-How are you? I'm Tina. I'm the psychology professional leader here.

-So, this is the sort of place that, um, you would be working...

-Mm-hm.

..when you're working in a team. It's open-plan, most of the offices.

-Yeah.

-Across town, Andrew's pursuing his dream

to become a snowboard instructor at

New Zealand's only indoor snow sports facility

and he can't wait to hit the slopes.

I could so do this for a living. It could be my office every day.

Back in the real world,

Emma's finding out about her work prospects.

Based on my CV, would I be able to get a job in New Zealand?

-Yes, very definitely. You're on our wanted list.

-OK.

Clinical psychologists and educational psychologists

are needed in New Zealand.

You've got experience and training in both those areas.

So, it's really a matter of what sort of area you'd like to work in?

OK, that's good news. Excellent.

That's a good start,

but Emma's worried working practices might be different in New Zealand.

You're, um, wanting to work more on the child and family area,

-aren't you?

-That's my qualification, yeah.

-Yes.

Usually, the psychologists work sort of across the whole, um,

sector, but you can specialise in the younger preschoolers

-or you can work with the older adolescents.

-OK.

You would work with these children, with their families, and with the

schools in order to try and sort of support them through their problems.

OK, that sounds very similar, actually.

That's one concern put to rest.

-What is the average day for a psychologist in New Zealand?

-Busy!

Same!

Back at the snow dome, Andrew's meeting manager Brad Alwyn

to find out what work opportunities could exist

at some of New Zealand's snowboard resorts.

So, I've been snowboarding about ten years.

I'm trying to be realistic about it being a career choice,

but really a lifestyle opportunity.

I'm just really exploring from your point of view whether it's

feasible and whether it's something that I could potentially do.

It's definitely feasible.

It's worth, once you arrive, doing a New Zealand based qualification.

Through the course, we can see how well you actually teach.

We can teach anyone to snowboard, we can't teach everyone to teach.

-Yeah.

-Once qualified, another concern for Andrew

is where the work would actually be.

We have North and South Island resorts,

so instructors live wherever they can sort of find the most work.

In a full day, an average ski instructor would probably

-work six hours during peak season.

-Mm-hm.

-Your part-time or casual instructor may only get two hours a week.

-OK.

The window that we have to make money and to ski

-and for you to be employed is four months, if we're lucky.

-Yeah.

That definitely wouldn't be a full-time option,

which would put even more pressure on Emma to earn a good salary.

Ultimately, how much as a psychologist would you get

paid to work in New Zealand?

Right, I don't want you to have a, you know,

look of shock on your face!

Um, with three to ten years' experience, it's nearer 61 to,

-say about, 97,000.

-OK.

Um, you'd be somewhere in the middle there, I'd imagine.

That's around £10,000 less than Emma earns back home.

When British psychologists hear about this, they go, "Oh, no!"

Because it is a drop, but then we sort of say,

"But the lifestyle's great!"

Could Andrew's potential income fill the shortfall?

As a rookie or a first-year employee,

you can expect to earn minimum wage or about 14.50 an hour.

As you up your qualifications, you can expect more money.

That wouldn't make up for the deficit in Emma's salary.

It may be his dream job, but Andrew would be earning the minimum wage.

Today's given the couple plenty of food for thought.

Could it be the end of Andrew's dream?

So, based on today, our vote is for...

Undecided.

Me too!

Why undecided?

Um, because, although I felt that some of my fears were allayed,

-um, I still really like my job at home.

-Hmm.

It's a great lifestyle opportunity, I'm just not sure I'm ready to take

a lifestyle opportunity right now.

Despite loving the lifestyle, the cold, hard facts remain.

If Emma and Andrew move here, they would be earning a lot less money.

'Although they own three properties, they're reluctant to sell them all

'in case a move down under doesn't work out.'

What they get for their home in Brighton could be crucial.

They believe it's worth around £350,000,

so we've sent round two estate agents to find out if they're right.

-Oh, this is nice.

-It's funny seeing your house on TV.

-Isn't it?

This is a really good room.

It's obviously been rooms which were formerly divided making one

big room now with a well-fitted kitchen with lots of storage

and a good built-in cooker.

-ALBERT:

-That is my house.

That's right, that's yours and baby George's room.

'OK, great to see a utility room,'

that's a real selling feature, especially when you've got open-plan

living cos you really don't want to have the noise of

the washing machine while you're entertaining friends.

(Where is she going?) THEY GASP

-Whose room is that?

-That's my bedroom!

-That's your bedroom.

Really light with a dual aspect makes a perfect kids'

bedroom or guest bedroom as well.

Now, this is a nice room.

Um, yeah, it's good to have those wardrobes right the way across and,

actually, the shower room with an oversized shower cubicle is great.

So, I'd have to say this is a really nice master bedroom.

So, a house of this size and style in this location,

I'd value at between

£285,000 and £295,000. So, £285,000 for a quick sale.

Not much.

For a house like this in this area,

I'd suggest an asking price of £380,000.

If we were looking for a quick sale,

we would expect to ask

£350,000.

-There's £100,000 range there.

-Yeah, massive.

-350, 360,

I think would be about right, wouldn't you? Realistically?

It's good news, but to help them

understand the financial side of life down under, we've

prepared a comparison of the cost of living in the UK and New Zealand.

They start with the weekly food shop.

Fruit...

-Fruit's quite a lot more expensive.

-It's quite a lot more expensive.

-Spinach is randomly quite a lot more expensive.

-Spinach...

£1.28 more expensive.

Semi-skimmed milk is £3.09 more expensive.

That is hugely more expensive. What's cheaper?

-Couscous is cheaper.

-OK.

-And flour is cheaper.

So, you have to do a lot of baking,

but almost everything is more expensive.

Unless Andrew and Emma change their shopping habits,

they'll be forking out substantially more for food in New Zealand.

-£37.43 more expensive.

-Wow.

That's an increase of more than £150 every month.

Basing their calculations on the final property they saw,

the couple move on to compare the bigger costs of living.

-So, our mortgage in the UK is £670.

-Mm-hm.

Our mortgage in New Zealand for the property that we

looked at would be £1,583.

So, that's an increase in mortgage payments of...

£913 a month.

-Which is...that's the big one. That's not great at all.

-No.

The figures aren't looking good.

Will the move turn out as little more than a pipe dream?

So, we'll be a total of

-£1,784 worse off...

-Worse off...

..on this model in New Zealand.

-And that's huge.

-That's massive.

-And we couldn't effectively do that.

With the figures weighing heavily on their minds, it's time for

Emma and Andrew to choose between finances in the UK or New Zealand.

So, based on what we've just been looking at, we vote for...

-Undecided.

-UK.

I just think that we can't make this model work

and it's got to be rethought.

That's why I voted undecided, because it's not...it doesn't kill

-the idea of moving to New Zealand completely dead.

-Yeah.

It just means we need to rethink how we would do it,

but there is wriggle room and that's why I've gone undecided.

-OK.

-Based on what we've done, it's just not working.

Simple as that. Yeah.

Emma and Andrew's trial week has revealed some harsh home truths,

but there's more to come.

Emma's always been worried about taking her children away from her

mum, so will watching messages from friends

and loved ones at home prove too heartbreaking?

While baby George takes a nap,

they settle down to watch the DVD together.

-Albert, look.

-Hi, Emma and the boys. Hope you're having a fab time.

What's that?

Hope you're having a lovely time in New Zealand

and we're missing you and we hope to see you very soon.

Hi, Andrew and Emma, hope you're having a fantastic time.

Hope you're having a wonderful time.

They're lovely. They're really lovely.

A very close family. Um, they...

they like going out and doing things together, they like being by the sea.

They're free spirits. They are adventurous.

They've done a lot of travelling.

Emma is very zesty. Um...

I'm pretty proud to have her as a daughter, actually,

because she's full of life.

That's my Grandma!

I'm incredibly proud of when, you know, she got her doctorate

and then went on to become a doctor of psychology.

Andrew's my younger brother.

Um, he's always been a bit of a wanderer.

He's always liked doing a lot of travelling.

But he's a great guy, he really is a great guy, and he adores his kids.

And he's always there if you need him.

Andrew and I lost our dad coming up for three years now

and we have become much closer since we lost Dad

and it's really nice having him close.

Even, you know, even though we may not get a chance to see him

as much as we'd like, having Andrew nearby is a comfort.

It is the little ones that I think...

-just tugs at your heartstrings a bit more.

-Yeah, it's...yeah, yeah.

Yeah, yeah.

Albert is gorgeous. Obviously, I'm a little bit biased.

He's the best grandson in the world. There's nobody like Albert.

Um, he's beautiful.

I love his eyes, I love his smile, I love the way his eyes light up

when I walk in the room. We love each other.

We have a real bond, we do, we really have.

Albert is absolutely gorgeous and he loves coming to our house

and he smiles and he's as good as gold and he loves the horses

and just a lovely, lovely little boy.

Yeah, there would be a gap, a huge gap.

'Also, the opportunity of not getting to know George.

'I think that's the big thing.'

I have a small circle of very close friends and

Emma and Andrew are sort of in that circle,

so it would leave a bit of a gap if they went.

It would feel quite empty, wouldn't it, really?

-Just knowing that they're not here.

-It would be hard, I think.

Yeah, well, if they enjoy their selves out there, then,

they can make their decision, but it's always nice to have them be

just an hour or so drive away. Oh!

We can't pretend we're happy about it.

But, we're not unhappy about it, you know,

it's just the fact we're going to miss you, miss the kids.

But, for all that, I hope it goes well for you and it's what you

really, really want and, if that's the case, then we're all for it.

-Your mum looked a bit devastated.

-Hmm, Mum will really miss the kids.

I think it's the grandparent connection that's the really,

really hard one and that's the one that came across strongest

on the film and I think that's the biggest concern for me.

I might wake up one morning

and kind of think that the boys are missing out on so much

because they're not near the grandparents, even though

they've got everything here - you know, nice climate,

beaches, lifestyle, that kind of thing.

That's not really something you can replace so much, is it?

I just don't know.

It's a massive responsibility saying what can be offered here is better...

or is worth halting those relationships in its tracks

and I don't know if I want that

responsibility to make that call, really.

You know, I don't know if we're just confusing it. I don't know.

No, I don't know, but we've got to do what's best...

-..for us and the kids.

-Yeah, but that's what I'm saying.

But that's part of the decision, isn't it?

You know, that's a big...to say that growing up in New Zealand is

more important or better for them

than having a relationship with their grandparents is not really

-a decision...they're not two options I want to decide between.

-No.

Yeah.

Hearing messages from those they love the most has been

a painful reminder of what Emma and Andrew will lose

if they decide to leave the UK

and it seems Emma is especially torn over what to do for her children.

Give them a new life in New Zealand or keep them close

to the grandparents who love them so dearly?

With their trial week coming to an end,

Emma and Andrew know they can't put their decision off for much longer.

I hoped New Zealand would be good.

It's been amazing and the country itself, I love to bits.

I really enjoyed getting a sense of what it'd be like to live here rather

than just to be on holiday here.

I think it's been an invaluable experience.

For the couple, the real pull of New Zealand was always

the lifestyle it could potentially offer.

So, has Kiwi living delivered on its promise?

'To see Albert in a wetsuit standing around by the surfboards

'and seeing the other kids surfing. That's a real...'

wow moment, so that's something that I loved

and I think he would grow up just enjoying that beach.

But, with so much at stake, will the lifestyle be enough to

convince Emma to move to the other side of the world?

'It would be very easy to sit here in this beautiful park

'surrounded by a really family friendly environment

'and be seduced by the idea of living in New Zealand,'

until I've got that flag in my hand, I don't know how I'm going to vote.

She has told me she's willing to sacrifice part of her

career aspirations, if you like, for the lifestyle of us

and our children, and I think that's a lovely thing to do,

but I'm not sure how I feel about that.

So, after 15 years of talking about it, when it comes to the

final turn of the cards, where do Andrew and Emma see their future?

New Zealand or the UK?

We've had a really interesting week and,

based on everything we've seen, we vote...

-New Zealand.

-Undecided.

-Undecided, eh?

-I think there were two sticking points for me.

There was the finances and there was friends and family.

If everyone was here and the finances were bad,

then I would have said New Zealand.

And if the finances were better and we got to visit our families

more often, then I would have said New Zealand.

I don't disagree and I think, especially as property is a lot more

expensive and the cost of living is

a lot more expensive than I thought, um,

there are still some questions that we need to answer,

but I still think it's a really serious option.

-I think we could make it work if we wanted to.

-What's your vote?

England!

THEY LAUGH

To the UK!

With such high ambitions,

it was always going to be difficult to make the finances work,

but, in the end, the thought of breaking the bond

between their children and their grandparents was too much for Emma.

It sounds like Andrew hasn't quite given up on his dream though.

Whatever happens next, we wish them all every happiness.