Original subtitles

- I'm on a hunt to help find everyday Kiwis their perfect country house.

Things are a little different out here in the country.

You still have the hustle and bustle.

Your neighbours can sometimes be a bit noisy.

Time moves a little slower.

But you don't get this...

in the city.

www.able.co.nz Copyright Able 2023

Today is going to be an absolute treat

as we go house hunting with Toni,

an air traffic controller who's looking to downsize

from the farm she's currently living on with her husband, Jeff.

They've got a long list of requirements, including at least

10 acres of land, an established garden, a practical shed

for all the farming equipment and hopefully a cottage

for her parents to call their own.

It's gonna be a day uncovering some hidden gems

in this magnificent Canterbury region.

Come along with me as I help Toni hunt for the perfect house

in the Canterbury region.

She's on the lookout for something that her husband, Jeff,

and their children will all love.

Now, Toni and Jeff are currently on a farm, so I'll be taking them

through three properties that all have plenty of paddocks

for all their animals.

I'll show Toni through three incredible properties,

each with its own unique style, and I might even get to see

the sights in this unbelievable area.

- I work in the city.

I'm an air traffic controller, and my husband, Jeff, is a farmer,

but he's a retired helicopter pilot.

It's actually our first home together.

We only got married a year ago,

but we've known each other a really long time ― for 30-odd years.

We're really excited to have the family all together

and to find this first home for us.

We are looking for a downsize from the farm and land area.

We still have animals, so we need ideally 10 acres

as a minimum we're looking for.

We've got six children between us, so we need a bit of space.

Ideally, we don't want to break the $2 million mark.

We think we can get what we really would like around that figure.

- The Canterbury region is found along the central eastern area

of Te Waipounamu, the South Island, and is home

to some breathtaking scenery.

The lush landscapes and picturesque lakes are a paradise

for nature lovers and for those who are simply looking

for a country escape.

The proximity to Christchurch is just another win for Toni,

who won't have to sacrifice the conveniences of a major city

for a country lifestyle.

It's finally time to meet up with Toni and show her

the first house that I've lined up for today.

- Kia ora. Nice to meet you. - How are you?

Yeah, nice to finally meet you as well.

I am noticing something is missing.

- Jeff. - So tell me the story.

Where's Jeff? - He's at home.

We've had an issue with the electric fence.

Someone kindly put it behind a waratah on the weekend.

- OK. - So he's a little bit angry

and he's fixing that. ― So Jeff's got some work to do today.

- He's got a bit of work to do. - But that's OK,

cos we've got work to do today as well.

So, tell me a little bit about you and Jeff.

How long have you two been together?

- We've only been married a year.

- Yeah. - So we're looking for our first home together.

He's a country boy, so we're quite specific

on finding something with a bit of space for the animals,

- for all the accumulated items... - Yeah.

- ...he has hidden around the farm,

but something commutable for work.

- Right. - I work in the city, so that compromise.

- And you're an air traffic controller... - Yes.

- ...so you're used to dealing with a lot of information

coming at you all at once, making quick decisions, right?

- Yes. - Hm.

- And you'll see that. - Yes.

So today you'll be using those skills in the house hunt.

You're downsizing to something at least 10 acres.

- Minimum. - Yep.

- Absolute minimum. - Right.

- We have horses; we'll have a couple of cattle,

a few sheep, pet goat, five dogs.

- And this isn't even including any of the six kids that you have

between you, is it?

- We're a blended family. - Yeah.

- So we've got six adult children; we've got two grandchildren.

We're a menagerie, really.

- Absolutely. - Hmm.

- This place has a lot to like about it.

We are on 10 acres.

You've got eight paddocks. Already, some established sheds.

It's a five-bedroom home, so it's a big family home, this one.

But what I really like about this one as well as it does have

the separate dwelling ― it's got a cottage on site as well,

so if you're talking about your parents coming to live with you two,

they'd have their own completely separate space out there

that's all stand-alone, ready to go. - That is very appealing.

- Pretty keen to show you around the inside.

- Yes. - Shall we head on in?

- Absolutely. - Let's go.

OK, here we are.

So, the home was designed to really wrap around this

nice central courtyard, nice private courtyard in the middle.

The kitchen's really the focus of the home, right in the middle.

You've got living areas off to either side,

formal dining that we walk through as well.

And the nice living room here with the wood burner.

- Yeah. That's great.

That'd keep it nice and toasty warm. I like the kitchen is open.

Jeff and I both cook.

- Oh, great. Yeah. - He's a keen cook,

and so we could actually both work in that kitchen.

- How do you think he'd feel about the space?

- Yeah, I think he would be more than happy with it.

- Shall we take a look through to the separate living area through here?

- Absolutely.

- OK, another nice separate little living area here.

Again with access out onto the courtyard.

It's got a nice big bay window there as well.

But what that gives you, I suppose, is the opportunity to have

lots of different areas for lots of different reasons.

Maybe Jeff wants to be down this end of the house reading a book

while you're at the other end of the house, entertaining some friends?

You could be separate, but together in the same house.

- We've only been married a year, Matt.

- So you want to be together the whole time, right?

- Which is actually what this room is really nice for.

It's not too big. - I could see this house being

such a perfect little spot for a gathering. - It is an entertaining house.

Definitely. - Yeah.

So that's the main home, but I'm keen to check out the cottage,

which is where obviously your parents might be staying at some point.

So should we have a look? - Hm.

- So, granny flat, cottage, whatever you want to call it ―

it's a fully self-contained little unit ready to move in.

- Big living area, kitchen.

It looks like there's plenty of room in it.

It looks actually relatively modern. - Yeah.

- This is a great wee spot.

Even if the parents don't move in, you could Airbnb it.

- Absolutely, yeah. A little extra income on the side wouldn't hurt.

- Yeah.

- Take your time, have a look around.

When you're done, come and find me.

- Major. - Cool, see you soon.

- Gidday. - Hi.

- Nice pool room, this. I can imagine some pretty good parties

out here in the pool room. Seen the bar in the corner?

Now, that's what Jeff would like.

Property itself ― 10 acres, eight paddocks.

In terms of the farming aspect of the property,

how would those paddocks work for Jeff, do you think?

- They've obviously had horses. - Yeah.

- It's fenced for horses. It's not so good for sheep.

- Ah, OK. - But that's OK

because, being a farmer, Jeff can fence.

- Knock up a couple of fences? - Absolutely.

So that's not a major problem.

- Let's talk about the price of this home.

What do you think it sits at at the moment?

- I am guessing...

it might be around the 1.8?

- Yeah, a little bit more.

So, it is right... - Bit more?

- ...stretching the budget to its limit at the moment.

- So you're just under two? - Exactly. Yeah.

- The price of the property...

I can understand, having the proximity to the motorway

and to all the shops. Love it.

It's actually a very liveable home.

It feels warm and feels like a family home.

- With plenty of room for the whole family and all of their farm animals,

this first house could be a winner for Toni and her family.

And if you thought this property was impressive,

just wait until you see the other two houses we've yet to explore.

Today, I'm on a house hunt helping Toni find the perfect country house

for her family in the Canterbury region.

The first option was spread across 10 acres

and seemed to tick off everything on the wish list.

But I wonder what Toni will think of this next house,

because they're only getting bigger and better.

OK, house number two.

Pretty spectacular entrance, isn't it?

That tree-lined driveway straight up to this

beautiful Mediterranean-style portico.

How do you like the look of this house?

- It's big. - It's big.

- It's definitely big. - It's big, but it looks fabulous.

Yeah, I like it. - So we are on a 10-acre block.

From the front, it's impressive. It's grand.

- Hm, very. - Wait till you get to the back, though.

The views at this house are unbelievable.

Let's get inside, eh? - Great.

- It's a nice welcome into the house, isn't it?

That big light-filled atrium and then down into this living room.

Potentially room for an office, just off this living room?

We've got two bedrooms downstairs, three bedrooms upstairs.

So, looking at how you'd want to configure the home,

I'm thinking potentially that wing of the house could be a great place for your parents.

How would that work for you, d'you think?

- Perfect. Yeah. - Yeah?

- Two parts of the house would be ideal.

- Yeah. Nice and warm in this room with the gas fireplace, isn't it? - It's very warm. I likeit.

Lots of windows, lots of light. And the rooms aren't too big.

- Yeah. - It feels really nice and inviting.

- Yeah, that's right. For a big house...

- Yeah. - ...they've done a good job

of having it feel homely in here, haven't they?

Shall we head through to the kitchen/dining?

- Yeah. Definitely. - Cool.

So this really is the focal point of the whole house ―

the kitchen/dining, lounge area.

But look at the view that it leads out to

straight down the line of that formal garden, out to the Southern Alps.

The kitchen itself ― great modern kitchen.

Big stone bench top, all the mod cons.

Plenty of room to work in there for you and Jeff, d'you reckon?

- Yeah, I think it works. Yeah, I like it.

Yeah, you might have a problem here, though.

The kids might not want to leave.

That might be an issue. - I might not want to leave. Yeah.

That's the ground floor pretty much covered.

Shall we head upstairs?

- Yes. - Cool. Let's go.

- Wow. - Toni, imagine this being your bedroom ―

waking up to that beautiful view.

It's a great en suite in this bedroom as well.

Everything you need, this place has it.

Can you imagine this being your room? - It's perfect.

Who wouldn't?

- Couple of chairs, glass of wine out there.

Cup of tea in bed. Couldn't ask for a better view.

- All right, well, I'm going to let you wander around and have a good

look around the house by yourself. I'll be outside when you need me.

Come and find me. See you soon. - OK.

- It's a stylish home, isn't it? - Very.

- There's a lot to like about this one.

Thinking about what you need in a lifestyle block,

how does this sit for you so far?

- It's 10 acres, double hay barn, enclosed sheds, tack room.

Fencing is all set up for horses, plus some sheep fencing

around the property, so that helps. - Yeah.

- They've thought about it. It's well designed.

This property, it's different, but it's a possibility,

and being a little bit further out, it's a bit more country.

- Yeah, definitely. - So I think Jeff might like it a bit more.

Got the outdoor fireplace as well. Pizza oven.

- It's fantastic entertaining space.

- What do you think this one's worth?

- Oh, I'm guessing... - yeah, 1.9?

- I've got good news for you ― just slightly below that.

- Oh, wow. - So currently sitting at around 1.75.

- Oh, wow. OK.

The fact that they've kept true to the Mediterranean feel works.

You're getting a lot for your money.

It has that country feel to it and the views.

It's got the fantastic Alps.

- Well, I did tell you that the houses are getting bigger and better,

and house number two is a truly luxurious choice

for Toni and her family.

Coming up, we'll see the grandeur continue

at the last option I've got in store.

But before I do, I'm catching up with Michael from Ballooning Canterbury,

where we'll get lost in the clouds as we take in the jaw-dropping views.

Now, I'd heard some really good things about the hot air ballooning

in this part of the country.

And so while I'm in the area, I met up with Michael

from Ballooning Canterbury to see just what all of the hype is about.

Well, I can't think of a better way to start your day other than

getting up in the air with Ballooning Canterbury.

What an experience.

- Not bad, is it? - Yeah, and it's the perfect place to do it, right?

- It is. Canterbury Plains is one of the best places in New Zealand

to go hot air ballooning.

- Tell me about how you got into the sport.

It is a sport, really, isn't it?

- A bit of an addiction, really. So, I love aviation.

My aviation started with flying sail planes.

Gliders. I was looking for another challenge. - OK.

- So I had a go at hot air ballooning and did OK at that.

And, uh... - You say 'did OK'.

You were a national champion, weren't you?

- Well, yeah. Represented New Zealand in both

ballooning and gliding, so, yeah, did all right.

- What's a typical flight like, Michael?

- OK, so, we pick the best launch site for the conditions for the day.

We drive to the launch site, we set up,

and we like to get our passengers actively involved

with the setting up.

We get launched, take off. Sun rises just after we get launched.

So we see the sun rise out of the Pacific Ocean, shine across

the Canterbury Plains, reflect off the snowy covered peaks

in the winter and virtually watch the Canterbury Plains wake up.

- Absolutely breathtaking experience.

I haven't had any kind of an experience like that before.

You think you've flown, but you haven't flown until you've been in

a hot air balloon, have you? - I think it's all in slow motion.

You've got time to look around and appreciate what you're seeing,

you know? And a balloon flight with us isn't just a flight

in a hot air balloon. It's an experience.

It's a story. It's telling you about the land, about the history,

about the culture, and how the― how the land and the farms have

developed over the last 200 years that we've been here.

And that's why we're one of the most leading ballooning

company in New Zealand.

- Time to come back down to earth, because there's still one more

property to show Toni through.

Let's see what she thinks of this final option.

OK, Toni. Our third option for the day. - Wow.

- Yeah, 'wow' is the word. Uh, when I look at this,

there's a three-letter word starting with B that comes to mind.

It is big.

- Very impressive.

- It's an American-style home, this one. It's a three-bedroom home

in the main house. You've also got a one-bedroom guest house.

Plus, there's a pool house as well.

And you might have noticed the shed as we drove up the driveway as well.

- It's got great presence. But just― Guess I have to have a look.

- You're overwhelmed by the size of it?

- Yeah, I think 'overwhelmed' is a good word.

- You're going to love what you see when we get inside.

Let's go.

So, this is just one of the living areas in this home.

Everything is to such a high quality.

The finish is stunning.

I think this place the definition of luxury living, really.

- It's just fantastic. - Yeah.

- Coming through the big double doors and looking at that fire

is just amazing. - Yeah.

Shall we take a look at the kitchen?

- I'd love to. - Come on.

So, only downside to this house that it does have such a small kitchen.

Are you going to be able to work in a small, enclosed space like this?

- It's big enough. It's big enough, Matt.

- Yeah? You could just about work in there?

- I think plenty of us could work in there.

- Yeah. If your parents were to come living with you,

there's a separate lounge just down this end of the house ―

that can be completely closed off as well.

- That looks fabulous. And that fire...

- It's a winner. Should we head upstairs?

Let's have a look. - Great.

- Lovely bedroom, this one.

Fireplace at the foot of your bed...

- ...and of course, en suite, walk-in-wardrobe,

heated tiles in the bathroom.

- It's a great spot.

- Hey, look, I'll let you have another look around the house.

- You will find me, won't you? - Yeah, absolutely.

It's a big house, so try not to get lost.

I'll be outside by the pool house.

So, Toni, I've been thinking ― if I win lotto and I can beat you

to buying this house, I'm going to be spending all of my time

right here in the pool/barbecue house.

Look at that. You've got the outdoor fireplace, built-in barbecues.

It's sheltered. It's so well designed.

Does it feel like something that could be an option for you, too?

- Definitely. It has everything that you could want.

It's incredible. - We do need to talk about the price.

No. Oh, I hate to think.

What are you thinking it might be worth?

- I'm thinking close to three?

I've got good news for you, then.

It's definitely going to be a lot closer to two than three.

- My first thought ― 'Wow.'

It is 'wow'. It's really impressive.

I am a bit surprised that you can get all of this ready to move into

for that amount of money. It's really impressive, really.

- I'm not sure how Toni's going to pick between

these three extraordinary properties.

They all target her wish list really nicely, and each option

has its own style, so I can't wait to hear her decision.

After giving Toni some thinking time, I'm returning back

to the Canterbury region to catch up again to see

which way she decided to go.

- Hello. - Toni, how are ya?

- Nice to see you. - Lovely to see you again.

How have you been? - Good.

- So, you called me to say that there's been some kind of decision made.

You've obviously had a chat to Jeff.

- Yes, had a great day. Thank you very much for showing me

those three really different properties.

- Yeah. So that first one ― I remember it had the cottage on the property;

you were thinking about your parents coming to stay... - Lovely cottage.

- ...or living with you.

The pool... There's a lot going on in that first house.

- The cottage was fantastic, and the location being close

to the arterial main route.

- Yeah, for sure. - Really, really liked that.

- OK.

Then that second one we looked at was that big sweeping

driveway up to that Mediterranean-style― Yeah. - The Mediterranean house.

That had a presence going up between those olive trees,

the gravel drive. It just felt really nice going up to it.

And the view. - Beautiful view.

- You could actually have the separate wings of the house...

- Yeah, yeah. - ...for the parents and our children.

Even though I initially didn't think it was gonna work,

I thought actually it could work.

- So, the third one we looked at... - The 'wow'.

- Gee, man, that was huge, wasn't it? The American-style home.

Incredible views, incredible property in general.

Just so much going on.

- It was so warm, and just... I just didn't want to leave that place.

It was fantastic.

We've had a chat.

Jeff is adamant two storey, with us getting older.

We are hoping to stay in this property for quite a while.

- Right, OK. - So we're just mindful,

even though it's not a problem at the moment,

that we will look for single storey.

So that left property number one. - House number one.

- It needs a little bit of work. - Yeah.

- Which I don't mind doing.

You can change house, but you can't change its location.

- Fantastic. So potentially, the next time we hear from you

you might have put an offer in on house number one?

- Yeah, property number one.

- It was a great day, so thank you so much.

- Thank you. - Really enjoyed house hunting with you.

Cheers, Toni, and let me know what happens.

- Thanks very much, Matt. - Cheers, Toni.

I've since heard back from our couple that

although Toni fell in love with house number one,

Jeff wasn't quite so convinced and they're still looking

for a keeper that appeals to both of them.

So I'm wishing you all the best as you continue your house hunt

in the amazing Canterbury region.

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