myrtle1

Well come on now, get off that fence and tell us what you really feel!

seriously though, while I started off enjoying it, I have started getting more and more irritated by it as the week goes on. hubbie is threatening to ban me from watching it as he can no longer cope with listening to my rants!

stuart.and.michelle

We must be missing something here so we're hoping someone can help.
For a couple to buy a house in 2005 for 200k and for it to be worth 250k now, and a joint income of approx. 55k, how the hell can they be looking at 450k houses in Australia??? They win the lottery and just not tell anyone!!!! I know they then go on to say that they can't really afford things but why even consider houses in that range?

sportsendurance

Just a few points to make if I may.
First of all don't take too much notice of how much someone has to buy a house especially when considering the earlier remark about the couple who bought a house in 2005 as we don't know what size of mortgage they had on that 200k or how much savings they now have or how much of a profit they could sell their business for - obviously a few factors to consider. Secondly, the BBC will ask them for rough estimations of the size of mortgage they would be looking for in Ozz and do not dig too much into their personal or actual finances. Remember one of the houses is what they would like to aspire too.

I do think though that looking at rented accommodation is a very good idea and perhaps should be suggested to the BBC as it would be more realistic.

Can I also add that when you are being filmed, you are not warned in advance of the question they are going to ask you, but perhaps asked to buy an ice cream and make some remark about it's taste or price or whatever. You have therefore only a second or so to make a response as the camera is filming you both. I think this is why some people come out with strange remarks and they too will probably be watching the programme and laughing at their responses. I found the house views some of the funniest and hardest to respond too. It's difficult to say this room is bloody awful when, after all this is someone’s home!

I would akso just like to add that the BBC staff filming are, in our experience, very nice and genuine people but they do need to make a programme so that people like us can discuss it - if we didn't who would watch it? Oh I appreciate that it looks like a holiday but honestly it’s far from it. If you can imagine being there for 6 days and 5 of them working constantly between 8.30 - 5.30, not including possibly an hour’s drive to and from the destination, it doesn’t provide much time for relaxation, especially when it comes in dark at that time and the shops are closed!!

Ps. I’m not having ago at anyone here, definitely not, but I am just hoping to give some members a clearer understanding of what happens in a nice sort of way – I see they are asking for people to apply for the next series!!

iamthecreaturefromuranus

Never seen the program, but if somebody said that they thought they would struggle in Oz if they were only getting about the same as 30,000 GBP, which is currently about $52,000.... they were right !!

$52k pa will not go very far here.

MrsE

Having recorded the programs and watched them each evening this week we love seeing the different parts of Oz but are really REALLY irritated by those rediculous map boards that they have to flip several thousand (or so it seems) times before they choose UK or AUSTRALIA! Surely they can come up with something a little more high tech than that!

MacLover

Anyone know what the Banjo (I think it is a Banjo anyway) music is called that keeps featuring in the episodes? it is catchy as hell

ozhappy981

Keep your shirt on, Jen .

It's on at 9am in the morning (or thereabouts), isn't it????

That tells you that the programme is meaent as very light entertainment. Not a documentary, not educational, just "fluff" really.

We used to watch it before coming out to Oz and enjoyed it for the scenery. We also enjoyed for the laughs. I think the people who go on it are very brave. Like sportsendurance said: They (a) don't get a lot of time to think before they have to speak to camera, and (b) they have no control over how it's edited.

paulry

So overall once the right sources have been found the prices work out to be about the same.

Anne down under

if you get on be prepared for some serious editing!

iamthecreaturefromuranus

Nope sorry mate but that's not the case. The exchange rate movements and the fact that Oz never really saw much to the recession, means that general food shopping is much more expensive here than the UK. Some things are still cheaper, things like petrol and council tax, but food is much more expensive now.
I base that one the views of the last three sets of people we have had out to visit who all found Oz cripplingly expensive now.

I now await ABCDiamonds facts and figures that will dispute all that. !!

soulrebel

BBC iPlayer is only available in UK unfortunately.

NELBHOY

As I said before, the programme really has nothing to do with emigrating.
Turn over to Channel 4 at the same time. You'll get a better insight about emigration from Frasier's dog Eddie

JenJen

But they would both be looking to work so I just don't get it ????

JenJen

Well the ppl are ok - i'm just annoyed the BBC have spoken to these ppl and paid for them to get out there and given them a limited choice of not really what they want???
Mind you the last family I'm sorry but I don't really know why they were on it when she'd sorted most the arrangements herself???
One of the most interesting bits for me is seeing what property they put them in according to what they can afford not watching the family do a home exchange and live in a architectural mansion which would be damn near impossible for them to afford unless they pimped out they're granny !!

The ppl on the whole are quite entertaining and I actually feel sorry for most of them as like you say it's not alot of time to be out there for a reccie or a proper look round.
The only gripe I have in particular about some of the families is allowing in particular 'children under teenage age' to decide that if they don't want to live in Oz - main reason being they'll miss they're friends then no one goes .
Whose to say best friend won't have to move to the other side the country, best friend may be best friend now but girls in particular are fickle and I doubt kids of 8 or whatever will have the same friends when they leave to attend high school or even leave high school.

PLEASSSSE don't base it friends at home ppl it gets boring

Bermudashorts

I don't take it so seriously, it's just a bit of entertainment.