Moving your family to the other side of the world is a life-changing decision.
But, with five children,
being over 12,000 miles away from the support of friends and family
makes it incredibly tough.
Paul Holmes has always dreamt of a new life in New Zealand.
I'm quite happy to pack a bag and go. I would like us all to go and just make a decision.
But wife Sarah has serious doubts.
I'm leaving family, I'm leaving friends,
so leaving that is going to be incredibly difficult.
In New Zealand, the family are pushed to the limit.
And a life-changing move becomes a much harder decision.
23 percent of New Zealand's population were born overseas.
Many people emigrate there for a more relaxed pace of life.
This country of beautiful scenery has only 4.3 million residents.
That's half the population of Greater London living in an area over 170 times larger.
Home for the Holmes family is the Cumbrian town of Ulverston,
somewhere Sarah is reluctant to leave.
Ulverston is a fantastic place to live.
It's a bustling market town with lots and lots of amenities.
It's a festival town. There is always something happening.
A brilliant place to holiday but an even better place to live.
Paul and Sarah Holmes have five children, Nathan, who's 13,
Jana, ten, Isaac who's eight, Saul, five and Fadius who's two.
Paul spent 22 years in the army.
He left four years ago to become a teacher and spend more time with his family.
I was pensioned out due to old injuries I had in my feet.
After years of living in military married quarters in the UK and Germany,
Paul and Sarah finally settled down in this house on the outskirts of Ulverston.
This is where Sarah grew up and where her parents and childhood friends still live.
Leaving it behind will be very difficult, not just because I'm leaving family, I'm leaving friends,
I'm leaving people that I've known since primary school. And that will be very difficult.
The Holmes' have spent the last two years and nearly £200,000
turning this house into their dream home.
All the money we've used, we had a lot of savings from when Sarah was working,
my gratuity from the forces, we had lots of shares we bought when we were single and cashed them in.
For Paul, the project is nearly finished,
but for Sarah, life in the dream home is just beginning.
The idea of leaving the house is ridiculous. I'm emotionally invested in the house.
I always wanted to have a house that we could buy and live in forever.
I visualised us living in this house until we had to downsize when the children had all gone.
The eldest of the five children is their son Nathan, who was born with Asperger's Syndrome.
Some things he finds very difficult, like social interaction.
He's very literal. He's very, very intelligent.
And I would like to think that he would have a good future.
Nathan is at a school called St Bernard's and he is thriving there.
Fantastic learning support. I would want to see that a school in New Zealand
provided that same level of pastoral care as well as the academic pushing.
Schools down under are also important for Paul.
He works locally as a secondary school supply teacher.
I decided to train as a secondary school teacher while I was in.
Did my teacher training through Cardiff University, sponsored by the MOD.
And then when I left, I did my NQT with adults.
The day after I left, I was into supply work.
Why can't you be special and have...
I would! Why not?
Having established a strong family life in Ulverston in their dream home that they've worked so hard on,
why are they considering moving to the other side of the world?
It was really my idea to make the move
because when I was in the services, I wanted to go on an exchange out to New Zealand.
In a way, part of me really hopes it is great and fantastic,
and then another bit of me is thinking, "I don't want to leave everything I've got here."
Have they considered whether New Zealand can offer the same support they get for Nathan in Cumbria?
He is the one I would be most concerned about adapting to change.
Cos change isn't great for autistic kids.
He hasn't got the instant skills for making friends.
It doesn't come naturally to him and I worry that he would find it very difficult and very isolating.
I don't want to mess up things for him and make life even more difficult.
Being the only girl with four brothers,
Jana relies on the support of her friends for female company.
If I had to make new friends, it would be a bit weird,
cos you wouldn't have anyone to talk to about anything. It's very scary.
Sarah's prepared to consider a move, but there's a lot for the family to give up.
It would have to meet a lot of expectations.
I would want certain things. And it would have to provide a better life for all of us for me to want to go.
It's going to be a major decision for the Holmes'.
If Paul's going to convince Sarah to uproot the family from her home town,
she's got to fall in love with New Zealand.
As a teacher, Paul will be highly sought-after.
But the Holmes' lifestyle choices and children's education
would differ depending on where they lived.
We could send them to Christchurch, New Zealand's oldest city and second largest.
It has particularly good schools, which would suit the children and Paul's work prospects as a teacher.
It's large enough to provide good support networks without being too much of a busy city.
Alternatively, Wellington, the capital of New Zealand, might be the answer.
It's the third biggest city with a population the same as Christchurch,
so there's plenty to offer a large family like the Holmes'.
But it's much busier, which might be a shock compared to Ulverston
and not suitable for Nathan.
Another option might be the city of Nelson.
It's a small place, so this less hectic lifestyle would suit all the family
and give the children more access to the outdoors.
But there'd be less work opportunities for Paul and less of a support network for Nathan.
Three very strong possibilities there.
So, where shall we send them?
We've decided the Holmes family should try out life in Christchurch
for their week down under.
Quieter than Wellington but with more facilities and education options than Nelson,
it would give them a good idea of what New Zealand has to offer.
Sarah will need to be convinced they will find a better house than her dream home in the UK.
It's just not big enough. No. And the road. And the location. The road is terrible.
And there's a bolt from the blue when they found out just how much their UK home is worth
after we have it valued. I don't believe those valuations. No.
By the end of the week, the family of seven will try to come to a joint decision over a move down under.
Germany. I'm going for America!
Shh.
For the Holmes family, getting to New Zealand involved four flights
covering a distance of over 12,000 miles.
Every hour in the air is an hour further from friends and family.
You do get a feel for how far away it actually is.
It really feels that we set off such a long time ago and we've lost a day.
Home for the family's trial week will be this house in the Christchurch suburb of Richmond.
The journey doesn't seem to have exhausted the children.
CHILDREN SHOUT
You go careful. Big step.
The property has only three bedrooms, so sharing will be essential.
Looks like Jana will be bunking down with the boys.
It'll be me, you and Isaac in here. Let's freak Isaac out.
It'll be a bit of a squeeze. I think we're used to having a lot of room. We're used to lots of space.
Whilst the children are making the best of things, Paul and Sarah are worried
that New Zealand property will fall below their expectations.
This is ten years ago on the property ladder for us. Yeah.
It's nice, but you've got a busy road and we've got five children.
You can't accommodate the children in their own rooms with bathrooms.
We'd be looking for something very similar to what we've got at home.
Yeah, not in terms of antiquity, but in terms of size. Yeah.
They have different approaches for the week ahead.
For me, the most important thing will be seeing that the education system is going to be better
for the children in New Zealand. For me, it's going to be finding a good property
that I know we can be happy in.
I'd pick my bag up and go and give it a go straight off.
Whereas Sarah likes to be sure, don't you? Yeah.
In the UK, the Holmes family live in a detached house in the Lake District.
It has seven bedrooms with six being en suite.
Paul and Sarah have spent all their savings renovating and extending it
and now think it's worth around £800,000, although it's yet to be professionally valued.
But can they find something that meets their expectations in New Zealand?
The only thing that would prompt me to go to New Zealand
is if we can find a house as good as this.
I would want to have a swimming pool, I would want to have a sweeping driveway,
I would want bigger than this in terms of two more extra bedrooms
so that when we have visitors, they can come and stop. Or even a lodge down the bottom.
But it would have to be really right.
Well, the Holmes' hope the sale of their UK property will give them a healthy budget.
They'll have to see something spectacular
for Sarah to be convinced to give up her dream home in Cumbria.
Finding the right house in Christchurch will depend on the area they select to live.
If they lived in the city, there are some traditional houses
like this one in the Fendalton suburb.
Worth around £900,000, it's a six-bedroom character home.
For the Holmes', the area would be good. It's sought after
because it's close to good schools and parks,
plus it's only a ten-minute drive from the city centre.
In the country is the West Eyreton suburb,
a 45-minute drive from Christchurch.
It offers houses like this three-bedroom home
that's on the market for just over £300,000, well within their expected budget.
Although not as big as they'd like, they could find a larger house in this country area.
Good state schools are nearby for the children and for Paul to find potential work.
On the coast,
there are properties like this five-bedroom waterfront home
in the beach suburb of Redcliffs.
This house is just over £900,000, so out of the Holmes' budget,
but if salaries were higher in New Zealand, it could be attainable.
The area is just a 20-minute drive to central Christchurch.
Getting the right house is key for the Holmes family.
With the changing UK property market,
they don't exactly know how much they have to spend in New Zealand.
Will they be able to buy something good enough to make moving to the other side of the world worthwhile?
So whilst they hope to get £800,000 from selling their UK house,
without an official valuation, we're showing the Holmes' a wide price range of properties.
The first they're going to see is in the city suburb of Fendalton.
It has four bedrooms, a study and three bathrooms.
Not as many as they have back at home, but sufficient.
It's on the market for £360,000, so at the cheaper end for them.
It benefits from being in the catchment zone for very good schools
and is just 20 minutes drive from the beach.
Fadius gets to enjoy the property tour with his parents
while his brothers and sister are in the rental property with the childminders.
Let's have a look at this house now. It's got a nice entrance.
Oh, it's open-plan. Yeah.
The kitchen is important when you've got five children to feed.
It's a good size kitchen but it's only the same as we've got now. Yeah.
And if I was going to compromise on a modern house, I would want something much bigger than this.
And what's through here? It's a nice little seating area.
Are you a tired baby?
But it might make a good play room.
Yeah, or computer. But if this is the main lounge, then it's very, very disappointing.
Although it is a quiet city, it's still much noisier than Ulverston.
I couldn't stand that traffic noise. We're after rush hour, the school runs are done.
And you can see anything taller than a Mini.
Yeah. And anybody can see over the fence. Yeah. It's not private.
A larger garden might be an essential requirement for the Holmes'.
Obviously, it's meant to be a family house,
but there isn't anywhere for the family to play.
First impressions of New Zealand houses don't seem to have convinced Sarah. Let's hope upstairs does.
Oh, I think this probably would be Mummy and Daddy's. That's a lot better.
It's a nice size. This is the same as ours. Yeah.
The first property just doesn't seem to live up to expectations.
It's just not big enough, really. No. And the road.
And the location. The road is terrible.
I couldn't live somewhere with traffic noise. We don't have it at home
so I wouldn't want to come somewhere with traffic noise.
We're meant to be becoming more chilled and relaxed by coming to New Zealand.
I would find it more stressful living here. It's definitely not for us.
So, not enough space and in a busy location. Onto the next prospect.
Property two is a five-bedroom, three-bathroom coastal home in the seaside village of Sumner.
It has a swimming pool and ample garden with views of the hills,
being further out in a quieter location.
It's well inside the Holmes' expected budget,
being on the market for just under £390,000.
But the state school zone is not as good.
Bit of a sitting room, isn't it? It's nice.
Brilliant. Little play area while you cook. Really good. People can do homework at the table.
Close families like the Holmes' need space to be all together.
It's nice. If there's another big lounge for everybody to sit in, then this is a nice space.
Maybe things are looking up. This house is getting a better reaction.
Oh, it's small. It's a sixth of the size of our big room. Yeah. The big room, aye.
So not entirely suitable, then. The garden's nice. Yeah, I like how this opens up.
The view's nice of the hills.
It really reminds me of home.
And what about the much-wanted pool?
You'd just about fit the seven of us in. It's nice, but when I said pool, it wasn't this sort of thing.
And my ideal would've been to have more entertaining space around the pool. Yeah.
Maybe upstairs will win Sarah over.
This is a great view to wake up to in the morning. Yeah, up on the hill.
That's really nice. Oh, you can feel the sea breeze. This is stunning.
The views of the hills are as good as our view, I think.
But it's still too small. It's still far too small.
And there's not enough privacy, either. We can see into everybody's houses, they can see into ours.
So, for me, it's not right.
The special requirements that the Holmes' have mean they don't want to compromise on living space.
For me, the house is the most important thing, cos the house is where you're safe,
especially for autistic children, they need that refuge, it's like their cave,
and for Nathan, there isn't enough space in any of the houses we've seen.
And there isn't a quiet garden for him to escape into.
Things are not looking good and the house is vital to Sarah's decision.
Could it all be over so soon?
Property three is also in the coastal area of Sumner.
At £680,000, it's nearer the Holmes' predicted budget ceiling.
This is a five-bedroom, three-bathroom,
triple-garage property situated on the cliff-top coastal path
with direct access to the beach.
This is nice. Yeah, I like it.
Nice and big. Dramatic entrance.
Fadius likes this one.
Wow. Wow? What's wow? The spider?
Yeah. You like that? Maybe the nap helped.
Wow! Oh, that's nice. Yeah, it's brilliant.
This is a lovely room. Wow!
Wow, look at that, Fadius. Wow!
Yeah, wow, TV! Come on, let's have a look out at this view!
Wow! Brilliant, isn't it?
Now we're in business. Oh, wow.
Gosh, this is perfect.
Absolutely beautiful. And it's quite private.
You're certainly not overlooked in this house.
I love the doors. I think the doors are fantastic. Yeah, you're bringing the outdoors in. It's fantastic.
That's where you get the barbie going.
It really is nice. And you've got tiers of garden.
Views like this do not come cheaply
and this is reflected in the price.
Oh, this is a good utility room. Oh, yes. Long and thin but a bit wider than mine.
I do like the way you've got your yard for all your washing and everything, it's hidden away
so you're not rushing to get knickers and underpants off the line when you've got visitors.
These small things are important.
I love it. It reminds me of ours, even though it's totally modern,
cos there's little hidden hideaways everywhere. It's fabulous. Absolutely fabulous.
A home from home maybe? Oh, this is what I love, as well!
Whoa! That's nice, isn't it?
It really is. And the higher up you get, the more amazing the view is.
So, what's the verdict?
Very nice. This house is stunning. Absolutely.
I would definitely move for something like this house. It's like where I grew up.
Listening to the waves. It's fantastic. Stunning views.
It's built well, it's in a brilliant location, it's got everything going for it.
We're in luck. I didn't think we'd be able to find somewhere that would match up to their house back home.
But is this house something the Holmes' can afford?
It very much depends on how much our house is worth in the UK,
because I want to be mortgage-free here, if we can be,
cos I just think that's a way to enjoy it.
So, the first two properties were well within budget but too small for their large family.
House three was received much more favourably.
It's a lot more expensive than the first two,
but if they get a good price for their UK home, it would probably be within reach.
So, what's the verdict? Can they see themselves leaving their dream home in Ulverston?
Based on what we've seen today looking at New Zealand houses,
then my vote would have to go to...
BOTH: New Zealand!
So, they're tempted by homes at the top end of their budget.
But they're still going to need money to live on.
With Sarah choosing to look after the children,
Paul will have to earn a decent salary.
Back in the UK, Paul works as a design technology supply teacher.
So you've got your circuitry here and your power source. That's a P9 battery.
New Zealand has a shortage of experienced secondary school teachers.
The education system here is very similar to the UK, so this should help Paul settle in.
We found a Catholic school willing to give him a trial.
Paul is worried the New Zealand salary isn't as much as he expected.
He's anxious about finances already.
He may have to work full-time if he were to move down under.
In the UK, we get a little bit of help, cos we're a large family.
Tax credits, family allowance, et cetera.
But, sadly, out here, you don't get a great deal more help.
So I work 30 hours a week, but I'm going to have to come here
and probably work a full school week.
The headmaster, Bruce Henley, is there to greet him.
And it's straight to work. Paul will temporarily be taking over Mrs Browning's RE class.
Hiya! Mrs Browning, this is Paul Holmes. Nice to meet you.
Nice to meet you! Welcome to year 10 religious education.
Good luck. Thanks very much. Cheers. Thanks, Bruce.
Guys, just heads up for a second.
This is Mr Holmes. He'll be walking around and seeing what you're up to
so please make him feel very, very welcome.
Paul knows his skills as a teacher are in demand in New Zealand,
but he also realises he'll have to be flexible in the subjects he teaches.
He'll have to be prepared to work outside his comfort zone.
But then there's someone smiling and you think, "Why are they smiling?" but it's because they've got hope.
How could religion help you in that situation?
How's it going to help you, Duncan?
Well, religion could well be the thing that kept her alive.
Exactly. And what could that be but an act of faith?
They seemed to respond quite quickly to him
so that's a really good sign that he would just fit into the classroom.
Whilst Paul is meeting the pupils of the Cathedral School,
Sarah and the children are at one of Christchurch's many parks.
Here's one! A chorus cicada!
Sarah is starting to worry about Jana.
Being 12,000 miles away from home is beginning to take its toll.
Her main concerns are friends. She says, "I haven't met New Zealand girls.
"I don't know if they're easy to be friends with."
So that's a worry.
Leaving all my friends and my Nana and Granddad will be very hard because I've known them for ages.
Some of my friends in England I've known for, like, eight years. It just depends if I can make friends.
Has New Zealand had a better impact on Sarah?
In the UK, I was 50/50 because I was worried about leaving friends and family
and worried about housing options
and whether New Zealand would be vibrant enough for me.
New Zealand is vibrant. Culturally, there's a lot going on. You can see that.
I would say that I'm more positive towards the idea of a move.
How Nathan settles into New Zealand life is of the utmost importance to Sarah.
Nathan has said, "I love it here." So he's happy. And we've been buying books for the insect life
and the birds and it's a whole new dimension of learning for him
and he finds it fantastic.
Sarah may be feeling more positive about life in New Zealand, but much depends on Paul's work prospects.
Back at the school, Paul has a chat with the headmaster, Bruce Henley.
It's good to see you have survived. Yes, I did.
The rigours of a New Zealand classroom. It was nice.
The class size was very small to what I'm used to. I'm used to 28 up to 32 in England.
People asking questions without being prompted.
Enthusiasm was there, which was nice.
Paul may be impressed with the school, but he needs to establish some hard facts.
So, what about the salary rates for a full-time post?
The starting salary for a full-time permanent teacher
is around the 45,000 per annum mark. But that depends a little bit on qualifications.
At £21,000, the salary is less than Paul earns working part-time in the UK.
It's a major blow for Paul, but the school has inspired him in other ways.
The school was very nice. It was small, they seemed to be very nice students.
It was nice to see that the special needs students were in mainstream education.
There was a young boy with Asperger's, like Nathan,
and he fitted in very well and it looked like his peers were quite supportive.
So it was good to see. The only real negative is salary.
It's nearly... I would say just over half of what I would be getting if I took a post in the UK.
Paul liked the school and the pupils, but the salary would be much lower than back home.
Will he decide that teaching in New Zealand is better for him than in the UK?
Based on what I've seen at the school today, my vote goes to New Zealand.
The salary, yeah, it is a lot less,
but I'm lucky cos I've got a pension, so I think we can do something with that.
It wasn't unprofessional laidback, it was just the whole environment was easy-going.
So I think that's going to be less stressful in the full-time post.
So, Paul preferred teaching in New Zealand, but he'll have to work full-time
to afford the lifestyle he and Sarah want.
So far, the Holmes family have been impressed by what New Zealand can offer.
But, with a teacher's salary being so much less than back home,
they have to make sure they get as much as they can
for the sale of their UK house.
Paul and Sarah own a seven-bedroom detached Georgian house in the Lake District.
They bought it in 2001 for £135,000
and have spent nearly £200,000 on extending and renovating it.
But a move to New Zealand will mean selling their dream home.
The house would be the big crunch for me.
Hopefully, this is worth enough for us to have an absolutely stunning house.
They hope it's worth £800,000.
So we sent round three local estate agents
to get a professional valuation for them to watch in New Zealand.
Wow, it looks big.
Well, this room could be a very big selling point.
It's quite spectacular with all the windows looking onto the garden...
See, I am a good designer. Yeah.
This is a nice surprise. A really good size garden
with parking at the rear, as well, so that's a big advantage. Oh, wow, it looks good.
The sitting room.
Hm. Nice, sunny room.
South facing, you see. I like the fireplace. Bit on the small side, though.
Never mind.
Oh, another nice bedroom. A few beams, window seat. Nice.
He's going to the fireplace.
The veranda looks good. I love my veranda.
Nice master bedroom.
What a lovely en suite. Very spacious. Huge bath. Fits all of them.
So what price would the experts put on their home?
It does require some finishing work. That would obviously benefit the house greatly.
Landscaping the garden would be a big bonus.
But, overall, once that work's undertaken,
I think the house will have a wide market appeal.
Very nice. Very impressive. A lot of work to be done.
If they completed all the work, because it's such a large property,
it could enhance the value up to £400,000.
If they needed to move out quickly and the works weren't finished,
in the worst scenario, perhaps £325,000.
But we'd still expect it to achieve a good value
because it's got so much potential.
Once finished, landscaping completed, everything to the standard of the finished rooms,
I'd be looking somewhere in the region of 450, perhaps up to 465
depending on the state of the market at that time.
If they're going to sell it now, 325.
Even the highest estimate is almost £400,000 lower than they thought it was worth.
That is a devastating setback to the Holmes' dreams of a move down under.
I don't believe those valuations. No. At all.
Not at all. 325 wouldn't buy you one of the Georgian ones in town
down in the gill itself on the street front in the car park.
So I don't believe that at all.
That it's worth less now than when we started.
They seem to be doubting what the experts had to say.
But it has serious consequences for their move.
We haven't got our money back for that value. No, we haven't.
We would've been better off selling two years ago and not spending anything on it at all.
There is no way you can double the size of a house, put in high-spec fittings throughout,
make it six bathrooms
and it only be worth the same or actually less than it was three years ago.
Sarah is certainly not accepting the value placed on her home.
But has it affected Paul more?
We'll have to have a serious think. Yeah.
Cos there's no way we'd sell it anywhere near that with all the hard work I've done. No.
Not a chance.
That's a massive blow.
With their house valued at over £400,000 less than they'd hoped,
it seems their dream home in New Zealand is out of reach.
They'll have to do some serious calculations
to see if they can actually afford to make the move at all.
We've prepared a comparison of their UK and New Zealand expenses for them to examine.
Will this be what puts an end to any hopes of a move?
Let's see whether there's nice surprises or nasty shocks.
Let's have a look. OK, there's New Zealand.
Cost of living...
The shopping list.
It's about 30 quid cheaper a week. Yeah. Pork's very cheap here.
If that's for the same quantity, then that's really cheap.
It'll be interesting to know what supermarket it was compared with.
Salary. Yeah? It's slightly better but you're working more hours. Yeah, full time.
Council rates are much less, almost half. No water rate. No water rate.
There's our school fees, which is fine.
So gas is a zero here. And we're £100 in the UK. 98, yeah.
I would say we'll probably be about £1,000 a month better off.
With me working full time. With you working full time. So you have to look at that.
So, day-to-day living will be more affordable,
but this depends on Paul working full time.
However, it's the crushing news about their house that's still on their minds.
That was very disappointing. But the house isn't finished. There's time for the property market to recover
and I do feel, in my heart of hearts, that we have been undervalued.
But we wouldn't sell it not finished, anyway. Yeah.
Absolutely no way. Then you're letting everybody else get the profit.
We haven't lost money on it and it's been done as a home, not as a property.
We would lose money if it went for 325. Yeah, but that's not finished.
Sarah's right. Finishing the work will increase its value.
But this is still way below what they thought it was worth.
Will the financial realities put a stop to the move? How will they vote?
Based on what we've seen this morning on house prices and the cost of living, our vote goes to...
New Zealand. England.
That's a surprise. I'm not giving my house away for nothing.
So, the news isn't good for Paul and Sarah.
But their motives for considering a move down under haven't been just about money.
They're hoping the outdoor lifestyle that New Zealand can offer
will give the family more opportunities, particularly for Nathan.
The Holmes family are in the coastal town of Akaroa.
They're going to board a nature cruise in the hope of seeing some of the marine life on offer.
Whilst waiting for the boat, they go to see what life is like in New Zealand's rock pools.
After a long, agonising week, and with such a monumental decision looming on the horizon,
Paul and Sarah are grappling with the idea that life could be better for the children down under.
Oh, yeah, here we go! I've got a crab. Mum, chase the crab out!
Quick, Nathan's found some crabs. Shall we go and see?
Saul has plans for his discovery.
Ooh. You could frighten Jana with that, she'd scream. Definitely.
Look what he's got, Jan. SHE SCREAMS
I don't think Jana was very impressed.
Will this trip help swing their decision over whether to stay in the UK or move to New Zealand?
And it's not long before they spot some dolphins.
ALL CHEER
So far, they're getting to see some amazing sights on this trip.
Whilst the family seem to be enjoying the outdoor lifestyle, Paul is deep in thought.
The property bombshell earlier shattered his expectations.
Like I said before, I know how much our place is worth
and I just don't agree with that at all and I wouldn't let it go for that.
I wouldn't even let it got for that now, never mind when it's finished.
I'd want a minimum of 650 for it. And I think it is worth that.
Does this mean the possible move to New Zealand is in jeopardy?
I'd like to come out here, but I'm not going to let my house go for nothing, that's for sure.
A complete turnaround, and Paul's dream of a move down under is in danger of sinking.
Sarah, on the other hand, is not letting it get her down.
So, for her, it's full steam ahead to experience a different New Zealand lifestyle.
Absolutely great. We're having a brilliant time on the boat.
Seeing the penguin was incredible.
I've never seen a penguin before in the wild, so that was amazing,
and I wasn't expecting that today, I was just expecting dolphins.
We saw the dolphins, as well, so that's pretty cool. I'm sure Nathan's loving every second.
I'm surprised how easily the children have adapted to living here, especially Nathan,
because I thought it would be more difficult and he'd be far more autistic than he has been.
I think we could have a very good lifestyle here
but I think for each step forward I'm taking, Paul's taking a step back,
so that would be quite ironic in the end if I vote New Zealand and he votes UK.
It was meant to be Paul convincing Sarah, but it seems things have turned around.
I think Sarah's actually moved from 50/50 to probably 75 or even 80,
and I've gone from 99 to 50/50.
So it's a real swing, really, of is it going to happen or not.
For me, it doesn't really matter what other people think my house is worth,
it's how much it's worth to me.
Unfortunately, Sarah, you will have to sell the house to pay for a move.
For Paul, the dream now seems to be slipping away as he cannot stop thinking
of the devastating news about their home. Which lifestyle do they think will suit their family best?
The UK or New Zealand?
Based on the lifestyle we've experienced today,
my vote goes to... ALL SHOUT: England! New Zealand!
Oh, I made a mistake! New Zealand! Yeah!
New Zealand's won!
We've just had a phenomenal day out in beautiful sunshine
and it was a life experience that will stay with the children and with me forever.
So, despite having massive doubts over the move, Paul is still voting for New Zealand.
But will messages from loved ones back home remind the family what they're leaving behind
as we approach the final vote?
While Saul and Fadius sleep and Nathan is getting stuck into a book,
the rest of the family sit down to watch some messages from friends and family.
Hi, guys. ALL: Hello, Jana!
Hi, Paul, Sarah and the kids.
I often say that she's a typical earth mother,
with having five children, and I really don't know how she copes.
Sarah is extremely protective of the children.
Wants the best for them, education-wise, definitely. Yeah.
Paul is probably one of the most laidback people I have ever known.
He's very kind.
Losing him to that distance would be quite traumatic for me.
I'll be happy for her to go and have some fun
but I'd be upset I wouldn't see her any more,
that when I'm upset, she won't be there to help me and stuff.
We have a very close bond with the children
and it will be...
I'd be devastated, actually, if they decided to stay. I really would.
We'd really miss them terribly because you're, sort of,
waiting for them on a Sunday to arrive.
I think you're bound to lose the closeness because, you know,
they'll come in, if they feel down or something's happened at school,
they'll come and snuggle and tell you about it.
I think, if you're not there, you're going to miss that.
I did realise it would happen...
But with the house and everything, you just presume they wouldn't do it.
I really miss you, Jana. Hope you have a good time.
Hope you're OK, Jana!
Have a good time!
Me and Mum are sat here on our own with just Meg.
We're going to go and feed the hens shortly.
Meg's missing you. She wonders where you are.
Every time a car pulls up, she wonders if all the kids are going to get out.
I'll feel really, really sad without you,
but...I know that you've made a decision that's best for all of you. Bye.
Come on, baby. We're going to miss you here
but you've really got to do the best you can for the family.
Bye. I can't do any more.
Come on, sweetie, come and have a cuddle.
It's all right. Shh. You'll be seeing her in a couple of days. Shh.
It's all right, darling.
Oh, my little girl.
Shh.
It's going to take them years to save up,
and to come, it would be a once in a lifetime kind of thing.
We're a big, close Catholic family, so an important part is played by family.
It's hard to see someone upset and you think, "Well, I'm making them upset."
So...yeah, it is quite difficult, really.
It's a hard decision. Incredibly hard.
It's not clear cut, cos emotions are never clear cut.
It's the end of the Holmes' trial week and for the family, there's a lot to think about.
The move was originally Paul's idea,
but for Sarah, there was a lot more to lose.
Ulverston is a fantastic place to live.
Leaving it behind will be difficult, not just because I'm leaving family, I'm leaving friends.
Paul and Sarah discovered New Zealand can offer the opportunities they want for their children
but it was news from back home that provided a setback.
What's happened is, Sarah's moved from 50/50 to probably 75 or even 80,
and I've gone from 99 to 50/50.
Seeing friends and family was an uncomfortable reminder of home.
So for Paul and Sarah, it's been a real week of ups and downs.
It's now time to decide.
Will the future New Zealand offers be too hard to resist?
Or is their house and life back home just too much to give up? How will they vote?
We've been here a week, we've seen the best that New Zealand has to offer and our vote goes to...
ALL: New Zealand!
And a vote for England. Kill him!
Well, with a family of seven, they were never all going to agree,
but there is a definite majority and even Paul voted for New Zealand.
They start to pack up their temporary home
with a new future lying ahead.
Financially, it's a huge outlay,
but it's not all about finances, it's about a standard of living
or a quality of life.
If it's going to be better for the kids, it'll be better for the family in the long run.
It would've been brilliant if I'd absolutely hated New Zealand
and I could've gone back and said, "Yeah, it's the pits, I'm not going to live there."
But I've really liked it and I think I could very easily live here.
It's very tough making such a huge decision.
But in the end, Paul and Sarah were prepared to sacrifice everything they put into their UK home
to give their family a chance of a better life in New Zealand.
Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd
E-mail subtitling@bbc.co.uk
.