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Original poster

Wanted Down Under

263 replies

breward · 04/01/2016 20:53

Anyone else put it on series record?

DH said, "You can tell it's January when deluded escapism is back on!"

I love it, but have no intention of ever moving to Oz.

OP posts:
wideboy26 · 27/01/2016 11:34

Difficult issues here with a daughter who doesn't want to leave her dad, but a mum who (probably) would like to put distance between herself and ex-h.

RooftopCat · 27/01/2016 12:00

Interest rates must be high in Oz and NZ as the mortgage payments always seem huge in comparison.

EnriqueTheRingBearingLizard · 27/01/2016 19:04

Don't they usually seem to be looking at properties way over the value of the ones they're leaving behind? or at least a lot of them are this series, so it's never a direct comparison

I didn't see yesterday or today, will have to look at catch up when I can.

Alohamora · 27/01/2016 20:04

Signora I shared your thoughts about the friend who died on 9/11 from yesterday's episode. Just seemed a bit...off.

He was an utter plonker!

Today's family were lovely and I see they hope to move within the next couple of years. I hope they manage it.

PurpleHairAndPearls · 27/01/2016 20:09

I thought it was sad the woman today didn't get to go. I loved the way they thought each house was fantastic, it really fucks me off when people sneer at perfectly fine noises which someone is obviously living in! It always makes me Hmmwhen they look at a house twice the value of their current one and then express surprise that their housing costs have doubled!

Gosh I'm a grumpy cah today.

Luckystar1 · 27/01/2016 20:15

What I don't get is the fact that lots of them move on the basis of (among other things) a house in an area they know absolutely nothing about. Even in the small town in which I live, there are areas that are much more desirable (although it's not always very obvious when looking at actual houses) but more in terms of proximity to very good schools etc

southernskies · 27/01/2016 20:52

I'm in NZ.

Interest rates here are 5-6% at the moment. When we moved anything under 10% was good! But houses in Auckland are just really expensive. I think they are 9x the average wage now.

Also, Auckland is vast (about 2.5 hours to drive from north to south). The places they have been sending people house wise this year are really far out - at least 1 hour from the CBD and more rural than city.

People would be better off in a smaller city like Cambridge or Tauranga where you can buy a nice house for $4-600K.

Scone1nSixtySeconds · 27/01/2016 22:19

Similarly with Brisbane and Perth southern.

We lived in the western suburbs of Brisbane - 9kms as the crow flies from the CBD, and a bus would still take 45 mins/ an hour to get there.

When we were in Perth we actually lived in the city proper (Hay St for anyone who knows) but to visit friends in Bayswater would take 35 minutes by car (non rush hour) to do about the same distance.

I hope it's changed now, but trying to rent a property was ridiculous - competing with 20 or even 30 others.

It is a beautiful place, and many of the people are lovely. When the DC are older I hope we can return for a holiday as my ds in particular has forgotten most of it.

In some ways watching it makes me quite wistful now, but I was so unutterably homesick and miserable at the time that I can only empathise with those who are being dragged along by their other half.

Oldraver · 28/01/2016 11:34

I've seena few property auctions on that other show (Phil down under) and it happens in the street outside the property....is that the norm ?

Oldraver · 28/01/2016 11:35

Oh I missed the jobs bit...what do they do ?

Original poster
breward · 29/01/2016 06:30

fitness coach (dad), forensic scientist (mum)

OP posts:
EnriqueTheRingBearingLizard · 29/01/2016 09:28

I've caught up with the Lawrence family episode now and see what you all meant. I kept thinking, this guy's a teacher? and he didn't even check his paperwork before he departed the UK. I had no patience with him and the trauma over his friend's death in the Twin Towers attack was really milking it I think. I'm not surprised they were staying in the UK, but it looks like he's going over to NZ alone to do some bits of work. I wonder if that'll be profitable or just another part of his pipe dream?

Have seen the Jones family episode too and felt so sorry that they didn't go, it seemed to offer a much, much better life for them all and it would've been fantastic for Luke to start Uni over there. So difficult for Kacey though, to leave her father and his family at a tricky age. I really hope life turns out well for them, they seem such a nice and grounded family.

I've one more episode to watch on catch up, not sure when and of course today's too.

Oldraver · 29/01/2016 11:20

I like this couple... they seem very switched on and level headed. I'm surprised Sophia (sp) is unsure if she will get a job as you would think in her line of work she would always be in demand.

I always think it a shame when you see people who have very good careers they have obviously worked very hard for but allows very little time with their dc's

I think the Dad is struggling physically

exLtEveDallas · 29/01/2016 11:25

Now, that's weird, but I really dont like this couple. I think dad is picky and pretty ridiculous. I think mum seems OK, but I just am not warming to dad.

Plus - stop the kids bouncing on the sofas and beds! Bloody hell, I know they are excited but that's not acceptable.

RooftopCat · 29/01/2016 11:30

Got the feeling the kids were causing havoc around the houses - capable of knocking $1000s off the house prices!
Huge budget for the house.

Backingvocals · 29/01/2016 11:30

I like them. But not sure why they think they'd get a better work life balance in NZ. She doesn't work extreme hours now and that won't change. More outdoor lifestyle and bigger house for sure but I'm not sure how the time with kids would be any better. Both working PT would fix it.

Seem like a nice couple tho.

KathyBeale · 29/01/2016 12:57

I'm still really behind - I'm watching Monday's now. I do think some people are just really selfish - this man wants his wife to leave her mum (who lost her husband early and has no other grandchildren) and his own son from a previous relationship. I think that's terrible and I'm not sure any nice house with a pool would be worth losing those relationships for.

I always seem to be surprised by the outcome! I thought the young couple - he had been a pro diver and she was a scientist - would definitely go but they ended up staying in the UK.

PurpleHairAndPearls · 29/01/2016 13:39

I bet this couple are MNers!

228agreenend · 29/01/2016 22:25

I'm behind only, and only get. To watch the first part of the show on the early viewing (7am ish) before doing the school run.

Must admit, got annoyed with today (ie's yesterday's) family within the first few minutes. All the usual cliches came out - outdoor living etc. The teen girl said that all she does in the uk is go on social media and she have more to do down uNder.

Why do families think that by travelling half way around the world, they will suddenly become,outdoor, sporty type, even though they are not sort of family in the uk.

I'd love someone to,so a spoof version travelling to the uk, having a family day at a country park, seeing houses that cost more than their budget, exclaiming over the coat of kiwi fruit, etc.

I also,wonder how,people can move so,far without ever travelling there before. When we moved to a new area, we travelled down several times, got people to advise us to which areas to,choose or avoid, and drove around to,get the feel of the place.

SignoraStronza · 01/02/2016 11:25

These two seem just so...greedy! Moving from a 3 bed semi - why don't they rent something acceptable while they get themselves sorted, perhaps without the swimming pool, big garden and 4+ bedrooms they're after?! Does she work at all? Or just got knocked up at 18 and sat on her ample arse ever since (with school age kids) while her dh grafts for 40+ hours a week?

Oldraver · 01/02/2016 11:32

I dont get that signora...the houses seem genrally much bigger than the UK and lets face it most people are living in bog-standard 3 bed's with not much room.

Then they walk around Aussie houses that would be mansions here and moan about them

Oldraver · 01/02/2016 11:34

Ha, the estate agent must be a Mackem Grin

EnriqueTheRingBearingLizard · 01/02/2016 11:52

Oh dear. That didn't go very well did it.

I always wonder about the long term, the kids who get shown a life they could have had, but don't go - do they all rush off the other side of the world as soon as they're able? and likewise, the ones who're taken over there, do they come back 'home'?

One of my friends who emigrated had a DC born here and one there a couple or three years later. The one who was born here's returned and the one born there has stayed there.

PurpleHairAndPearls · 01/02/2016 13:20

Well this one is a bit awkward Grin

RooftopCat · 02/02/2016 10:19

Felt sorry for Monday's couple. They bought their house for £91,000 and it's now valued at less than £80,000. Ouch!