Suckling Family Wanted Down Under

You may genuinely believe a better life could be

waiting for you on the other side of the world.

Yet actually going ahead with the move

means a massive leap of faith.

Will the land of your dreams actually live up to expectations?

One family are about find out.

After moving 11,000 miles to be with the woman he loves,

Kiwi, Courtenay believes a return home to New Zealand

could be best for his family.

I've always wanted, or felt a need,

that I should look at the option of going back to New Zealand.

Wife Helen is ready to give it a shot.

I have the responsibility to explore

going out and living in New Zealand.

But when a week in the country reveals

life wouldn't always be rosy...

We would actually not even be able to afford to live.

..it's Courtenay who's left questioning his dream.

A devil and an angel, one on each shoulder

and they're both having a little argument there.

With three quarters of its residents living within

walking distance of a beach,

it's little wonder almost 9,000 UK residents

make the move to New Zealand each year.

But despite the temperate climate and stunning scenery,

the country isn't the land of milk and honey for everyone,

and almost half of those who make the move return home.

Courtenay Suckling believes life could be

so much better for his family in his native country of New Zealand.

Now, he has one week to prove it

and persuade his wife to make a move right around the globe.

At the end of the week, the family will face a decision

which will change the course of their lives forever -

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

The family's journey begins with a marathon 26 hour flight to Auckland.

At the airport, Courtenay's family

are out in force to welcome him home.

Sorry, I've got a few tears in the eyes.

Good to see you, son, come back to the homeland.

Well, naturally I'd love them to come out here and live but erm...

It's a big decision.

We're really excited to see Alice and Digby!

We would love them to move to New Zealand!

When the Sucklings finally arrive, it's hugs all round.

Very exciting, seeing the family.

And seeing that, that's really exciting.

It's been a while since we've seen some of my sisters.

It's always quite emotional.

But the jet lag's obviously hitting home with Alice.

Are you looking forward to playing with your cousins?

I don't know their names.

Come the end of the week,

a more permanent reunion could be on the cards for Courtenay.

I guess I'm a little bit nervous because erm...

it would be great if it all worked out really well

but, obviously, there's that element where it might not.

It's a big commitment to make and, obviously, with the family

and everything here, yeah, we'll see.

So, it's quite exciting, you know.

It's decision time, really.

Where the family's destiny lies will depend on the next few days.

The Suckling's are dad Courtenay,

mum Helen, Alice who's five,

Digby, age three, and Henry the dog.

They live in Poole, near Dorset.

Originally from New Zealand, it was fate that brought Courtenay

and British-born Helen together.

16 years ago while on separate holidays in France,

the couple had a brief encounter.

We met in La Rochelle in 1998.

Exchanged e-mails.

E-mails had just started then, e-mails had just started.

On returning to their native countries,

a tentative courtship began online.

A few years later, romance blossomed

when Helen travelled to New Zealand.

-We met up and...

-In downtown Auckland.

Downtown Auckland and...

-We were together then for the six months I was out there.

-Yes.

And then I went back to the UK.

Absence really did make the heart grow fonder, and one year later...

Courtenay rang me up, one winter's night,

I remember, I was in Balham,

and he said, "I'm going to get out my English Visa

"and let's see what happens."

-And that was 11, 12 years ago.

-12 years ago.

Then we got married, got a dog

and then the children,

and then life just seems to keep moving along.

12 years on and although settled in the UK, Courtenay still feels

the pull of home and family.

I've always wanted or felt a need that

I should look at the option of going back to New Zealand.

No-one's getting any younger, and my parents in particular...

Erm, and I guess I haven't spent much time with them.

With fond memories of a New Zealand upbringing,

he believes the couple's children would flourish

on the other side of the world.

My childhood, my schooling

has to do with where I was brought up, which was New Zealand.

And I think it did give me a really good upbringing.

But Helen fears Courtenay's dream could be nothing more

than a false paradise.

Courtenay very much views New Zealand, I believe,

with rose tinted spectacles on.

The thing is with memory, sometimes you just remember the good times.

I realise that things change over years

and maybe it's not the same as what I remember, when I was growing up.

But, at the same time,

I really do hope that it does work.

Where their family should spend their future has been

the subject of discussion in the household for more than a decade.

We've been talking about the idea of moving to New Zealand for the whole

time that we've been together now, in England for the last 12 years.

I guess I've never seen myself not going back.

And now, Helen accepts she has to consider

the possibility of following her husband's dream.

I definitely feel I have the responsibility to explore

the chance of maybe going out and living in New Zealand.

But she's not convinced life down under would trump what

she already has at home.

Everyone's too keen to say, "Well, why don't you

"live in New Zealand?", because they think it must be this amazing place.

And you just think, "But we've got it", you know?

We've got a really good life here,

so why would we want to give that up?

And while moving would see Courtenay reunited with his family,

it would mean Helen saying goodbye to hers.

The main thing that's stopping me from going is knowing that

I've got ageing parents.

That's really, really not easy because

you do feel a responsibility for your parents.

I'm taking their grandchildren away from them

and you can't get away from that.

And so, that really does worry me.

Courtenay knows it's a big ask

but believes it could be a price worth paying.

Helen is the only daughter.

Digby and Alice are the only grandchildren.

And I couldn't help but feel a little bit of guilt

for taking Helen and the children back to New Zealand.

But, at the same time, it has got to be best for us as a whole family.

The next week will reveal where the Suckling's will call

home for the rest of their lives.

It is going to be a very big decision

and we are going to obviously base our life off this decision.

There's a lot at stake.

New Zealand's got to come up with the goods.

The Sucklings are spending their trial week in Auckland.

Voted the third most liveable city in the world,

the "City of Sails", as it's known,

is centred between two harbours

and home to a young and diverse population.

The family's base for the week is this bungalow,

nestled by Lake Pupuke, on the city's north shore.

It's close to where Courtenay grew up and Helen also seems at home.

Well, this is nice.

This is the open plan living room.

This is lovely, isn't it?

You've got the doors to go straight onto a lovely...decking.

Outside.

Erm, and this is the back garden?

This must be the back garden, there's no...

-So, no grass area?

-No grass area.

For the... For the kids to play.

Alice and Digby are making do.

Look, I can see...

Hi, there! Are you being good?

Do you Kiwis not like gardens?

Is that the problem?

Used to like it.

Maybe it's changed.

Having last lived in the country as a teenager,

Courtenay's aware the country may not be everything he remembers.

Although I'm a New Zealander and I love New Zealand

and everything else,

we do love our life in the UK as well.

As night falls, Helen knows how much

the upcoming week means to her husband.

He's from here, he's a Kiwi, his family are all here.

I think he's very proud of his country.

This is coming home, to him.

I think in a heartbeat he would say, "Let's move back to New Zealand",

but he is, I think, also very aware that I have reservations.

I do want it to work but, at the same time,

it is really going to be

a family decision on whether it's going to be the best for all of us.

This could be the decision, this could be, "Yes, we are going

"to move", or, "No, we just don't think this would work out for us".

But whatever decision's going to be made,

it's not going to be an easy one.

Back in the UK, Helen is happy with the family's three-bedroom

bungalow near Poole in Dorset.

I do love the location of our home.

We've got great neighbours, great friends around

and it's just opposite the harbour park.

The couple would have a healthy £500,000 to spend on property

down under, and top of the wish list

is space for Helen's parents to visit.

Three large bedrooms and a granny annexe would be great.

And the bare minimum is a decent sized fourth bedroom

which they could stay in comfortably.

Somewhere with a decent outdoor space, obviously.

And not too far out and too remote.

It's nice to be around other people

and it's nice to be part of a community.

Finding the right house down under will be a key factor

in deciding where the Sucklings spend the rest of their lives.

To show the family how far their £500,000 would stretch in Auckland,

we've lined up three properties.

Two close to their budget

and a third which could be their dream home.

The search begins in Takapuna,

a vibrant seaside suburb just five miles north

of Auckland's city centre.

With shops, schools and shore all within walking distance,

it could be the ideal spot for the Sucklings.

It's a really nice area. And that's a lovely view, look at that.

Overlooking Auckland, really, there. It is lovely.

The setting seems perfect,

but what will everyone make of this modern four-bedroom house?

Right, oh, the kitchen.

It's a lovely kitchen.

It's a decent size.

It's not a large kitchen.

The layout isn't quite as expected.

Is that quite unusual, to have the kitchen with the living room?

Cos normally you'd have like a dining room rather than

a living room.

-Do you two like this house?

-BOTH: Yes.

What do you like about the house?

-The kitchen.

-Do you like the kitchen?

- I really just like the clock. - It's a nice clock.

It's a big tick from Alice and Digby so far.

Oh, this is nice, isn't it?

This is really nice.

It's lovely the way it's getting the sun from

so many different angles, isn't it?

Yeah, lots of windows.

-Shall we go and have a look outside?

-Yeah!

Oh, wow. This is really nice.

It's lovely, isn't it?

But something's missing.

Yet again, there is no grass area.

Can you imagine living here with Henry

without having the green grass?

You know what, I was just thinking of Henry...

That's the only thing I was thinking, of Henry with no grass.

Maybe a sign the grass isn't always greener, Courtenay.

Back indoors...

-This is nice, isn't it?

-What is that?

This is a nice, bright bedroom.

It's a nice, bright bedroom.

There's a perfect view of the city.

-Isn't that lovely?

-Look, what's over there. You can see the Sky Tower.

-Yeah!

-And the city and the sail.

And the spacious master bedroom's another hit.

Oh, it's lovely, isn't it? This is a really, really lovely bedroom.

This is a lot bigger than our bedroom.

Lovely views out the windows as well.

Yeah, your nice walk in wardrobe.

That's what you want. Lovely.

This house could be bringing Helen round to the idea of Kiwi living.

No, it's really lovely. Really nice.

Oh, look at this! This is lovely.

-Well, the sun's lovely.

-Oh, lovely.

Wow. Nice view, again.

The upstairs decking area provides the perfect

position for a pitch from Courtenay.

Lovely day.

It's like this every day here, Helen.

Another day in paradise.

Hmm. She's not giving anything away.

But is this house a piece of heaven they could

afford on their £500,000 budget?

So, I think it's going to be around about £550,000.

I'm going to go 565.

A bit nervous, so... Yeah, let's have a look.

-Shall we have a look and turn it over?

-You turn it over.

-Oh...

-You can turn it over and let's have a look.

-Yeah, I know.

-Oh, it was quite a surprise.

-You can turn it over and let's have a look.

I'm quite... I'm quite surprised.

Turn it over!

-505,000.

-505.

That's just £5,000 over budget.

-OK, so let's...

-Actually, that's surprising.

I thought it would be more than that.

I thought in the area, it was probably going to be a bit more,

-but maybe because of the garden...

-The lack of garden, yeah.

-So, OK.

-With the price of Auckland houses,

I think that's encouraging,

definitely encouraging.

A move back home for Courtenay could be looking more likely already.

Property two's in the suburb of Beach Haven.

Although not quite as upmarket as Takapuna,

the area does offer the strong sense of community Helen's after.

With plenty of outdoor space,

this three-bedroom property could be right up the couple's street.

Oh, this is nice.

Oh, wow.

That's an amazing view, isn't it?

It's another good start.

-I can see every house.

-How many houses?

- Lots! - Lots of houses!

I can see trees.

Now, that really is an amazing view.

Beautiful.

And it's not just the scenery that's impressive.

The kitchen goes down well.

I like this kitchen. I love the flooring.

I think it's just a bit more character.

Yeah, it's a love the kitchen.

And, again, you're constantly looking out over that.

-Can't help yourself, can you?

-No.

And the property has panoramic views from nearly every angle.

This is nice.

-Wow, that view again.

-Lovely view.

Helen could be beginning to see things from Courtenay's view.

Yeah, this is...this is definitely more what I had in mind when you

think about moving back to New Zealand, to a house in New Zealand.

-You wouldn't get tired of that.

-No.

No, OK.

-Oh! This is lovely, isn't it?

-Beautifully presented.

-Nicely presented bedroom.

-A beautifully presented bedroom.

This is amazing. This is the view

-that you'd...

-Sit in bed and...

-..not bother getting out of bed for.

Downstairs lies the perfect spot for visitors.

This is the granny annexe, or self-contained flat.

It's a really good size, isn't it?

And it would be perfect for your parents if they came over.

-Oh, amazing.

-And they could do the gardening while they're here.

You having a nice time?

-Are you enjoying playing in the garden?

-Yeah!

This is all lovely, isn't it?

Look, you can sit there, catch the sun.

Oh, yes. That's nice.

Helen seems smitten.

Great garden, beautifully done.

I think it's a fantastic house.

Could it be sowing seeds of hope for Courtenay's dream?

Can you see yourself living in this house?

I think I'd be very happy to live in this house.

Yeah, I'd... This is a house I'd love to live in.

Yet again, it's someplace the whole family could call home

but only if the price falls within their £500,000 budget.

-Shall we see?

-Shall we have a look?

-Yeah.

OK, go.

470,000.

That's £30,000 under budget

and Helen's impressed.

It's affordable.

You can have a much bigger house, a bigger garden, great views.

Housing wise, it's far more attractive over here.

That's, you know, and you can't argue with that.

-It's a good step in the right direction.

-Yeah.

Things seem to be affordable for the kind of things that we need.

The property hunt is off to a good start for Courtenay.

The family move on to the final viewing of the day,

a property we think could be their dream home.

Situated just seven miles from the city centre,

this spacious five bedroom property is located in Forest Hill,

one of Auckland's most desirable suburbs.

Before they're through the doors, Alice spots a bonus.

-What's it got, Alice?

-A swimming pool!

-It's got a swimming pool?

-Yeah!

Alice and Digby are delighted,

but mum and dad aren't quite as happy with the pool's position.

It's not exactly like it's a relaxing,

"Let's chill out by the pool",

cos that is a busy road, isn't it?

And you are overlooked by the neighbours. It's not a private pool.

It's not the best of starts.

But while indoors does have some redeeming features...

In you come.

Oh, this looks nice, doesn't it?

-All very modern and new, isn't it?

-Oh.

Oh, isn't it beautiful?

..it's not long before cracks appear.

It's quite a small kitchen though.

Yes, for a family of four this is too small.

This would be too small, I feel.

Helen's looking on the bright side.

-Look, look at that afternoon sun that you're getting in.

-Yeah.

And maybe the swimming pool is actually more of an aesthetic

feature to watch rather than get in and use.

I don't think that'll wash with Courtenay.

If I'm going to pay for a swimming pool I want to be able to use it.

I just can't get over the cars going past constantly.

While the garden has a hidden home...

Oh, this is an extra single bedroom.

Oh, wow.

..it's not exactly to Helen's taste.

It's not warm and insulated and comfy,

and it's not part of the rest of the house.

I'm just looking at the strip lighting there, too. It's just...

-This is a painted shed.

-Yeah.

-Yeah.

This is what this is, yeah.

Oh, dear.

Perhaps the other bedrooms can improve things.

Right, so this, I guess,

is one of the main bedrooms.

-Shower room.

-Yeah, en suite.

-So, this is definitely the master bedroom.

-Yeah.

OK.

The location may be desirable, but for Helen the house is anything but.

This house is not doing very much from me at all.

It's just a box.

-Yeah.

-It's got no character at all.

Although it may not be perfect,

the property's pool and position could make it pricey.

Will this house be within the couple's £500,000 budget?

If you think about it as a sale point of view,

it's got five bedrooms,

-it's got a swimming pool...

-Yeah.

I think this value is going to be 580,000.

Erm, I'm going to go for £600,000.

OK. Right, shall we have a look?

OK...

-609.

-Wow.

-So that was one for me.

-Wow.

-So it's £609,000.

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

Yeah, I don't really think it would matter how much money it was,

I don't - it's not for us.

-No.

-It's not for us.

After a positive start,

the day's ended on a slight downer for Helen and Courtenay.

Property number 1 offered a piece of paradise

but the lack of grass was an issue.

The second house was a hit with everyone -

and at £30,000 under budget,

was somewhere the family could afford to call home.

And although it had all the space they could need,

the final property left them feeling empty.

So will the Sucklings choose property at home or away?

Based on what we've seen today, we are going to vote for...

UK.

New Zealand.

New Zealand!

Which was your favourite house?

-I like the one with the swimming pool.

-Yes!

Swimming pool.

So why did you choose New Zealand today?

-I thought the second house in particular...

-Yeah.

..ticked all the boxes that we wanted from a property.

I'd actually probably agree with you there but at the moment,

from what I saw and what you could buy with your money,

I think we are better off in the UK.

Despite some appeal,

Helen wasn't entirely won over by Kiwi properties.

Courtenay's homecoming hopes may have hit a snag

but it's early days yet

and a positive result on the job front could make all the difference.

Back in the UK, Courtenay runs his own carpentry and building business

and being his own boss has its perks.

I do have the flexibility to control my own hours

and most of my work is within 5, 10 minutes of home.

Here in the UK, my work/life balance is actually really good.

He's really fortunate, he only ever works in a very, very small area.

I'm not sure that he'll definitely be able to find that in New Zealand.

He's very hopeful that he will - I'm not 100% sure about that.

Acting head of department Helen enjoys her job

teaching business studies at a local comprehensive.

The school that I work for - in, is fantastic.

Everyone's really friendly, it's a lovely environment,

it takes a long time to find what I've currently got.

And for her to be tempted to move,

New Zealand would have to offer a like-for-like position.

If you can't have as good a life as you have here at the moment,

I don't really understand the point in going.

Everything's riding on today

if Courtenay's to have a realistic chance of returning home.

This I guess would be the main teetering point

because everyone needs money to live and financially if it doesn't work,

then effectively I guess the dream would be over.

Courtenay's day gets under way with a visit to a North Shore construction company.

Hi.

He's met by joint directors Dedan Percy and Dave Groves.

-Shall we go upstairs?

-Yeah, thank you.

Straightaway, there's good news.

Let's get started.

-We're just luckily at the start of a boom here in New Zealand...

-OK.

..so we're avidly looking for site managers and contracts managers.

It shouldn't be hard to find a job but Courtenay's anxious to hear

how working hours would compare to back in the UK.

What's the work/life balance like here in New Zealand?

Ten years ago, it'd be a lot more of a balance -

you'd be doing a lot less hours and spending more time on the beach.

Nowadays, people are working more hours, it is changing.

With the demands of our projects,

you're generally working up to 50 hours,

including your Saturdays if you need to.

It's not what Courtenay was hoping to hear.

To explore her work prospects,

Helen's visiting a local secondary school.

-Hi, lovely to meet you.

-Hello.

She meets Brendan Kelly, Senior School Principal.

At the moment, I'm Acting Head of Social Sciences and Business Studies -

is that something that would be recognised over here in New Zealand?

Your experience in the UK would be recognised here

-and particularly your expertise in the Cambridge system...

-Right.

-..the GCSEs and the A-levels...

-Yeah.

-..could be a real plus in your favour.

-Yeah.

..in terms of winning a position like that.

Continuing in the role she enjoys so much shouldn't be a problem.

Like Courtenay though, Helen's keen to discover how her

working day would pan out in New Zealand.

So typically in New Zealand, secondary school might start

-anywhere between 8.20 to, say, 9 o'clock.

-Yeah, right.

And then might finish anywhere from 3 to 3.30.

That all sounds very similar to the UK,

it actually seems to work on a parallel.

No surprises for Helen so far.

Back at the construction company, Courtenay's about to find out

if the increase in hours would be matched by a rise in pay.

So fresh off the boat you're looking at a package that would

range between 75,000 and 95,000 dollars

and once you've got two to three years' experience in New Zealand,

then you could demand anywhere between 95 and 120,000 dollars.

95,000 dollars equates to approximately £48,000 a year -

almost a third more than Courtenay currently earns in the UK.

And with the construction industry booming, he could be in demand.

Looking at your experience, we would be seriously

interested in talking to you if you want to make that big move.

You come across as a great guy and you seem to be the perfect fit.

Great, that sounds really positive.

Although it would mean longer hours, the benefits could be worth it.

Back with Brendan, Helen's also talking pay.

So what would the salary be for a head of department

business studies teacher here at Kristin School?

You'd expect to be paid in the region between 85 and 90,000 dollars.

That sounds very similar to the UK.

If a job became available here, would you consider me?

Yes, certainly, Helen.

I think you have got a lot of the characteristics that we look for

in teachers so I think you could feel really confident

about applying for a job at a school like Kristin

and I'll certainly encourage you to do that.

Right. Thank you very much for seeing me today.

With such good news at the school,

Helen could be beginning to see some appeal in Auckland.

I think today's actually complicated my decision

because it's been so positive, it's kind of like,

"well, it could work and this is why it would work,"

and so, yes, it's now made the decision possibly even harder.

And the day's also seen Courtenay torn.

Obviously the salary was higher than what I'd be earning in the UK

and that's a positive

but on the other hand

there is a lot of hours that are going to be put in

and at the end of the day the family is the main concern for me.

So when it comes to work,

will the Sucklings choose New Zealand or the UK?

We've had a really informative day today

and based on what we've seen, we are going to vote for...

-Undecided.

-Undecided.

What? Why have you done that?

I really thought you'd have gone for New Zealand.

-Well everything today was - it was really positive.

-Yeah.

The only thing I wasn't sure about was the hours

and the balance that I would get between my work and family life.

How about you, how come you've gone undecided?

Well, it's six of one, half a dozen of another.

I don't think you're any worse off or any better off.

-I'm quite surprised you've gone for undecided.

-Mmm.

Longer working hours means Courtenay could now be questioning

if chasing a dream move home is actually best for his family.

He's always wanted his children to enjoy the New Zealand upbringing

he experienced, so will a day out exploring the Kiwi way of life

help convince everyone the country's where their future should lie?

Courtenay has cherished childhood memories of skiing

in the New Zealand mountains

so the family head off to the next best thing in Auckland -

an indoor snow resort.

Whoo!

Alice and Digby are happy to hit the slopes.

-Hi.

-Hello.

And though the snow's artificial,

the smile on Helen's face is the real deal.

Are we going to move to New Zealand?

-We'll have to have a think, won't we?

-Yeah, here we go.

For Courtenay, seeing Alice and Digby having fun

is a reminder of why he's been so keen to explore a move home.

I think the biggest draw for me is that I could offer

Alice and Digby the same kind of experiences

that I had when I was growing up.

And that's a point on which Helen doesn't need to be convinced.

I think it'd be an amazing place for Alice and Digby to grow up,

without doubt.

The whole sports, outdoor lifestyle, being active -

I think for children it is amazing here in New Zealand, definitely.

But while she has her concerns...

I'm worried that I would find it quite difficult

and I would be lonely.

A question for me is - can I see myself growing old here?

Would I want to live here permanently?

And of that I'm not sure.

..Courtenay also admits he's wrestling with the thought

of leaving behind the life he has in the UK.

The pull on one side would be the family, the outdoor life.

The pulls to the UK would be security, comfort,

the life that we're living at the moment - it's a good life.

I see so many positive bits

and then so many other bits where I'm a little bit concerned about.

A devil and an angel, one on each shoulder

and they're both having a little argument there.

With the ultimate decision looming,

where the family will spend their future is anything but clear-cut.

Based on lifestyle though, will they choose New Zealand or the UK?

We've had a great day today here in New Zealand looking at lifestyle

and based on that we are going to vote for...

-ALL:

-New Zealand!

-New Zealand!

-New Zealand!

Why did you choose New Zealand?

I think cos I think lifestyles are better here.

And, Alice, how come you voted for New Zealand?

Because I like the snow place.

You like the snow place?

I want to move to New Zealand.

I think I've always seen what I had when I was growing up

and maybe what we've seen today is a snippet of it.

-Maybe you could see what I was talking about.

-Mm-hmm.

I think it does offer a better lifestyle,

-especially for the children when they're young.

-Mmm.

-If you've got the time to enjoy it...

-Mmm.

..and the disposable income.

Courtenay's always believed New Zealand could offer

Alice and Digby a better childhood

but while Helen looks like she could be coming round to the idea,

there's still a lot to consider before the family's final decision.

The day is rounded off spending some time with Courtenay's family

and for him and Helen

it's a poignant reminder of what's at stake.

They are a very close family, you know,

his three sisters and his parents and all the nieces and nephews -

that is a big pull.

And when I come back, it's like I've never left.

Oh, spending time with Courtenay and Helen, Digby and Alice -

it's fantastic but it's never enough, you know?

We're a very close family

and if Courtenay was here it would just be complete.

Wherever the couple decide to call home,

either Helen or Courtenay would be separated from their family.

There's grandparents in England

and there's grandparents in New Zealand

and we couldn't get any further apart.

While their week so far has shown the couple what they could gain

from New Zealand, they both still have their concerns.

All right.

Will the finances provide any clarity?

They think their property at home is worth £390,000.

We sent round two estate agents to see if they're right.

-Oh, there we are.

-Here we go.

-Yay!

-Why is that man going to our house?

-He's going in our house, isn't he?

What a fabulous family room this is,

with a lovely aspect on to the garden at the rear.

There's Henry.

This is a pleasant separate lounge area from the family kitchen-diner.

Great family room.

Good-sized master bedroom.

Nice aspect over the front.

Oh!

Great children's bedroom.

Where's he going?

Nice, spacious loft bedroom with a big Velux window.

Me!

Great decked area,

forming a nice extension to the lounge with nice family garden.

I would appraise the property in current market conditions

in the region of £385,000

and for a quick sale, £360,000.

A very well-presented, extended, versatile family chalet.

Current market value lies around

£425,000

and for a quick sale, £400,000.

That's a huge difference.

Yeah, that's quite a big spread -

-the 360 might have been a little bit on the low side.

-Yeah.

-But it's kind of pretty much what we thought it would be...

-Yeah, yeah.

-so, yeah.

-That's true, yeah.

With encouraging valuations, the couple move on to get to grips

with the finances of life down under.

Right, shall we have a look?

We've provided a comparison of the cost of living

between New Zealand and the UK.

First up is the weekly supermarket shop.

Lemons are cheaper. There you go, lemons are cheaper.

-Probably cos they're in season.

-Yeah.

Oh, no, end of season - it's winter now, isn't it?

-And you can grow them here.

-Yeah.

Brown rolls are double the price.

Bananas are double the price.

Wow, most things are double the price.

So how does the grocery shop add up?

-...equals £74.

-17 pence...

-Yep.

-..difference.

So £74 a week more on grocery bills.

Mmm.

That's an extra £300 a month for food alone.

Moving on to the bigger outgoings,

the couple's UK mortgage costs them approximately £1,200 a month.

Basing their figures on the second property they saw...

Our mortgage in New Zealand would be 1,624...

-And then that would have a difference of...

-And the difference is...

-£450.

-£450 a month.

-OK.

-More expensive for New Zealand.

-Yeah.

-Wow.

It's a sizeable increase

but Courtenay could up his earnings by a third in New Zealand.

Taking that into account,

would the couple be better or worse off down under?

So we would be £470 a month worse off coming to live in New Zealand.

Yeah.

-That's a quarter...

-That's a lot of money.

-Yeah, it's -

-that is a lot of money.

-It's too much.

-That's too much.

It's a disappointing result for Courtenay.

We would actually not even be able to afford to live.

That really is crazy, isn't it?

But it isn't necessarily the end of the line.

Do you think it takes New Zealand out as an option?

No, I don't think it takes New Zealand out.

-It takes Auckland out, it definitely doesn't take New Zealand out.

-Mmm.

A life in the country's biggest city might be out

but does that mean it's a done deal

choosing between finances in the UK and New Zealand?

Now that we've had a chance to look

at the cost of living here in New Zealand,

we are going to vote for...

-UK.

-UK.

-No surprises there, really, is there?

-No.

-No.

-You couldn't choose New Zealand going on those figures.

No, no. Not in our situation at the moment.

No. It just didn't work financially.

Yeah, it's just a no-brainer really.

Their week down under has seen Courtenay

wrestle with the positive and negative points of a return home

but he may be about to face his biggest stumbling block.

Helen's concern has always been leaving her relatives in the UK,

so will a reminder of what she stands to lose back home

be the final straw for Courtenay's dream?

The family sit down to watch a DVD of messages from home together.

I'm quite nervous about this.

Hello.

Helen, Courtenay,

Alice and Digby.

Hello, Helen, Courtenay, Alice and Digby.

Hi, Helen, Courtenay, Digby and Alice.

They pretty much come across as the ideal family.

They seem to have a really good set-up.

Courtenay's just very laid-back - must be the style of New Zealand.

Helen is fabulous, she's one of my best friends.

She has a great sense of humour.

She is somebody that I'd ring in a crisis, a great friend to have.

Alice is very cute and funny and she's also very caring,

she takes that from her parents, definitely.

Digby is a smaller brother,

he looks up to Alice and they get on really well.

What I love is Alice and Digby coming down in the mornings

and asking for a story - oh, it's so precious.

Lovely moments.

Yeah, I wasn't surprised when Helen told me

about the potential trip to New Zealand.

I'm used to having her around!

And I think if she wasn't around, I would really miss her.

I would really miss her.

I won't particularly like it but I will accept it,

that it is best for them.

I will miss them all massively.

We just have a lot of fun together, almost like an extended family.

Very sad, very sad.

I'd miss them terribly...

..and it's only when they decide to go that it will really sink in.

I would miss you desperately.

I don't know what I'd do without you

but if you decide that you're going to go for it

I will support you all the way.

I will miss you, especially you, Digby and Alice,

but for you I think it's a lifetime opportunity and I'd go for it.

We will miss you massively and our friendship will never change,

whether you're here or on the other side of the world -

it doesn't matter.

It's your decision.

I will miss you all so terribly.

Please decide

to come back to England and stay.

You can't get away from it.

There is no, "oh, well, they'll be fine,

"I think they'll be fine in a year or two."

Cos I tell you they won't. Do you?

Alice and Digby mean the world to them

and there's no right answer to say, "oh, it's all right,

"they'll get over it," or, "oh, my parents will get over it."

You can't get away from that and I really do believe

that somebody along the way is going to lose out.

Their week down under has shown Courtenay

that a life in New Zealand may not be the utopia he'd been hoping for.

Now, with Helen hit hard

by the thought of leaving loved ones behind in the UK,

is his dream to move his family to the country he calls home

over for good?

Although time spent in New Zealand has had a positive effect on Helen...

I think it's a beautiful country, it's very impressive.

..the thought of breaking close bonds in the UK

means her decision's far from easy.

If it wasn't, I think, for my parents I think I would say,

"come on, let's go, let's go and give it a go."

But my mum actually said, "please don't go,"

and it would break my mum's heart

and that's why it can't just be a quick decision, that's for sure.

But it's perhaps Courtenay who faces the biggest dilemma.

While a move back home could deliver on several fronts,

the week's also thrown some curveballs his way.

It's been a little bit surreal being back here.

To come back as a parent and a grown-up,

it gives you a bit of a different perspective on it.

Yeah, I guess some things have been a bit of a shock.

As their final vote approaches,

the couple seem more torn than ever -

Courtenay over where his family would have a better life

and Helen over whether to grant her husband's wish.

I feel completely torn.

It just seems that, you know, for every positive there's a negative.

I don't know, is my heart ruling my head or is my head ruling my heart?

Every half-hour, my mind seems to change.

We're just caught. Yeah, just caught.

Can you come back here, please?

My heart would say move back

but I've got four hearts to consider, not just my own.

After years of discussion,

it's time to discover just where the Suckling family's future lies.

We've had a great trial week here in New Zealand

and based on everything we've experienced,

our final vote is going to go to...

-UK.

-Undecided.

Erm, New Zealand!

-Wow. Here we go.

-Why?

Based on the information from this week, I had to choose the UK.

If I was working really long hours and couldn't be at home

-and we were financially worse off...

-Yeah.

-..then I couldn't choose New Zealand.

-Yeah.

Why didn't you vote for the UK?

I think it would be fantastic for the children to come over here

and live over here but I think we need to look elsewhere.

Auckland's not it.

It's a little bit more tricky, isn't it?

-It's a little bit more tricky.

-Yeah.

I'm feeling your disappointment.

I can feel it, Courtenay, I can feel it.

As much as my heart wanted to say New Zealand,

my head won over and said, "it's the UK."

Unfortunately for Courtenay,

in the end the figures just didn't stack up in favour of a move

to New Zealand and it seems that, for a while yet at least,

the Sucklings will be staying put in the UK.

We wish them well - whatever their future holds.