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.

Today we're with our mother-daughter duo of Ilene and Dawn,

who have just made their way all the way over from the sunny Philippines here to Aotearoa.

When it comes to their dream home, they're not after anything too fancy,

really anywhere with enough room for them all to have their own personal space.

There is one top priority, though ― it's gotta be warm,

warm enough to keep them toasty in this cooler New Zealand climate. Let's go house-hunting.

We've got a bit of a chilly one today, but don't worry,

because the fire's crackling, and the cat's left you some room on the couch.

The sort of house we're looking for needs to fit a family of four,

and Ilene and Dawn are the reconnaissance team who will determine

which of the three homes will work best for family life in Rotorua.

So it's a really usable space out here.

- All it needs is a grill. - Yeah.

- A grill or a table with a parasol or something.

- So let's get into it and see if we can find Ilene and Dawn

the perfect home for their move to Aotearoa New Zealand.

- Hi, I'm Ilene from the Philippines.

- I am Dawn, her daughter. - Yes.

- We have friends who moved to Rotorua. They felt supported even though they were migrants,

and, um,

it's their―

that balance of outdoor nature and things to do that didn't have to happen in a mall.

Those were the things that they were reporting back to us, and they were really enjoying themselves.

There is a really nice balance of nature and, um...

um, progress... - City life. ...and city life.

So we really wanted that ― somewhere that was good for our mental health, basically.

OK, how about you Dawn? - Mostly, the― I just wanted a nice commute system,

and some― someplace where I felt safe when just walking in the road,

because as a small girl in the Philippines , it's really―

it's really hard, and I didn't feel safe that much.

- Our budget would be around 500 to 700.

Somewhere where we have a space for the four of us.

So I think two to three bedrooms would be good... - Mm-hm.

- ...and somewhere with a bit of a lawn so that― My husband, he likes to garden.

He's the only one who can keep plants alive...

- ...so those would be really good considerations.

- Rotorua is about a 30-minute drive from Hamilton,

and has long been a favourite amongst visitors for its geothermal wonders and rich Maori heritage.

In recent years, this area has become a Mecca for mountain bikers,

with countless downhill trails for both pros and... um, not-so-pros as well.

Rotorua offers a whole range of outdoor activities

while still having all of the convenience of a small city.

So let's get into our house-hunt and see if I can find Ilene and Dawn

the perfect Rotorua home for them and their family.

Now, this first house I've lined up is a recently renovated three-bedroom property on a cornersection.

I'm hoping it'll impress Ilene and Dawn, and I'm also hoping they've got the heaters running, because brrr.

Kia ora. - Hi. - Ilene, nice to meet you.

And Dawn. - Hi.

- Haere mai. Welcome to Rotorua. How are you feeling today?

Uh, a bit cold.

- Yeah, I can imagine that. It's a bit of a change, the climate here in Aotearoa New Zealand

compared to where you've come from... - Oh yes, definitely.

- ...Manilla in the Philippines. - Uh-huh.

- So there are millions of people living in Manilla. - Millions.

- About 14 million right now. - That's a lot of people.

Comparatively, from Manilla to Rotorua, it must feel like such a difference.

- Yes, there's so much space.

So you're now studying at university in town? - Yes.

Yes, I'm studying in a master's programme in Toi Ohomai Univer―

uh, Institute... - Yeah.

- ...and I'm taking a degree programme in mentoring and leadership.

- Great, so you're gonna be helping students.

- Students, or also I could be helping out teams in corporate. So it could go either way.

- Great. And your husband's working in IT here as well. - Yes.

- Yes, he's working in IT. He's working right now today.

- So he couldn't be with us today... - Yes.

- ...but that's why, Dawn, your daughter is here. - Yeah, I'm the substitute.

- Substitute. You're gonna be looking with his eyes, though, right?

You're gonna be keeping an eye on things from his point of view.

- A little bit, yeah. - A little bit.

- And you're gonna be studying ― you wanna be an artist, an illustrator.

- Yeah, I'm still applying, though. - Yeah, great. Nice one.

All right, so, minimum two bedrooms that you're looking for. - Mm-hm.

- Somewhere easy to get to where you're studying and where you'll be working.

- And everywhere else. - Yeah.

- And easy to heat, because heat is important to us, right. - Aha.

- I can see you got your jacket on today. - Yes.

- So somewhere warm and cosy is gonna be important for you.

- Warm and cosy. That's it, yes. - OK. great.

It's gonna be nice and warm, this one. It has got double-glazing. - Oh, good.

- They've renovated inside recently. It's a really nice renovation, so just in the last yearor so.

It should be nice, warm and cosy. So why don't we get inside and have a look?

- OK. - OK. - Come on in.

Here we are. It's a big open-plan living-dining-kitchen area.

It's been renovated within the last year, so a nice brand-new, modern kitchen.

Big open-plan lounge, this one... - Yes, very open. - ...with really high ceilings.

Look at that ceiling, a pavilion style, so huge in here,

big sense of space and just a really nice flow as well

through these ranch sliders out on to that deck.

- Yes, it looks like whatever anyone is doing in the kitchen,

they're not going to be excluded if people are eating. So it's like a very interactive space.

- What do you think, Dawn? How does this feel for you?

- Ah, it's OK for me - Yeah?

I'm just already thinking about how I'll clean everything.

- Yeah, because we're tiny, and the ceilings are really high. - We're really small.

- Most of the living areas are floorboards.

I know it's gonna be easier to clean, but we're―

- In terms of like, warmness. - In terms of warmth,

we're just not sure how it's going to be.

- Plenty more to check out. So why don't you have a walk around... - Yes. OK.

- ...the home, get a feel for it, and I'll be here hanging out with the cat when you're done, allright?

Unfortunately, it doesn't come with the house. I'm so sorry.

- Aww. - I know.

- Puss, puss, puss, puss, puss.

What do you think?

- OK, so, this is, like, the master's bedroom? - I think so, yeah.

- I'm just wondering about the different kinds of wallpaper in the different rooms.

- The wallpaper was pretty inconsistent.

Like, if we were to move in here, we would have to change it and stuff because we didn't like it that much,

but for the space is― - Except for the bathroom and the toilet...

- Yeah, the theme was really on point.

- ...because it was more cohesive. Everything was black and white.

So, let's find out from Matt what the price is. - OK.

- So the front yard on a sunny day, great spot for a picnic. - Uh-huh, could be, could be.

- How do we feel about the rest of the house?

- We were looking at the rooms, though, and if we were going to move in here,

we would need to change the wallpapers. - Wallpaper.

- Sure, OK. - There was like different, uh, designs of wallpaper for each room.

- It wasn't consistent. - OK. - OK.

Well, we need to talk about the price. - Uh...

I guess 700?

- Bang on. - Oh.

- You're basically bang on. - Oh, really?

I thought I was bad at it. - No, apparently, you're brilliant at it.

So knowing your budget was up to 700, this would be right to the top of it. - Yeah.

You do get that third bedroom, though.

- It's within the budget, but we would want to look at the other options.

- Two more to go. So should we head along to house number two? - OK.

Come on out.

- I'm in freezing cold Rotorua with mother-daughter duo Ilene and Dawn,

who are relocating from the Philippines.

We've toured one house so far, which got a tick for its open-plan living,

but now it's time to see our second option, which has a really nice established garden.

Let's see if I can win them over with this one.

- So we're taking a bit of shelter on the veranda here... - Yes.

- ...because the weather has packed it in here in Rotorua today.

But the second house I've got for you, this is a really interesting one, I reckon.

So, it's another '70s build, about the same sort of size in terms of the house.

It's about 95m2... - Oh, OK.

- ...three bedrooms, one bathroom. Interestingly, though, there's a double garage,

and in that garage is a little studio space set-up

that I thought might be able to work as an office for you, maybe. - Mm-hm.

It might need a little bit of love, but potentially an option.

- The grounds themselves have been really well looked after as well. - Yeah.

- The current owner, she's a gardener... - Ooh.

- ...so nice gardens for you already established.

- It is a good neighbourhood. It is a good area... - Yeah.

- ...that's accessible, but at the same time, it's privately located. So it's a nice balance.

- So it's a '70s house, and the kitchen really hasn't really

had much done to it since the '70s... - Mm-hm. - Yeah.

- ...a bit of paint on the cupboards and that's about it. - OK. It is― It is dated.

There needs to be a lot of renovation. A lot of the storage space really needs to be updated.

- It's going to cost a lot, though. - It is. It is going to cost a lot more than just wallpaper.

- Now, the vines, what do you think of those?

- It's really pretty. - They're really lush.

Are they real? - They are in fact real.

- It brings the whole space to life. - Yeah.

Well, plenty more to see. Let's head through to the lounge. - OK.

- It's warm in here, isn't it? - Yeah.

- You've had to take your coat off it's so warm. - Yes. It is warm.

- And that's all from the wood burner that's going at the moment. - Oh, I love that.

- Have you ever had a fireplace before? I mean...

No, we did not need fireplaces in the Philippines.

So this one's actually a little different as well. This is what we call a wetback...

- OK. - ...which means that there's plumbing pipes

go from that into the hot water tank, and you don't need to have the electricity

powering the hot water tank in winter.

You can use the heat from the fire. - Oh, nice.

The living area with a fireplace that opens up to the deck... - Yeah.

- ...those areas are really good spaces. They're really relaxing.

- Tour the rest of the house... - OK.

- ...have a good look around, and it looks like the sun is almost peeking out from behind the clouds,

so I'll be outside. - Teasing. - Yeah.

When you're done, come and find me out on the deck. - OK.

- OK. See you soon. - OK.

What do you think?

- OK, so, uh...

I like this room. It is― But there's, like, a lot of different... - Elements?

- ...furniture that don't really go well together.

I think that's basically what my impression is of the house.

- Should we go find out the price? - Yeah, because― Let's find Matt.

- OK. - OK.

- I was wondering if you guys have the term 'indoor-outdoor flow' in the Philippines ― have you heard of that?

- Not much. - Not really.

- It's something we were obsessed with talking about in New Zealand ―

but this house, it's a perfect example of what that actually means. - Oh.

It just flows perfectly from that lounge on to this deck,

and like you were saying before, it's really just an extension of the house.

- Yeah, it is. - So it's a really usable space out here.

- All it needs is a grill. - Yeah!

- A grill or a table with a parasol or something. - Yes.

- So you can already imagine yourselves using this space? - Oh yeah.

- We could have our own cafe here.

It's really well-kept, really well-tended. I think my husband would like it.

He's the only person with the green thumb among us.

We wouldn't want to mess it up.

- So what did you think of the rest of the house? How are we feeling about this home so far?

- OK. We would have to rethink the dining area,

because it looks like it could be more of, like, a breakfast nook,

but it's a really nice and cosy space. - OK.

The price of this house― You guessed the first place on the nose. - OK.

- What do you think of this one? - Could use a bit more love in several areas, so...

650?

- What are you thinking, Dawn? What do you reckon?

I'm not good at prices.

- Your mum's pretty good, though. - Really?

- A little bit less than that. They reckon 625 for this house. - Oh, wow.

Two out of three.

That's just two houses out of the three that I've got for you today.

So why don't we move on to our third and final house? - OK.

That sounds great. - This way.

- Coming up ― I'm off to see some stunning pounamu carvings at Puawai Jade

before rejoining Ilene and Dawn for our final house tour.

- While in Rotorua, I made a quick stop at Puawai Jade

to check out their beautiful collection of pounamu carvings

and to hear from Floyd about how these pieces are made.

Kia ora, Floyd. - Kia ora, man. How's it going?

- Yeah, great. I've just been looking at some of these beautiful pieces you've got here.

There are some incredible pieces of pounamu. - Yeah, thank you.

- And you were telling me all of these pieces are carved by one man.

- One carver. Niki Nepia ― he's our head carver, master carver.

So, he actually studied over in China with the Chinese traditional master carving.

- So tell me about the pieces that you offer in this shop.

There's a huge variety of greenstone pounamu in the shop. - Yeah.

So, a lot of the stone is your― So, like, 90― 90% would be all your New Zealand stone,

all from the West Coast in the South Island,

and the 10% would be some of our master carvers that are over in China

and also Niki's carvings that he did over in China as well.

- Yeah. So that's an incredible piece you're talking about there.

Tell me about that one. - Yeah. So, the wakahuia.

So these were his first sort of master carving pieces.

So he started off with mountain jade, and then from mountain jade,

he sort of wanted to expand his memory within greenstone

and just different ways of cutting and preserving stones.

- Rotorua obviously gets a lot of visitors from around Aotearoa, but from around the world as well,

and they must love seeing this work when they come and visit.

- Definitely, especially having all the tourist attractions here that attract more people,

especially when it comes to the cultural side... - Yeah.

- ...um, like having the geothermal activity.

- It's a place where you can learn so much about Maori culture, but also take some away with youas well.

- Yeah, definitely.

- So there's still one more home to take a look through.

Now, you don't get the land on the section ― that's shared with the three different propertyowners ―

but this one is newly renovated, and I think it might still be a really nice option for Ilene and Dawn.

OK,

Ilene and Dawn, our third, our final home for the day. - OK.

So this one, it's actually a cross-list. So you've got three units all on the same section,

but this house in particular, built in the '80s, it's had extensive renovations done to it.

How's the style appeal to you as we've walked up the driveway?

- It's... - It looks really small.

- Let's see. - Yeah, let's see.

You're keen to get inside, aren't ya?

- Yes. - Let's get inside. Let's have a look around.

- Let's.

- All right. So, three bedrooms in this home again, two bathrooms this time, though.

So there's an en suite off the main bedroom, which is always nice.

Uh, open-plan living-dining-kitchen, and it is minimalist. - Oh.

Yes.

- I think we could definitely say this one's minimalist. - It is.

- It's really spacious when I saw it, but still minimalist. It's really nice.

- Who does most of the cooking? - Me.

- Really? - Yeah, most of the time.

- Right. What are you cooking for them? What's the meal of choice? - Usually pastas or toast.

- She must be pretty good at it if you keep on cooking. - Hmm, yeah.

All right. OK, we'll talk about that later.

And in terms of heating, a couple of options ― the fireplace or the heat pump as well,

so you can keep it nice and warm and cosy, which is obviously what you guys need.

- Yes, we need it. - Yeah.

- The extension that they've put on, a little sunroom,

it basically means you've got two separate living areas.

You could keep it completely closed with this big ranch slider

or open it right up and have one single space.

Dawn, would you be eyeing that space up for you? Do you reckon that'd be your spot?

- Maybe for me and my sister. - Ah, yeah.

- Like, if we do our art stuff or just read a book and look at the garden, it will be so nice.

- Wow, so this is the third house, and I'm really feeling good about it.

- Same. - Yes.

- Maybe we could ask Matt, see if it's within our budget. - Yeah.

- I hope so. - I really hope so,

or we can negotiate something. - Yeah. - OK.

- Hey. - Kia ora.

- Smiles on faces, you're liking this home, aren't you? - Yes.

- There's a lot to like about it. - Yeah, we have a really good feeling about the house.

- And you were saying that your husband would be mowing the lawns. - Ah, yeah.

- Nice, easy job for him. - He wants something small.

- Super simple here. - Yeah.

- Now, the solar panels on the roof would knock off some money off the power bill as well.

- Lovely. - So there's a 10-panel system already installed on the roof.

- Solar panels are a huge plus. My husband, he set up a solar panel system for our electricity

back home in the Philippines, and he would― he would understand this, and he would really appreciate this.

- Now, you've been pretty good at guessing the first two houses. - OK. I would say...

still 650?

- How's she doing this? - Really, you serious?

- Yeah. - Really? - Exactly right.

- It is in our budget. Of course, I would have to get my husband's take on that.

- Once you have made your minds up... - Uh-huh.

- ...we'll get back together again, and we'll talk through it, OK?

- Yes. - OK.

- All right. It's been a great day. How do I say 'thanks heaps' in Filipino?

- Salamat. - Salamat.

Yes.

- Salamat. - You're welcome.

- Well, that wraps up our house-hunt through Rotorua.

Now, I'm thinking it's a coin toss between house number one and house number three,

but, you know, I've been wrong before, so let's just wait and see.

So now that Ilene and Dawn have had some time to talk it all through with the rest of the whanau,

let's see if they were able to settle on one of the three properties.

- Ilene and Dawn, how good to see you again. - Yeah, good to see you too.

- At least it's not raining today like it was last time we hung out...

- It's much clearer. - ...but I wouldn't say it's as warm as the Philippines today, is it?

- No, no. - No.

- OK, so we'll make this fast. - It's never as warm as the Philippines.

- So, I know that you haven't made a complete decision,

but progress has been made since we last caught up. - Yes.

- Yeah. - So, let's find out what's going on with you two.

Now, the first house that we looked at, it was a good little option. I think you liked how it was open,

that open-plan living room, had the really high ceilings.

You were a little bit worried about cobwebs. - Yeah.

- It was a consideration. - Yes.

It's like the question was ― how are we going to clean that high up...

- Yeah, yeah. - ...basically?

- But the house itself was a good option first up, wasn't it?

- It was pretty. It was a pretty house, yeah. - Yeah.

- Then the second home we looked at, it had some things we really liked ―

the indoor-outdoor flow from that lounge out to the deck. - Oh yes.

The lawn and the trees. - The garden was really nice. - Yes.

- But again, a couple of changes possibly needed to be made to the dining area and the kitchen.

- Yes. - Right. - Yes.

- Then we took a tour around house number three.

- It was― The space was good. it was minimalist.

There was a very easy-to-maintain lawn, and there was a sunroom, so it ticked off a lot of boxes.

- So where are we at the moment? What's happening.

- So, we've been in conversations with the real estate agents,

and we're trying to negotiate something that would be a win-win for everyone.

- Well, I'm gonna cross my fingers that it all works out,

because hopefully that's another one for me that I've managed to find for you.

Yes, good for everyone.

- It was so nice hanging out with you two. So all the very best for it. - Thank you. Thanks,Matt.

- Let's get you back inside in the― in the warm. I know it's too cold for you today,

so, yeah, let's cut cameras. We're done.

Well done, Ilene and Dawn. I've got my fingers crossed that your offer is accepted

and you can start to put down roots in this beautiful region of Aotearoa New Zealand.

www.able.co.nz Copyright Able 2023