Schnell Family Wanted Down Under

If you were desperate to return

to the country where you were born,

how would you begin to convince your

wife and children to join you?

Especially if that land lies on the other side of the globe.

After 18 years living in the UK, Kiwi Andrew Schnell is

desperate to uproot his young family and move back home.

I have really been wanting to move back to

New Zealand for the last four and a half, maybe five years.

Wife Katrina is reluctant to go...

I know, in reality, that us going to New Zealand will cause

an awful lot of hurt and upset to a lot of people that I love.

..but when the whole family are blown away by Kiwi property...

-Oh, my gosh! That is pretty fantastic.

-Is this it?

-Yeah.

-It's definitely got the wow factor.

-It's amazing. You can't get better.

You just can't get better than this.

..will the value of their house back home put an end to the dream?

-That's no good.

-We wouldn't make a penny on that.

-No.

New Zealand's an island nation just over 1,200 miles south east of

Australia, with a rich and diverse cultural heritage,

around 64% of British families hoping to move there

believe it will offer a more relaxed pace of life,

but is it really the utopia they imagine?

Ahead of Andrew Schnell lies just one week to show his family

how good life could be in the country where he was born.

At the end of the week, they'll face a decision that could

change the course of their lives for ever -

whether to stay in the UK or start a new life down under.

The Schnells have endured almost 40 hours of travelling to

get from Northern Ireland to New Zealand,

and Andrew's family have gathered at the airport to give them

a warm welcome.

'I haven't seen him for, what? Two and a half, three years.

'It's great excitement.'

It's one of those days that you look forward to.

It's an emotional reunion,

but the family are exhausted after their flight.

It's not for the faint-hearted, but we're glad we're here. It was long.

It was a good flight, but it is a long, long flight, so,

it's good to be here at long last.

It seems like it's taken years to come round.

And now they're here, how's Katrina feeling about the week ahead?

I'm coming over with an open mind,

so I'm hoping that answers the questions and,

whatever the answer is, that we can all live with it and move forward.

And that we find peace with it.

But with just one week to come to a life-changing decision,

it looks like Andrew's trip home will be far from relaxing.

Back in the UK, Andrew and Katrina Schnell live with their children,

11-year-old Hannah and nine-year-old Josh

in Cushendall, Northern Ireland.

We've got a really good life here in Cushendall.

We're part of a fabulous community.

We've both got good jobs and the kids are so settled with school.

The couple met backpacking in Australia almost 20 years ago,

but after 18 years of marriage and two children, Andrew, who's

originally from New Zealand, has decided it's time to return home.

I have really been wanting to move back to

New Zealand for the last four and a half, maybe five years.

And, certainly, after being in New Zealand

three years ago on holiday, that's compounded that.

It's been a dream and it's something that's been talked about

both with Katrina and myself and it's caused a few arguments.

But, for Katrina,

emigrating would mean leaving behind close family and friends.

I'm trying to be the supportive wife

and not dampen his enthusiasm for going, but it's very difficult

sometimes, because I know, in reality, that us going to New Zealand

will cause an awful lot of hurt and upset to a lot of people that I love.

The subject's split the family in two, with Josh taking

his dad's side and Hannah erring on the side of caution, like her mum.

I'm looking forward to going, but, if I do go,

whenever I first get there, I'll probably be missing everything,

but I think I'll get over it.

-HANNAH:

-'It is where he grew up and I don't blame him for wanting to

'go back and, you know, seeing his family, his brother,'

but he has to remember that there's the rest of our family to consider.

The Schnells lead an active life in Cushendall.

Josh is mad about hurling

and Hannah's biggest passion is riding her beloved horse, Omagh.

Andrew's convinced, though,

that there's even more opportunities in New Zealand.

I grew up in New Zealand.

I left when I was 21, 22,

and I look at the lifestyle that I had growing up,

the outdoor lifestyle, the fact that you can be outdoors pretty much

12 months of the year and our lives here in Ireland at the moment,

we do feel that we hibernate for, you know,

four and five months a year.

Katrina worries Andrew is only remembering the good old times.

'He does look at it with rose-tinted glasses,

'so I don't know what improvements can be made by moving to New Zealand,

'other than being able to maybe'

forward plan events and doing things

because we know the weather will be on side.

I just don't think it's a strong enough reason to move.

SOUND DIPPED

For her, one of the hardest things to overcome is

the thought of taking the children away from their doting grandparents.

My mum, I think it's fair to say, is treating this like a bereavement.

She's going through the motions, she's cried, she's shouted,

she's got very, very upset about it, about us going

and that weighs heavily on me.

I lose sleep over the idea that this could happen

and that I am going to really hurt the people that I love.

It will be really, really hard.

It's something that weighs very, very heavily with me.

Um, I'm very, very aware of their feelings and,

look, they have been...

they've been parents almost to Hannah and Josh

as much as grandparents.

'Moving would undoubtedly cause heartache

'and while Katrina sometimes finds it an exciting prospect,

'ultimately, her heart is at home.'

'He is acutely aware that the only reason we're considering moving

'to New Zealand is because he's a Kiwi. If I had married'

an Irishman or, you know, someone from this country,

at this point in my life, at 41 years of age with two young children,

I wouldn't be considering moving.

Andrew's well aware of Katrina's feelings, but desperately

wants the chance to make his dream of moving back home their reality.

As it stands at the moment, there's two boys against two girls,

but I don't know if I can swing Katrina round, I really don't.

We have things really, really good here,

so New Zealand's going to have to be pretty special to convince

Katrina that it's the right thing to do.

In New Zealand, the Schnells are visiting the North Island.

With the spine of mountain ranges running through the middle,

this part of the country is dominated by the volcanic plateau,

an active volcanic and thermal area.

For their week down under,

they'll be staying in this fully converted barn nestled in the heart

of the Bombay Hills, just 35 minutes south of Auckland city centre.

-Oh, wow.

-Oh, my word. Look at that.

-We've got a big deck area.

-Look at the view!

-Jeez, that's fantastic.

-Wow!

-Wow.

Set on six acres and with spectacular views back to the

city, it could give the scenic setting they've

left in Northern Ireland a run for its money.

What do you think, Hannah?

Could you...could you live in a place like this?

Yes, but it needs to have flat fields.

It needs to have flat fields.

You can imagine the sun setting down there over Auckland.

-Mm-hm.

-Barbecue.

-Absolutely, and a glass of wine.

-This is just the kind of place where,

if we were going to move, I'd like to live in.

The hilly landscape might not be perfect for horses,

but will the inside impress?

Wow! Oh, my goodness!

-That's beautiful, isn't it?

-It's got so much character. It's lovely.

This is open plan living. That's what you're looking for though, isn't it?

What do you think, Josh? You're just tired, son.

Poor Josh might need a sleep, but is this two-bedroom barn

somewhere the family could temporarily call home?

-Yes, I think this will do the Schnells just fine, won't it?

-Absolutely.

For Andrew, Katrina's enthusiasm is a great start,

as the family face what will almost certainly be a life-changing week.

I'm buzzing to be here, I'm excited to be here,

but I'm a little bit nervous and apprehensive

because I've built it up in my head, I know what it's like.

I'm very aware that this is make or break now,

that one way or another, we're either going to move to New Zealand

or we're going to stay in Northern Ireland.

Back in Northern Ireland,

home for the Schnells is the North Antrim coast.

We have a detached four-bedroom property here in Cushendall

and it's in a great little cul-de-sac.

The neighbours are fantastic and it's got all the bells and whistles,

it's got everything we want and we've worked hard to get it

-and we work hard to keep it, so...

-Yeah.

If the family were persuaded to move down under,

they've clear ideas about what their dream house would offer.

The dream house I know that we've both looked

at on the internet would be a really old sort of style wooden house.

A bit of a lawn to kick a ball about with Josh, and of course,

the paddock for Hannah to ride the horse.

It would be situated on what New Zealanders call a lifestyle plot,

so a couple of acres of land and that's essentially so that Hannah

could have a pony at her own home, rather than having to travel

anywhere to go out on the pony.

I'd be able to see it every day and go out riding every day

and the weather would be great for it,

but I'd also have a big bedroom and maybe even a pool if we're lucky.

I would love us to have four bedrooms or else even have a separate

annexe, but somewhere to facilitate or to accommodate visiting friends

and relations, really just trying to replicate where we live here

at the moment in Cushendall.

The Schnells certainly know what they want,

but will their £250,000 budget be enough to buy what they're after?

Today, we'll show them three properties based on what they need,

what they think they want, and what they can actually afford.

It should give them a realistic insight into the true cost of houses

in New Zealand. First up is the township of Waiuku,

25 miles south west of Auckland's central business district.

Located at the tip of the Waiuku River, this small town has

a thriving community spirit, so could be what Katrina's looking for.

It's also where Andrew's brother lives, which would give Hannah

and Josh plenty of playtime with their cousins.

-HANNAH GASPS

-That is nice!

-That is nice.

-This is lovely, isn't it?

-Yeah.

Upstairs, downstairs.

It's quite a big house.

It is a big house.

This two-storey house has character and land,

but will it appeal to Katrina?

It's a nice room to walk into, isn't it?

But it doesn't seem like a typical New Zealand house to me.

-It looks more like a UK house.

-Yeah.

It's a little bit dated, but that's just...

-Well, we could do it up a bit.

-Yeah.

-There's lots of windows.

There's a little deck area.

Let's see.

-Look at that. That's a great estuary.

-Oh, wow.

I could ride my horse up along that, so I could.

And we could just watch you from here, having a glass of wine.

THEY LAUGH

-That is lovely, isn't it?

-It's lovely, it's not overlooked.

-The gardens are beautiful.

-Nice.

Back inside though, things don't look quite as promising.

-Oh, a little kitchen.

-Oh, that is nice.

- There's a wee door there...

I think little might have been the operative word.

Yeah, you would definitely need to

make it bigger, really, I suppose, just...

Kiwis definitely put more emphasis on outside life than inside their

homes, which is understandable, I suppose, considering the climate.

The house has the four bedrooms Katrina wants,

but will their decor be up to spec?

Well, hey, that's a bit of a surprise.

I didn't expect the room to be as big as that.

-Nice and bright and airy.

-Oh, can this be my room?

I think this might be the master bedroom, Hannah,

-it might be Mummy and Daddy's bedroom.

-I like this house.

I could actually imagine myself living here.

I have yet to be convinced by it. I think it needs a little bit of work.

Hannah can see potential,

but Andrew knows it's Katrina's opinion that really matters.

I like the beams as a feature throughout.

-I don't, really.

-OK.

I think this is just too easy to compare to properties back home.

-Right.

-And I think if I'm going to make a move out to somewhere,

out to here, with the climate that we have, I think

we'll be looking for something more open plan

and more conducive to the weather and everything that we have.

I could be standing in the middle of a house in Belfast right now.

It might not be the house of their dreams,

but could their £250,000 budget afford it?

OK, so what do you think it's worth then?

Pounds...

..I think that you would be paying for the view and everything,

so I'd say it would be around the £200,000, £225,000.

I think maybe around 180. OK.

£267,000!

THEY GASP

-I wouldn't pay that!

-Rip off!

You're paying for the location here,

and the views and everything that, you know...

It is the views, cos the house needs so much work.

£267,000 is still over our budget.

It means there'd be no more money in the pot to do the work that we

feel the property needs.

No, you'd need to be in love with the property to extend what

you're looking to pay and I just don't have the wow factor.

And Hannah, is there a reason why

you think we shouldn't live in a property like this?

-Not enough room for a horse.

-THEY LAUGH

At £17,000 over budget,

it's not the ideal start for Andrew.

Could the next property meet their budget and expectations?

Staying in the Waiuku area,

the family don't have too far to travel to this four-bedroom house.

While it isn't quite a lifestyle plot,

its proximity to the local primary school

and sporting facilities could make it very appealing

and its single level wooden construction is closer to the

-typical New Zealand house Katrina imagines.

-We've got rain.

It is a bit of rain. Just to make you feel at home.

OK.

-Straight into the living room.

-It's very open plan, isn't it?

-Mm-hm.

-It's quite nice.

-It is a nice little room.

Yes...

There's a better kitchen, a better size.

-It's still not as big as maybe you might expect.

-No, it's not.

-It's nice, I could live with this.

-Yeah, it's a nice window there.

Moving on and Andrew's eye is quickly drawn back outside.

That's fantastic.

You could see yourself out there on many an afternoon

and a morning, chilling out. Covered as well.

-It's a good-sized living room though.

-It is, isn't it?

-Yeah.

You don't really need it any bigger than that, to be fair.

No, that's like an extension of your living area, so...

-Bringing outside in.

-Yeah.

-This looks much more promising.

-Ooh!

Very nice.

That's good, isn't it?

-Very nice sized bedroom.

-It's lovely.

Nice big doors that lead to the outside.

-HANNAH:

-Yeah.

You could see yourself just getting out of bed in the morning,

and just out here for a cup of tea or coffee

that the kids would bring you.

No! In your dreams maybe.

Good try, Andrew!

But this house is full of surprises, including this garden hideaway.

-Oh, look at this.

-Cool! - Cool!

-Oh!

-There's another bed in here.

-- It could be a spare bedroom.

-Well, they have it set out for a bed,

but I see this more as the PlayStation, Xbox...

-..den style unit for you guys.

-Yeah, that would be good, wouldn't it?

-Yeah.

-Peace and quiet for Mum and Dad.

-I like this. It's a nice idea.

-Yeah, it is good, isn't it?

You could get a lot of use out of it.

-But then, obviously, if you did have visitors from home.

-Yeah.

-You could utilise it as a bedroom.

-Absolutely.

There's no room for a pony,

but could this be the house for the Schnells?

How much do you think it'll be?

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

-I don't know.

-Well, the last one was £267,000.

What do you think this might be? Higher or lower?

-Higher.

-Higher?

-273.

-273? What about you?

I think it'll be 250.

-Ah.

-What do you reckon?

I think I'm going to go along with Hannah. I think around 250.

-OK, 240, just to be different.

-Is that your final...?

-Final offer.

-Shall I turn the card?

-Yeah.

-Do you want to turn it, Hannah?

Are you ready? The big finale.

-Oh!

-Whoa!

-236.

-Yeah, that's good.

-Cheaper than the other was.

No, I didn't expect it to be more than the last house.

-I don't think it's for us, this house.

-Yeah.

-But it's encouraging.

-Yeah.

-It's really encouraging.

£14,000 under budget is a good result,

but the house hasn't quite won the family over.

Still in search of the traditional lifestyle plot,

the Schnells' next house is in the rural township of Onewhero.

-Oh, my gosh. That is pretty fantastic.

-Is this is it?

-Yeah.

45 miles from Auckland could make it a long commute to work,

but it should give them more for their money.

The small town also has a handful of sports clubs where the family

-could join in the local community.

-What do you think, Hannah?

This house might have been chosen especially for you.

Yep, there's certainly room for a pony here.

-Oh, it's definitely got the wow factor!

-Yes! I would live here!

-It is pretty special.

-Oh, my Lord!

-That view is amazing.

We'll maybe turn that into vineyards.

THEY LAUGH

First impressions are good,

but will the classic Kiwi homestead meet Katrina's expectations?

-Look at that house!

-That's just unbelievable.

That's exactly the house that we described.

-Yeah, Mummy, that's your kind of house.

-Is it all colonial style?

-Look, there's fruit trees and everything there as well.

-Oh!

Could this be just what Andrew needs to convince Katrina of the move?

-Oh, well, it doesn't disappoint inside! Oh, my goodness!

-Whoa!

-That's got the wow factor all round.

-A wood burner.

-Look at the kitchen.

-Open plan...

-Mum, that's your kitchen too!

KATRINA GASPS

I suppose, if you were to write down what you wanted...

-Yeah.

-This is it.

..you couldn't have written this down.

You just couldn't have written... This is what you want.

-Wow, it really is. What do you think, Josh?

-I love it!

This house also has the four bedrooms the family are after,

so that should be another box ticked.

The master bedroom...oh, my goodness!

Yeah. Look at the size of it!

Look how big this thing is!

-Whoa!

-It's lovely.

-It is.

Like the previous house, there's also a separate annexe,

-an important part of Katrina's wish list.

-Well, what do you think?

-It is a bit wow.

-I love it. It's amazing.

-You can't get better, you just can't get better than this!

-No. It's...

-It's special all right.

-What do you think, Josh?

-I love it.

-You love it?

It looks like the family have found their dream home,

but is it within their £250,000 budget?

-"Can we afford it?", is the question.

-It's the burning question.

-I hope so.

-And what do you think it's worth?

-320.

-320.

-I'm guessing 326.

-OK. What are you going to...?

I'm going to go in around that too. I think it's definitely over the 300.

Yeah, I don't even want to put a price on it.

It's definitely over 300.

-346!

-Oh!

-Pushing it, isn't it? Pushing it!

-£346,500.

630,000 New Zealand dollars, Hannah.

I'll do babysitting!

-Hannah, you can be our negotiator!

-Oh, my gosh!

Oh, well!

House-hunting has created mixed emotions for the Schnells.

Property one had stunning gardens,

but the house's decor was just too dated.

The second home had a more impressive interior,

but lacked the views and land the family desperately want.

The final property got everyone excited,

but would mean Mum and Dad getting well-paid jobs

to be able to afford it.

So, after a day of experiencing the local housing market,

will the family choose property in the UK or New Zealand?

We've had a brilliant day looking at properties in New Zealand and

based on everything that we've found today, we're going to vote for...

-New Zealand!

-New Zealand! - New Zealand!

Undecided.

-What the...? Really?

-Oh!

-Mummy!

The houses were much more expensive than I thought

-and I don't want to get into another massive 30-year mortgage.

-Yeah.

So, until we can actually go and spend a day looking at what

our potential earnings are, I'm a bit unsure whether...

No, that's fair enough.

Thanks to the harsh realities of the property market,

Andrew knows finding the right job for Katrina

and himself is crucial if he's to stand a chance

of seeing his wife flip the card for New Zealand.

Back in the UK, Katrina works as a sales manager

for a satellite installation company,

but is open-minded about what she might do if they move.

Because I've worked in the hospitality industry and now sales,

I have gained quite a lot of different skills

and these skills are transferable to many

different types of employment,

so I think I would welcome the opportunity of speaking to

a recruitment agency and just seeing what's available over there.

Andrew's an account manager in the wine industry

and career aspirations form a large part of his desire to move.

'I'm in a great job and it's a job that I enjoy, at the moment,'

but there's a bit of a ceiling, really, in Northern Ireland,

as to what I can achieve in my industry.

But with New Zealand, growing grapes and producing wine,

there are a lot more opportunities for me to progress in my career

and potentially earn a little extra money.

As part of Andrew and Katrina's trip, we've arranged for them

to check out the local job market.

If I was to look ahead from when we're in Northern Ireland,

today is the one that I probably had most reservations about because

everything falls on what we're worth and what we can expect to be paid.

Andrew has come to one of the country's most iconic wine

producers to meet its owner, Sir George Fistonich.

This is our main bottling plant for New Zealand.

So, all the wine from Marlborough, Otago, Gisborne,

and Hawke's Bay all comes up here.

While Andrew samples the winery, Katrina's gone to meet with

a recruitment agency in Auckland's central business district.

-Hi, Katrina. I'm Julie Cressey, nice to meet you.

-Nice to meet you.

Come this way. Let's go and have a conversation.

This chat could give Katrina the inspiration

she needs to follow Andrew's dream.

So, what kind of work are you wanting to do,

-if you come to New Zealand?

-I'd be flexible.

The role I'm in at the moment,

essentially started as an administrative role and then

-it developed into sales, so, I see my strengths in both areas, so...

-Great.

Would you consider temporary work rather than just permanent work?

I think initially I'd look at temporary work

until I could get my bearings and understand the culture

and the work environment that Auckland offers, and obviously,

if I found a position in a temporary role then maybe it would lead

into a more permanent role with that business, then that would be great.

'Katrina hopes her positive attitude will take her a long way.'

So, you've seen my CV.

Do you think it would be possible for me to get a job in New Zealand,

-do you think?

-I think definitely you could.

The nice thing about you, Katrina, is you're prepared to be flexible,

so the fact that you've got the sales experience

and you've got the office management experience

and you don't mind which way you go, and you're prepared to consider both

permanent and temporary work, would mean you've got a lot more

opportunities available in the market here.

This should really help Andrew's sales pitch for New Zealand,

but will his opportunities be as promising?

OK, George, I suppose the big question is...you've seen my CV,

theoretically speaking, would someone with my experience be

employable for a company such as yourself?

Um, I think actually your background in both sales, hospitality

and obviously with a little bit of training, you'd find it

very easy, I think, to fit in and get a job in New Zealand, yeah.

'Andrew's also keen to hear about promotion opportunities.'

We have sales people, um, right from Dunedin at the bottom

of the South Island to the top of the North Island.

So, um, with 25 people, people come and go periodically,

so opportunities open up, yeah.

'This is exactly what he was hoping for. Back in the city

'Katrina's talking money.'

From a sales perspective, it would be dependent

on the size of the organisation and your responsibility, but it would

range potentially from maybe 60,000 right through to 85,000.

Um, and the office management role,

slightly smaller range just purely

because of the amount of roles in that particular area, and you'll be

looking anywhere from again 60,000 probably to 65,000 or 70,000.

Amazing! Katrina could earn over £20,000 more in New Zealand,

but can Andrew gain as much?

What might I expect as far as a salary in New Zealand?

If you're looking at a straight-out territory manager's role, uh...

you'd be around about the...

brackets around about 60,000, plus a company car,

which is usually valued at to 15,000 to 20,000.

You have a wine allowance and then we have a bonus structure

over and above that.

That's a similar wage to back home, so not exactly what Andrew

was hoping for, but there will be opportunities to progress here.

'The couple meet up to share their news.'

Yeah, so we had a good talk, we walked through the winery

and we chatted about a few things.

A very dynamic company and there's a lot of training

and a lot of progression.

Not quite sure whereabouts the money would sit, so that's something

I need to investigate a little bit further, but it starts at 60

and that's something that would be very desponding.

I just couldn't consider that, um, from where I'm coming from.

It's not what I've been looking for.

Despite great news for Katrina, today's been a let down for Andrew.

So, will they opt of work in New Zealand or the UK?

We've both had a look at employment opportunities in New Zealand

and now we both vote for...

..undecided.

New Zealand.

It's no surprise you've voted for New Zealand after that

-bit of good news.

-Yeah, I know.

-So, are you coming round?

I'm coming round, yeah, absolutely,

-if I thought I could make that kind of money.

-Absolutely.

-That'd be great, wouldn't it?

-Absolutely. What about you?

-Undecided?

-Yeah. It's a difficult one, isn't it?

After my meeting today, I'm a bit concerned that the pay's not going

to live up to what I expect, so I need to do a little bit more

research and maybe find out a little bit more.

Andrew's always been the driving force behind a move to

New Zealand, but after hearing about her work opportunities,

Katrina could be starting to see some potential in his plans.

So, will an opportunity to sample New Zealand's lifestyle bring

the whole family a step closer to Andrew's dream?

In the UK, Hannah's mad about horse riding and is lucky enough to

have her own pony stabled at her grandparents' house.

Dad's promised her a pony in New Zealand too,

-so today she's trying out a local riding school.

-Beautiful!

Nice and straight. Good girl.

She's a lovely horse to ride. She really is.

She's got a lovely feel to her.

Katrina's relieved to see Hannah enjoying herself.

I suppose, one of my concerns about coming over was that

Hannah's expectation of what New Zealand could deliver

might not come to light,

but it's actually more than come to light.

Getting the opportunity to come here today

for her to meet like-minded people,

for her to ride a pony not that far removed from her own pony at home

and in an outdoor arena, even for me, as loathe as I am to admit it,

it's just fantastic. I could see myself here

quite frequently, quite often with her, yeah.

That was amazing!

It feels so good to be on a horse!

While the girls settle into the local equestrian scene,

the boys head off for a round of golf at a course close to

where they're staying.

-This should be good fun.

-Yeah.

Josh is good with a hurling stick, but he's never been

golfing before, so the day starts with a quick lesson.

A little bit of a jiggle... I think you're ready to play golf.

Not bad for a beginner.

So, wide...nice grip...wide...

Right through and finish like a champ.

Good boy! Good on you!

Very good, Josh. I think you and Dad are ready to have

-a game on the course. There we go.

-Great.

-We'll get some clubs.

Fantastic. Thank you for your instructions, that's brilliant.

He did awesome.

Keen to get out and at it, the boys head onto the course.

I've played football, hurling and Gaelic,

but I haven't played golf before.

-So, it's good fun.

-It's good.

At the riding stables, Hannah's lesson is over

and she's found a friend in the instructor's daughter, Amanda.

Oh, today's lesson was so much fun. I loved it.

-It was really good cos you ride him really nicely.

-Aww, thank you.

Has today been enough to put Hannah firmly on her dad's side?

Oh, it's gorgeous! And if we live, Mummy, in New Zealand,

I want to live somewhere near here

and then we're going to go riding together

and we were talking about it and it all sounds so fun.

-'The pony camps and all!

-You've made a friend there with Amanda.

-I know.

'She's lovely, so she is.'

But are Josh and Andrew having as much fun on the golf course?

Whenever you hit it, I'll lift it out.

OK, that looks pretty professional.

Oops!

Stop!

THEY LAUGH

If I win it, you buy the ice cream.

If I win it, you get the ice cream.

Oh, ho, ho!

Yeah, I think I might be getting ice cream!

-Well done.

-Yeah, well done.

The family reunite in the park to reflect on their week so far

and the decision ahead.

'The weather had been absolutely fantastic

'and that's a big part of the reason that'

I'm kind of trying to push the move, to push the family for the move.

I think the lifestyle with the weather, it's just...

It's certainly a lot more outdoor living, isn't it?

I can't disagree with that. No, it's absolutely brilliant.

But will this be the turning point Andrew's hoping for?

As the family cast their vote,

will they choose lifestyle in New Zealand or the UK?

Based on the New Zealand lifestyle that we've seen today,

we vote for...

ALL: New Zealand!

Full house! Yay! Woo!

Happy days. That's a first.

Good. I knew you were going to.

You had such a fantastic day today on the horse.

-Yes, it was great fun.

-Good, so that's you convinced.

-JOSH:

-Well, I like golf now.

-What about you?

-No, I really enjoyed today.

-Oh, great.

-I think it's great.

You can't deny that it's a fantastic country with the sunshine

and...no, it's brilliant, yeah.

With everyone falling for the outdoor lifestyle,

it looks like Andrew's dream is a step closer to reality,

but the family still need to make the finances work.

They believe their property in the UK is worth £230,000

and need every penny if they're to make the move.

We've sent round two estate agents to give professional valuations.

Now we're through into the main reception room of the house,

the main lounge.

Very, very bright aspect to this room with the double front windows and

the double doorway leading through into the kitchen area of the house.

Very nice Shaker style kitchen, plenty of space

and a nice island in the middle of it.

Now we're through into the games room, play room of the house.

Again with all the sporting trophies that this family has obtained

here with the equestrian trophies and someone's got a very,

very good taste in rugby with the New Zealand flag here,

but a very, very good sized room.

Now...master bedroom,

nice sized bedroom.

-It doesn't look as big on camera, does it?

-No.

-Cos they're big rooms.

A nice house in a good development here, now, we would,

if we were selling this here, we would be putting it

on the market somewhere offers over 170, hoping maybe to get 175.

I would be quite happy to market this property in this very desirable area

of Cushendall at offers around

170 to 175, with a quick sale asking price of 160.

-Oh, my goodness.

-That's not good.

-We wouldn't make a penny on that.

-No, no.

-Not one bean would we make on that house.

With their house valued at around £50,000 less

than they were expecting, Andrew's plans could be heading for a crash.

While the children play outside,

the couple sit down to figure out

how much living in New Zealand would cost,

starting with the weekly food shop.

So, a whole chicken in New Zealand is £7.27...

-Wow.

-..as opposed to £5.07 at home.

That's a big difference, isn't it?

There's a lot that's going the other way as well.

So, I mean, there's a lot... It's kind of 50/50.

Fingers crossed things will balance out when it comes to the total.

And this is the interesting part.

-The total UK shop was £165.21.

-Yeah.

And the New Zealand shop was £175.74.

So, £10's difference. I'm surprised about that.

I thought New Zealand would be more expensive.

I thought it would be much more expensive.

I thought that was really going to blow the budget that one,

-so that's interesting and kind of encouraging, really.

-Yeah.

Every penny counts.

The couple are basing their figures on the second property they viewed.

So, will Katrina's potential higher earnings be enough to cancel

out any loss on their house in the UK?

On the outgoings alone, we're £129.04 better off per month.

Brilliant, but then we need to consider how much

better off we are with the...

With the income? OK, so let's add the income on that one.

£1,635...

..plus...

-Oh, my gosh.

-Woo-hoo!

So, £1,764.04 better off.

-My gosh. Wow.

-I know! Brilliant.

Unbelievable, isn't it?

-Fantastic.

-I mean, you get a trip home.

-You know, that was a big thing for you was to get a trip home.

-Yeah.

Andrew couldn't have wished for a better result,

so with the sums adding up, how will Katrina vote now?

Based on what we've found out today, we vote for...

BOTH: New Zealand!

Yay!

That was a bit of a no-brainer, really.

It was quite an easy vote, wasn't it?

That was amazing what we found out there.

Certainly, disappointing on the value of the house.

-Yeah, but we're almost a whole salary better off.

-Yeah.

-Yeah, so...

-Great.

Having lived in Northern Ireland for the last 18 years,

Andrew would love the chance to spend more time

with his extended family.

Tonight, they're enjoying a rare opportunity to pop round

to his brother's house for a barbecue.

-You put that on there, you walk away.

-That's it. That's it done.

That's my kind of barbecue.

If they move, Andrew's family could potentially be

living on their doorstep,

but will knowing they don't have to make friends from scratch

make things any easier for Katrina and the children?

The kids have had an absolute great time.

Josh, I knew he was going to have a great time anyway.

He wanted to come over from pretty much

when we went home to the island three years ago.

Katrina took a little bit of convincing.

Hannah has obviously taken a little bit of convincing as well because

she's making a big sacrifice in leaving her horse or pony back home.

Um, they're both going to miss their grandparents

and that's going to be the tough thing.

Katrina and Andrew's sister-in-law are enjoying catching up.

It's been three years since we've seen you all and

they all got on like a house on fire last time

and they're exactly the same...

-They picked up where they left off.

-I think so, yeah.

-Good old Skype and the phone.

-Yeah, exactly.

Yeah, well, Josh, his only condition is, if we move over,

can we be close to Tyler and Kaylin.

Tonight's just another glimpse of what life could be like

if the Schnells do move to New Zealand

and Andrew's desperate to grasp it with both hands.

-Cheers!

-Cheers!

-Absolutely, yeah.

-Adventures down under!

-Absolutely.

This is living, isn't it? This is Kiwi living, Katrina.

-Could you get used to this, do you think?

-I think so, yes!

THEY LAUGH

Andrew's attempts at selling his homeland seem to be paying off,

but while moving would mean more time with his family, it would also

mean leaving Katrina's behind, and that's been a big concern for her.

The Schnells have decided to watch

messages from friends and family together.

It's a reminder of what they'd have to give up in the UK.

-Hi!

-Hello, everybody! How are you?

-Hi, Katrina! Andrew!

Hi, Katrina and Andrew and kids.

Andrew, in the summertime, has been known to give us a little taste

of New Zealand himself, cos he can cook up

quite a mean Kiwi barbecue...

in spite of the Northern Irish weather.

We have a family of girls and one son.

So, it was lovely from suddenly having a youngest son to

having an oldest son

for Katrina's siblings all to look up to, and to Hugh and I

to have an extra son in the family was just lovely.

I just love Katrina.

THEY LAUGH

-And she cooks lovely dinners.

-She cooks the best dinners!

She cooks the best Sunday dinner, yes.

The best dinners ever, yeah!

I've been friends with her all my life.

Um, she's...

..probably been like a sister growing up.

Hannah and Josh are very, very close to us.

They're both very, very good children and,

wherever they are in the world, it doesn't matter,

I'll always love them whether they're here or in New Zealand,

they'll never be out of my heart. They'll always be there.

Words wouldn't be able to describe how much I would miss her.

-Aww.

-She's...

been a big part of my life.

We love you all very, very much and we will so miss you.

-We'll miss you.

-And I hope you know that.

Mum and Dad will be grand, Katrina, as well.

It'll be really tough for them to see you go,

especially with Hannah and Josh

and they'll miss Andrew too. Um...

..but they'll be OK.

I love you all dearly.

And there'll always be a part of me with you, no matter where you are.

And...

I'll back you whatever you want to do.

And whatever decision you make,

we will back you and we will always,

always love you no matter where in the world you are,

there's a part of you here in my heart

and there's a part of me, I hope, in all of your hearts.

She got me in the end, right there! I was holding it together.

Nice words. Really nice words.

I know, I know and there was no surprises, but it still got me.

You missed a spot.

-You know that you've got their full support.

-Yeah.

And we know that they don't really want us to leave,

but, you know, if we believe this is the right move for us

as a family and the right thing,

particularly for the future of these two, and if they've got maybe

more opportunities out here, they will support us in that move.

The messages from back home were upsetting,

but for Katrina, hearing everyone will be OK if they move

could be the final push she needs to commit to a new life in New Zealand.

When they arrived a week ago,

Andrew was on a mission to convince his wife and daughter

they could have a better quality of life in his native country.

'You know, I don't want to come here with an unhappy family, because that

'is pointless, you know, so there's no point doing that.'

We've got to be happy together as a family and...

You know? And to see Katrina and the two kids smiling and happy

and just enjoying ourselves as a family is, well,

that's the ambition, you know, that's what I want.

But after three years of discussion,

he knows what happens next will be final.

I always said from the outset that, whatever happens in this week,

if we decide to move to New Zealand or

if we decide to stay in Northern Ireland, it was really going to have

to put the decision in the box and, you know, put that box well away.

Josh has always been on his dad's side

and can definitely see the attraction of moving.

It's really good. It's like Ireland except way warmer.

But has the week done enough to bring Katrina

and Hannah round to the boys' way of thinking?

I don't really know what kind of expectation I had.

Part of me really wanted it to work

because I didn't want Andrew to be disappointed,

and the other part of me felt guilty that if it did work it would

mean that I would have to say goodbye to family and friends back home.

I think it's been a big adventure and it's been wonderful to

experience what life's like in New Zealand.

So, will Andrew achieve his dream?

Time to find out as the family finally decide

whether to move to the other side of the world or stay in the UK.

Based on our week in New Zealand, we are going to vote for...

ALL: New Zealand!

Woo-hoo! Full house! Yes!

I think we're moving!

THEY LAUGH

-Oh, well, that's fantastic.

-Yeah.

-We're on the same page.

What was the big thing that made you change your mind from being "uhhh?"

-Sunshine.

-Sunshine?

-Sunshine!

Sunshine and just bright colours and everything, and then going onto

Facebook and seeing everybody still wearing 300 layers and digging out of snow, you know.

You won't change your mind when we go back?

I'll probably shake my resolve a few times and I'll question myself,

but, no, ultimately, I'm happy with the decision.

What about you, Hannah, cos you were not so sure,

having to leave your own pony and Granny and Papa?

That horse riding in the week just changed my mind about everything.

Fantastic.

A full deck of cards for New Zealand means Andrew's job is finally done.

After years of trying,

he's managed to convince his family their future lies in his homeland.

We wish them all the very best for their new life down under.