Go Back  British Expats > Living & Moving Abroad > New Zealand
Reload this Page >

Has anyone watched the latest Wanted Down Under?

Has anyone watched the latest Wanted Down Under?

Old Jan 13th 2016, 8:03 pm
  #1  
BE Forum Addict
Thread Starter
 
barnsleymat's Avatar
 
Joined: Sep 2009
Location: Yorkshire
Posts: 1,111
barnsleymat has a reputation beyond reputebarnsleymat has a reputation beyond reputebarnsleymat has a reputation beyond reputebarnsleymat has a reputation beyond reputebarnsleymat has a reputation beyond reputebarnsleymat has a reputation beyond reputebarnsleymat has a reputation beyond reputebarnsleymat has a reputation beyond reputebarnsleymat has a reputation beyond reputebarnsleymat has a reputation beyond reputebarnsleymat has a reputation beyond repute
Default Has anyone watched the latest Wanted Down Under?

The latest series looks like it's all Australia apart from the one NZ episode, we watched it last night. All the NZ ones seem to follow a very similar pattern and the latest one is no different.
This episode was a classic example of how they're selling NZ short, yet again they show the family Auckland, but when I say Auckland they really showed them a couple of places well south of Auckland and from living up there for a year the places they showed them are easily an hour+ commute or more depending on traffic to downtown Auckland. In the past they have tended to place families on the North Shore, I think the producers must have realised this is well out of reach for the average family now.
As they always do they showed the family 3 house, the first 2 were right at the top of their budgets and the 3rd was well over their decent sized budget. They said they would only consider the third option, they then sat down and were bemused at the much higher cost of living. Now, this family wanted to move to have better family time and more of it, but after speaking to potential employers they realised they'd have to work some pretty long hours.
It's all very confusing, they'd have to work longer, travel longer and be poorer so they could live in a house they'd hardly spend anytime in.
Why don't they just show them somewhere else, somewhere more affordable without the daft commuting times and the stupid house prices?
I'm going to sound awful now but watching the episode one thing clearly stood out, it was quite obvious both parents would struggle to pass a medical. Why would the producers go to the expense of flying a family all this way when they looked like they wouldn't get over the first hurdle?
barnsleymat is offline  
Old Jan 14th 2016, 1:46 am
  #2  
MODERATOR
 
MrsFychan's Avatar
 
Joined: Oct 2011
Location: Wellington - I miss Castles, the NHS & English school system
Posts: 9,077
MrsFychan has a reputation beyond reputeMrsFychan has a reputation beyond reputeMrsFychan has a reputation beyond reputeMrsFychan has a reputation beyond reputeMrsFychan has a reputation beyond reputeMrsFychan has a reputation beyond reputeMrsFychan has a reputation beyond reputeMrsFychan has a reputation beyond reputeMrsFychan has a reputation beyond reputeMrsFychan has a reputation beyond reputeMrsFychan has a reputation beyond repute
Default Re: Has anyone watched the latest Wanted Down Under?

My understanding is that they need to have their visas in to be accepted for the show. Or it was a criteria when we looked at applying years back
MrsFychan is offline  
Old Jan 15th 2016, 12:53 pm
  #3  
BE Enthusiast
 
Hazelnut's Avatar
 
Joined: Apr 2013
Posts: 567
Hazelnut has a reputation beyond reputeHazelnut has a reputation beyond reputeHazelnut has a reputation beyond reputeHazelnut has a reputation beyond reputeHazelnut has a reputation beyond reputeHazelnut has a reputation beyond reputeHazelnut has a reputation beyond reputeHazelnut has a reputation beyond reputeHazelnut has a reputation beyond reputeHazelnut has a reputation beyond reputeHazelnut has a reputation beyond repute
Default Re: Has anyone watched the latest Wanted Down Under?

Episode 2 is also based in NZ, still based in Auckland for some bizarre reason. They're definitely getting too 'cartoon character' in how they are edited and the participants portrayed. I really don't understand why the programme takes people all that way only to shatter their dreams, it seems rather cruel! The female partner in this episode even said they could try looking in other areas for cheaper housing but it didn't go down well.

Last edited by Hazelnut; Jan 15th 2016 at 1:35 pm.
Hazelnut is offline  
Old Jan 15th 2016, 7:05 pm
  #4  
Forum Regular
 
Bobogib's Avatar
 
Joined: Jan 2015
Location: High Wycombe
Posts: 110
Bobogib has a reputation beyond reputeBobogib has a reputation beyond reputeBobogib has a reputation beyond reputeBobogib has a reputation beyond reputeBobogib has a reputation beyond reputeBobogib has a reputation beyond reputeBobogib has a reputation beyond reputeBobogib has a reputation beyond reputeBobogib has a reputation beyond reputeBobogib has a reputation beyond reputeBobogib has a reputation beyond repute
Default Re: Has anyone watched the latest Wanted Down Under?

Just watched it now. For someone who has apparently has wanted to move over for some time, he seemed very naive towards house prices, cost of living and even some quality of housing.

He walked into the first house and said it felt cold. From what I've read this can be quite normal for older houses.

I agree it's a shame they all seem to be based around Auckland. I know I'm unlikely ever to be able to afford a house there. Why don't they do more in Wellington, Christchurch, Dunedin etc. Plenty of other cities sorted around the county.

Going to have to watch episode 2 now. If nothing else it gives people like myself, who are right at the beginning of the journey, some other things to look at.
Bobogib is offline  
Old Jan 15th 2016, 8:24 pm
  #5  
Lost in BE Cyberspace
 
Joined: Jun 2005
Location: In a large village called Auckland
Posts: 5,249
Bo-Jangles has a reputation beyond reputeBo-Jangles has a reputation beyond reputeBo-Jangles has a reputation beyond reputeBo-Jangles has a reputation beyond reputeBo-Jangles has a reputation beyond reputeBo-Jangles has a reputation beyond reputeBo-Jangles has a reputation beyond reputeBo-Jangles has a reputation beyond reputeBo-Jangles has a reputation beyond reputeBo-Jangles has a reputation beyond reputeBo-Jangles has a reputation beyond repute
Default Re: Has anyone watched the latest Wanted Down Under?

I think it's good actually as general info for the public at large to get some sense of 'reality' because everyone in UK gets sucked into too much of the idealistic bullshit of emigrating for the lower cost of living in big house, with a boat and an endless summer of beaches and BBQs. This lifestyle can be achieved to some extent in Auckland if you have $$s for a nice house and income to suit.

Love it or hate it, Auckland does offer the expat dream of glittering beaches, boats, stunning houses with views to die for or semi-rural lifestyle and land packages within reasonable commuting distance but unfortunately it comes at a cost and is not all a barrel of laughs. You still have to go to work and pay the bills and housing stock is largely poor and / or very expensive particularly when coming from your 'average' UK town or city (i.e. excluding London) in context with salaries. There's an awful lot of other people that live here, the traffic is diabolical and the numbers increasing day by day. The biggest downside to Auckland is transport and the lack of adequate infrastructure to support the population.

I don't think that Wellington, Christchurch and Dunedin really do it for the masses that are looking for endless sunshine and the ideal of a big house by the sea.
Bo-Jangles is offline  
Old Jan 16th 2016, 2:23 am
  #6  
BE Forum Addict
Thread Starter
 
barnsleymat's Avatar
 
Joined: Sep 2009
Location: Yorkshire
Posts: 1,111
barnsleymat has a reputation beyond reputebarnsleymat has a reputation beyond reputebarnsleymat has a reputation beyond reputebarnsleymat has a reputation beyond reputebarnsleymat has a reputation beyond reputebarnsleymat has a reputation beyond reputebarnsleymat has a reputation beyond reputebarnsleymat has a reputation beyond reputebarnsleymat has a reputation beyond reputebarnsleymat has a reputation beyond reputebarnsleymat has a reputation beyond repute
Default Re: Has anyone watched the latest Wanted Down Under?

We watched episode 2 and yet again it followed the same pattern. Why on earth they would show a family of 5 that would earn $77k combined around Auckland? The only house they liked was surprise surprise the 3rd one that was way over their budget (just below 600k I think). A total waste of time taking them, they'd convinced themselves NZ was for them until they sat down and looked at the cost of living and the incoming and outgoings, then NZ was just a pipedream. If that same episode had have been shot in Dunedin (for example) that show would have been completely different, they would have been here by now living the kiwi dream, nice house, great schools, 10 minute commute, house by the beach or a lifestyle block etc. The first 2 house they show every family normally get the same reaction, they're compared to caravans with flimsy windows and thin walls. There's house like all over NZ but they're not $400,000, the show needs to try harder as there must be people back in the UK watching it and having their dreams shattered.

NZ isn't a cheap place to live but WDU makes it look much worse than it actually is.
barnsleymat is offline  
Old Jan 16th 2016, 2:56 am
  #7  
It is what it is Member
 
simonsi's Avatar
 
Joined: Feb 2010
Location: Blockhouse Bay, Auckland
Posts: 2,797
simonsi has a reputation beyond reputesimonsi has a reputation beyond reputesimonsi has a reputation beyond reputesimonsi has a reputation beyond reputesimonsi has a reputation beyond reputesimonsi has a reputation beyond reputesimonsi has a reputation beyond reputesimonsi has a reputation beyond reputesimonsi has a reputation beyond reputesimonsi has a reputation beyond reputesimonsi has a reputation beyond repute
Default Re: Has anyone watched the latest Wanted Down Under?

Originally Posted by barnsleymat
Why on earth they would show a family of 5 that would earn $77k combined around Auckland?
Haven't seen it but what were the professions leading to the $77k? This is the problem, many people's income level isn't freely available anywhere in the country. Either the pay isn't there or there is very little turnover in the roles that do pay that level...
simonsi is offline  
Old Jan 16th 2016, 4:37 am
  #8  
BE Forum Addict
Thread Starter
 
barnsleymat's Avatar
 
Joined: Sep 2009
Location: Yorkshire
Posts: 1,111
barnsleymat has a reputation beyond reputebarnsleymat has a reputation beyond reputebarnsleymat has a reputation beyond reputebarnsleymat has a reputation beyond reputebarnsleymat has a reputation beyond reputebarnsleymat has a reputation beyond reputebarnsleymat has a reputation beyond reputebarnsleymat has a reputation beyond reputebarnsleymat has a reputation beyond reputebarnsleymat has a reputation beyond reputebarnsleymat has a reputation beyond repute
Default Re: Has anyone watched the latest Wanted Down Under?

Originally Posted by simonsi
Haven't seen it but what were the professions leading to the $77k? This is the problem, many people's income level isn't freely available anywhere in the country. Either the pay isn't there or there is very little turnover in the roles that do pay that level...
Carpenter ($20 an hour) and teaching assistant ($16-$20 an hour).
We couldn't survive on that even down here in Dunedin and our mortgage is less than half of what they were talking about in Auckland.
barnsleymat is offline  
Old Jan 16th 2016, 7:42 am
  #9  
Forum Regular
 
Bobogib's Avatar
 
Joined: Jan 2015
Location: High Wycombe
Posts: 110
Bobogib has a reputation beyond reputeBobogib has a reputation beyond reputeBobogib has a reputation beyond reputeBobogib has a reputation beyond reputeBobogib has a reputation beyond reputeBobogib has a reputation beyond reputeBobogib has a reputation beyond reputeBobogib has a reputation beyond reputeBobogib has a reputation beyond reputeBobogib has a reputation beyond reputeBobogib has a reputation beyond repute
Default Re: Has anyone watched the latest Wanted Down Under?

Originally Posted by barnsleymat
they'd convinced themselves NZ was for them until they sat down and looked at the cost of living and the incoming and outgoings, then NZ was just a pipedream. If that same episode had have been shot in Dunedin (for example) that show would have been completely different, they would have been here by now living the kiwi dream, nice house, great schools, 10 minute commute, house by the beach or a lifestyle block etc. the show needs to try harder as there must be people back in the UK watching it and having their dreams shattered.

NZ isn't a cheap place to live but WDU makes it look much worse than it actually is.
The cost of living gets me. In the age of the internet and online shopping, it's not hard to find out how much it will cost to live. I've been looking on trademe at house prices. This then gives me a good idea of what we as a family will need to earn if we do decide to make the move.

As for the show shattering peoples dreams, I'm not sure. If anyone really wants to go, they will have done research and will make sacrifices where they can to help out. It may put people off, but if they really want to go, they will.
Bobogib is offline  
Old Jan 16th 2016, 8:54 am
  #10  
Home and Happy
 
Pollyana's Avatar
 
Joined: Dec 2002
Location: Keep true friends and puppets close, trust no-one else...
Posts: 93,787
Pollyana has a reputation beyond reputePollyana has a reputation beyond reputePollyana has a reputation beyond reputePollyana has a reputation beyond reputePollyana has a reputation beyond reputePollyana has a reputation beyond reputePollyana has a reputation beyond reputePollyana has a reputation beyond reputePollyana has a reputation beyond reputePollyana has a reputation beyond reputePollyana has a reputation beyond repute
Default Re: Has anyone watched the latest Wanted Down Under?

Originally Posted by Bobogib
The cost of living gets me. In the age of the internet and online shopping, it's not hard to find out how much it will cost to live. I've been looking on trademe at house prices. This then gives me a good idea of what we as a family will need to earn if we do decide to make the move.

As for the show shattering peoples dreams, I'm not sure. If anyone really wants to go, they will have done research and will make sacrifices where they can to help out. It may put people off, but if they really want to go, they will.
Unfortunately, after many years of viewing, and of being on here, its clear that many people don't do the research!
They rely on the TV producers to tell them the real story just like the people that watch the programme turn up on BE saying they've seen on TV that they can earn $$$$ and have a pool and a few horses and an 8 bedroom home all while working 20 hour a week and having a BBQ on the beach every night. And we get slated when we point out the realities of life.......
Pollyana is offline  
Old Jan 17th 2016, 11:32 pm
  #11  
Forum Regular
 
S_and_T's Avatar
 
Joined: Nov 2011
Location: Wellington
Posts: 107
S_and_T is a jewel in the roughS_and_T is a jewel in the roughS_and_T is a jewel in the roughS_and_T is a jewel in the roughS_and_T is a jewel in the rough
Default Re: Has anyone watched the latest Wanted Down Under?

Originally Posted by Pollyana
Unfortunately, after many years of viewing, and of being on here, its clear that many people don't do the research!
They rely on the TV producers to tell them the real story just like the people that watch the programme turn up on BE saying they've seen on TV that they can earn $$$$ and have a pool and a few horses and an 8 bedroom home all while working 20 hour a week and having a BBQ on the beach every night. And we get slated when we point out the realities of life.......
My wife and were starting to think we're the only ones frustrated by the obvious lack of research some of these people on WDU do. Whilst I appreciate the Internet wont tell you everything, some of them never even seem to have bothered with the bare minimum.

As for why Auckland, I posted a tweet on Twitter during the last series asking the same thing. One of the production team replied stating they send people where they have asked for, so again this implies no research by those featured.

On a side note, try playing the WDU drinking game where you drink a bottle of wine every time a lady on the show gets excited by a walk-in-wardrobe....
S_and_T is offline  
Old Jan 18th 2016, 2:30 am
  #12  
Home and Happy
 
Pollyana's Avatar
 
Joined: Dec 2002
Location: Keep true friends and puppets close, trust no-one else...
Posts: 93,787
Pollyana has a reputation beyond reputePollyana has a reputation beyond reputePollyana has a reputation beyond reputePollyana has a reputation beyond reputePollyana has a reputation beyond reputePollyana has a reputation beyond reputePollyana has a reputation beyond reputePollyana has a reputation beyond reputePollyana has a reputation beyond reputePollyana has a reputation beyond reputePollyana has a reputation beyond repute
Default Re: Has anyone watched the latest Wanted Down Under?

Originally Posted by S_and_T
My wife and were starting to think we're the only ones frustrated by the obvious lack of research some of these people on WDU do. Whilst I appreciate the Internet wont tell you everything, some of them never even seem to have bothered with the bare minimum.

As for why Auckland, I posted a tweet on Twitter during the last series asking the same thing. One of the production team replied stating they send people where they have asked for, so again this implies no research by those featured.

On a side note, try playing the WDU drinking game where you drink a bottle of wine every time a lady on the show gets excited by a walk-in-wardrobe....
Very quick way to get very plastered
Pollyana is offline  
Old Jan 18th 2016, 5:49 am
  #13  
Lost in BE Cyberspace
 
Joined: Jun 2005
Location: In a large village called Auckland
Posts: 5,249
Bo-Jangles has a reputation beyond reputeBo-Jangles has a reputation beyond reputeBo-Jangles has a reputation beyond reputeBo-Jangles has a reputation beyond reputeBo-Jangles has a reputation beyond reputeBo-Jangles has a reputation beyond reputeBo-Jangles has a reputation beyond reputeBo-Jangles has a reputation beyond reputeBo-Jangles has a reputation beyond reputeBo-Jangles has a reputation beyond reputeBo-Jangles has a reputation beyond repute
Default Re: Has anyone watched the latest Wanted Down Under?

Originally Posted by S_and_T
On a side note, try playing the WDU drinking game where you drink a bottle of wine every time a lady on the show gets excited by a walk-in-wardrobe....

Yet, if you ask anyone why they chose NZ and they will trot out the same old trite rubbish about wanting a less materialistic lifestyle.

'Less materialistic' being a euphemism for the eight burner gas BBQ, outdoor entertainment area, pizza oven, swimming and/or spa pool, a boat, a big eff off 4 x 4, a media room and a walk-in-wardrobe.
Bo-Jangles is offline  
Old Jan 18th 2016, 8:09 pm
  #14  
Forum Regular
 
Joined: Jan 2016
Location: Witham, Essex
Posts: 31
Axcell family is an unknown quantity at this point
Default Re: Has anyone watched the latest Wanted Down Under?

The mother of the family (carpenter/teaching assistant) you are talking about put on the WDU facebook page that they were given the choice of Wellington or Auckland as their destination. She had done her research and they went to Tauranga for a holiday afterwards. Unfortunately the seed of doubt had been sown in her husband's mind by that point so there was (literally) no going back.

I have family in Cambridge and have travelled a bit around NZ and wrote to the show asking why always Auckland? They replied saying they had done some from Wellington and were looking to expand outside of Auckland....looks like they haven't got there yet....
Axcell family is offline  
Old Jan 18th 2016, 8:31 pm
  #15  
`
 
BEVS's Avatar
 
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 38,595
BEVS has disabled reputation
Default Re: Has anyone watched the latest Wanted Down Under?

Perhaps someone should tell that 'show' that NZ has more than the North Island.
BEVS is offline  

Contact Us - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service -

Copyright © 2024 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Use of this site indicates your consent to the Terms of Use.