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 2024

Ash and Krystal are on the move from central Hawke's Bay to the King Country.

Now, they both love an active, outdoor lifestyle,

so Taumarunui, on the doorstep of Tongariro National Park,

is the perfect place for them to find their dream home.

Now, they're hoping to find a lifestyle property,

where they can become as self-sufficient as possible.

So let's see what I can find for them.

Today, I'm joined by Ash and Krystal,

who are making the move to the scenic and serene Taumarunui.

The first time I drove up, I thought― It just gives you a feeling. It just gives you a feelingof calm.

There's something about this property, I think. - Yep.

- They're looking for a dream home that will cater to their unique lifestyle.

- We sort of want to be able to, kind of, be a bit self-sufficient

and try and live off the land as much as possible.

- So follow me through these three amazing properties,

and let's find a house to call home.

- So, my name is Krystal. This is my husband, Ash,

and we are looking for a place in Taumarunui.

We met at a pub,

and he was feeding me Rekorderligs. - Yeah, I did.

- Trying to get me to stay, and it worked. - It did ― never left.

- We've been together for... - ...nine years. - ...nine years.

Been married for― coming up six in March.

It feels like longer.

So, we are from― originally from central Hawke's Bay.

Uh, we are looking to buy a property in Taumarunui.

When we've come up, you know, it's been a really beautiful spot.

It's like a― It's like a town in the middle of the bush, which is what we're after.

It's a really beautiful part of New Zealand. - Yeah.

- And it has that kind of feel to it where you can go out into the bush

and you are literally― it's like you're back a hundred years.

It is absolutely― - Yep.

- ...incredible, actually, to still have parts of New Zealand like this.

And the people here are very welcoming and very kind,

and that was just something that really stood out to us. - Yeah.

- Yeah. - And it's central to both sides of the family.

- Yep, and it's central to both sides of the family, yeah. - That should be quite good.

The things we're looking for in a house ― plenty of space for the kids.

- And the dogs. - And the dogs.

Quiet ― no neighbours would be ideal.

- And sustainability as well. - Sustainability.

- Yeah, like, we really want to be able to grow and produce our own food

and also raise our own animals for our own food, and― - Self-sufficient, yeah.

- Being self-sufficient is a huge thing for us.

- Yeah, our budget is ideally around that 700,000 mark.

- Right, yeah, ideally around 700,000, yeah, would be good.

- But we can squeeze up to... - We could stretch. - ...you know, 900,000,

if the right place came along.

- Nestled in New Zealand's King Country region,

Taumarunui is an outdoor enthusiast's dream,

and while offering lots of opportunities to get up close and personal with its landscapes,

this town is just as well suited to those

who would rather appreciate its beauty from afar...

like today's couple.

Up first, tucked a peaceful distance away from town is a recently renovated gem from the past,

enveloped by breathtaking scenery.

Ash, gidday... - Yep. Matt, how you going?

- ...and Krystal. - Hi.

- Lovely to meet you two. How are we going? - Yeah, good, yep.

- Taumarunui ― or just outside of Taumarunui ― where we are to start things today.

Why are we here? What brought you to this area?

- We fell in love with it when we actually came and we stopped and had a coffee.

And it was just― It was such a nice, warm, inviting place,

and we just haven't really been able to get it out of our heads.

- So when it comes to making these big decisions ― you know, buying houses ―

there's a lot to think about. Are you two always on the same page?

Do you see somewhere and you both love it, or is it gonna be a bit of negotiation?

- If we like something and we get a feel for something,

we're both normally like, 'Yeah, this is amazing.'

Like, we're pretty on par, eh? - Yeah. - Yeah.

- And looking for a lifestyle property, yeah? - Yes.

- Ideally, yep. - Yeah.

We sort of want to be able to, kind of, be a bit self-sufficient,

live off the land as much as possible.

- OK. So, two kids are gonna be making the trip with you as well. - Yes.

- We need about four bedrooms, or, you know, minimum three bedrooms.

- Minimum three. - Minimum three.

- What else are we definitely gonna have to have?

I mean, not a lot of work. That was one thing you were keen on, eh?

- Yeah. - Yeah.

- Yeah, we've done the last couple of homes.

We've done a lot of renovations, eh, so... - Yeah.

- ...we just want a break from that for a bit.

- And he must have either space for a shed...

- ...or a shed. - ...or a shed. - Yeah.

- And obviously, somewhere nice and private.

- Yeah, definitely. - Yeah. - Yeah.

- Are you private people? - Yeah.

- Would you say that? - We keep to ourselves, yeah. - Yeah, we keep to ourselves.

- Apart from when you're going on a television show that's gonna go around the world.

Yeah, pretty much.

Let's start with the first place that I've got lined up for you today.

Sitting on 16ha, it was built in the '30s,

but this place has been renovated just a couple of years ago.

- Oh, cool. - It's really― Basically looks brand new inside ―

new Gib, plumbing's been done, the wiring's been done,

so you could just move straight in and have nothing to do. - So far, it's super cute, yeah.

- Should we take a look around and see what it's like? - Sounds good.

- Yes, definitely. - Let's get in there.

OK, starting with the kitchen ― like I said, built in the '30s,

but the renovation's done a really great job of bringing it through to 2023.

Obviously, the kitchen's all brand new ― that's been put in.

This room flows really nicely out on to that north-facing deck as well. - Yeah.

- So that's a big feature of this place, I reckon. - Yeah, it's nice.

- Um, I really love the kitchen, love the benchtops. I think they're gorgeous.

I'm not sold on the colour of, um, the kitchen. - OK.

- But I absolutely love that you can walk out on to the... - Yeah.

- ...on to the balcony and see that beautiful view.

- Great. Well, should we head through the lounge, have a look here?

- Yeah, awesome. - Let's go.

- Decent-sized lounge, this one.

- They've put in a bit of a feature wall. - - Yeah.

- A wee bit different, eh. - Yeah, yeah.

Yeah, the wallpaper is intense.

- Don't think we would keep that. - OK.

Ash, you not a fan? - Yeah, nah, not a fan.

Definitely not.

- But other than that, beautiful feel, nice and spacious... - Yeah.

- ...beautiful fire. - Exactly. - Yeah, nice big fire.

- This has got a really nice feel to it.

- So, it is a three-bedroom home. So why don't you guys go and take a look at the main bedroom?

- Yep. - And I'll catch you outside on the deck.

- Cool, awesome. - Beauty. - Thanks.

- Nice view, eh? - Yeah, yeah.

- I'm not sold on the... - ...on the peach? - ...on the peach.

But it's an easy fix, right?

And I love that you can walk out on to the deck and you've just got this amazing view.

Like, I think that's absolutely stunning, yeah.

- That'd be quite nice out there in the summer. - Yeah, it'd be beautiful.

- What do you reckon it's worth, you reckon? - Low 800,000s.

- Mid 700,000s, I reckon. - Mid 700,000s.

- Mid-to-low 700,000s, I reckon. - You reckon? - Yeah.

- Hey.

This is a really functional outdoor space, though.

I mean, look at all the room you've got here for barbecues...

The property itself ― that shed you saw when we first walked up, would that be functional for you?

That would work? - Yeah, it's a decent size. Yeah, I'll make it work.

- There's things definitely ticking the boxes.

Like, I just absolutely love this location. - Yeah.

- Um, it's a bit on the small side. - Uh-huh. - Yeah, a little bit.

- Um, we would have to do some painting and things like that.

- A few things to be considered, but a lot to like as well. - Yeah.

- Yeah, yeah. - Definitely. - Yeah, cool. OK.

In terms of the price, where do you reckon this one sits?

What's your best guess? - I reckon sort of low-to-mid 700,000s is my opinion.

- Yeah, I sort of thought around, sort of, high 700,000s.

- Krystal... Krystal's got it on the first one.

- Oh yes! - Oh, yeah? - Nailing it.

Around about the 800,000 mark is what they're thinking at the moment.

- How'd you feel about the price? - Oh, I personally think they're asking a bit much.

Can I say that?

- Should we get things rolling and head to house number two?

- Yeah, sounds great. - Sounds good. - Let's go for it.

Coming up ― two more homes that are sure to impress.

And later, I check out what might just be one of New Zealand's most enchanting sanctuaries.

- I'm in Taumarunui, helping Ash and Krystal find a new house to call home.

The first property left our couple with some things to be desired,

but for what it lacked in aesthetics, it made up for in beautiful scenery.

But this sleek and stylish second property is bound to leave an impression.

OK, so this is the second option I've lined up for you today ―

a little bit further out again from Taumarunui.

The house itself ― a little bit bigger than the first one we looked at.

Four bedrooms here. It sits on just under 10ha,

really nicely landscaped, really easy care maintenance.

- Driving down to this house, I thought it was immaculate.

- Yeah. - Really modern, beautiful home.

- The style of the house with the brickwork ― quite attractive, eh? I quite like it.

- Yeah. It's beautiful. - Nice established gardens.

- It's a little bit far out, but for the right location, eh?

- It's good. - It's awesome.

- All right, well, shall we get inside out of this cold and have a look around?

- Yeah! - Let's go. - Come on in.

All right, welcome in.

So, this one ― a nice modern home built in 2010.

Everything you need right here is all up to scratch.

So it's a big open-plan living area, kitchen and dining.

One nice feature is this underfloor heating ―

- Oh, it's amazing. - Diesel-powered, all through the house.

So, yeah, feel that on a day like today, which is a little on the cold side.

But such a big space in here. Is this the sort of home you're looking for? - Yeah, definitely.

- Yeah, it's massive. Plenty of room, eh. - Yeah.

- That ranch slider opens out to a nice outdoor area again,

easy care maintenance out there with the section, but lots of room to run around.

I guess it's time to take a look at the rest of the house, so I'll hang around out here.

You guys take a look through the main bedroom and the rest of the home. - Awesome.

- I'll see you in a little bit. - Sounds good. - See you soon.

- I really like this master bedroom. - Yeah.

- Yeah, it's pretty cool. - It is quite good.

- Um, I love that there's an en suite. - Always a bonus, eh?

- Do you think we can keep the penguin, or...?

- Definitely keeping the penguin. - Yeah.

- Big lounge. - Yeah, huge lounge. - That's good ― like that.

Nice kitchen too. - It's really cool. I really like this place.

- Price-wise, what do you reckon? You were on it last time.

- Definitely over 900,000. Around that 900,000, if not more.

But it's got amazing land as well. Like, it's really beautiful land. - Yeah, that's right.

- Hey, hey. - Hi.

- So, comparing the first two properties we've looked at ―

the first house was a little bit smaller than this one... - Yep.

- ...on slightly more land ― it was 16ha as opposed to just under 10ha here.

But I get the feeling this land might be a little bit more practical for you.

Does that make sense? - Yeah. - Yeah, definitely.

The only thing I'm not seeing at the moment on this property is a shed.

- Yep. - Yes. - Yeah, noticed that.

- Yes. - But there is room for a shed. - There is, yeah.

- So that's not a deal breaker? - No, I think... - Nah.

- Yeah, there's definitely, like, spots where you could put one, so, yeah...

- And, you're only about 15 minutes away from Whakapapa and Turoa. - Yeah.

- Are you skiers? Would you be using the mountains? - Oh...

- Oh, we'd definitely take the kids, eh?

- Yeah, we'd give it a go. - Yeah, yeah.

- I'm not that coordinated, so... - I'll go just to watch him fall.

- All right, well, that wind is picking up, so why don't we get out of here pretty shortly?

Before we do, though, let's talk about the price.

What do you reckon this is worth? - I reckon... 900,000s.

- 900,000s. - Yup. - Yeah, yup.

- Yeah, you're on the money. It is in the 900,000s.

They're looking for offers over 975,000 so...

- Oh, yup. - It's right at the top of the budget.

- Yeah, yeah. - Yup, it is, yup.

It's at the top end of the budget. - Yeah.

- Yup. - It is worth it, though. - It is, yeah.

- I think so, but with lack of shedding...

- Yeah, well, this is it.

- We might have to stretch it a little bit. - Mm.

- But you never know ― we might be able to make it work. - Yeah, that's right.

- All right ― two down, one to go.

Are you ready to see house number three? - Definitely.

- Come on, then. - Cool.

- Coming up, I explore the beautiful gardens of Taumarunui.

And then the final property for today ― an exquisite country home.

- It's taken over three decades to meticulously craft and nurture this landmark,

and I'm here with Rhonda to learn more about Bradley's Garden and the town of Taumarunui.

Rhonda, you've walked me through a pretty beautiful place.

This is a garden of national significance.

- It's a five star garden, yes.

It's taken 28 years to get it like this, and it's absolutely beautiful.

- So it's a bit of a hidden gem in this region.

- Oh, 'course it is. - It's the gem in the crown.

- This is the great outdoors

of the North Island.

This is our playground ―

fishing, hunting,

canoeing, jet boating, horse trekking.

Take your four-wheel drive vehicle and go through the forest. That is a trip and a half.

The timber trail just up the road at Ongarue

is, you know, amazing to bike.

I mean, I'm not into that myself.

- That is wonderful.

The people here are amazingly friendly.

I must admit, when I first came here ― a long time ago ― it was for two years.

I said to my husband, 'Two years, and I'm out of here.'

Well, that was 42 years ago.

- And the longer you're here, the more you discover.

Places like this ― look at all these trees.

- Green as. - But they're straight.

- Oh? - We don't get wind here.

We're in a basin so the wind just goes over the top.

It's a great place to live, work and play.

- I gotta say, Rhonda, you are a walking, talking, living, breathing billboard for Taumarunui.

And you do a good job of it. - I reckon come here and have a look.

If you want bright lights, if you want to go to the shopping mall,

uh, don't come.

- It's not gonna have anything like that.

But if you want fantastic people, fantastic service,

you want beautiful places to stay, to see ― just come.

- These gardens are absolutely captivating,

but we've still got one more house for Ash and Krystal to check out.

And I'm thinking, this one ― it could just be a fine contender.

All right, third option for the day. I really like this place.

Down a long, winding driveway, you come to this beautiful oasis, really.

It's a classic country property with so much to like about it.

- Stunning. Yeah, I love that feel. I love how there's so much wildlife and birds.

- Yeah. - It's a hive of activity.

- Established natives, eh. - Yeah, it's just gorgeous.

- Uh, just under 1.3ha. - Right.

- The house itself ― it's got five bedrooms plus a sleepout. - Oh my goodness.

- So plenty of space. - Yeah. - Yeah.

- Even a chook house. - Oh, ideal.

- I mean it's tick, tick, tick as far as I'm concerned. - Yeah, yeah.

- Well, rather than just looking at it, why don't we get inside and see how it feels?

- Yeah. - Sounds good. - Cool.

All right. So, as you can see, it's been recently renovated ―

a lot of work done to it. - Yep.

- Lovely new carpet, paint job has been done as well...

The kitchen's brand new, so... - Yeah.

- Yeah, really nice job in there. - Gorgeous.

- Ash, you'd be feeling right at home. I mean, looking around― - Yeah, yeah.

- ...obviously, the current owner ― clearly a hunter as well.

- Yeah, nah, they're quite nice, those heads, actually. - Yeah.

So, the current set-up at the moment ―

there's three bedrooms upstairs, two bedrooms downstairs. - Wow.

- Yeah, and upstairs is basically at the moment, kind of,

where the kids have been living― - Perfect.

- ...which is probably a good set-up for you as well.

- I think it would be, yeah. - Yeah.

- Kick the 10- and the 13-year-old upstairs, and you've got the place to yourselves downstairs.

- Yeah. - Yeah, sounds perfect.

- Hey, why don't you guys check out upstairs and see how it's set up at the moment?

Come and find me when you're done, and we'll talk how much it's worth. - Brilliant.

- Sounds good. - See you soon. - Cool.

I really like this room. I think it's super cute. - Yeah.

- It'd be awesome for one of the kids.

Downstairs is pretty awesome too. Kitchen's a little bit on the small side, but...

- It's nice, though. - It's nice, though. It's got a good feel.

- Well done ― he's well reno'd. - Yeah, yeah.

I absolutely love all the trees, and I love the land.

I love the chook house. The chook house is amazing.

- Uh, price-wise, what do you reckon?

I'm thinking... - High 600,000s, low 700,000s.

- Yeah, I'm thinking mid― - Around there? - Mid-to-high 600,000s.

- Hey, hey. So, you've had a good look around the place.

- Yeah. - Yeah, we have. - I'm looking around ―

I'm seeing... everything that was on your list of what you wanted ―

I mean, the sleepout... - Yeah.

- ...lots of space, everything's established, the gardens...

- And I reckon it's easy care, only being 1.3ha.

- Yeah, so it's not too much. - Yeah. - Not too major, eh?

- The only thing ― I'm still missing my shed. - No shed.

- I am missing my shed. - Yeah.

- Yeah. It's more kind of a carport than a shed, that one, isn't it?

- In the future, you know, you might be able to build something in there. I don't know.

- Yeah. - Yeah.

- Well, price ― what do you think it's worth?

- Yes, well, I think it's around that... 650,000-odd.

- I reckon around 700,000. That's my feeling, yep.

- You're probably gonna be right again. I bet ya.

- I mean, the 'Krystal' ball. - Oh, I know. There you go. - Oh yeah, there you go.

- That's what we'll go with. She's got it again.

It's around the 700,000 mark. - Oh, look at me go!

- That's the end of the house hunt for the day.

Those are the three options sitting in front of you, so... head away.

Have a good chat. See if you can come to a decision,

and let's get back together again, and I'll find out which way you're going.

- Cool. Awesome. - Sounds good.

- Ash and Krystal have finished touring the three properties,

and they've got a lot of things to consider before they decide

if they want to pull the trigger on one of these fantastic homes.

Now I'm making my way to the Taumarunui local

to see if our couple has managed to come to a decision.

Ash, Krystal ― great to catch up with you again. - Yeah.

- So, this is pretty exciting stuff. - Yeah.

- I thought we'd catch up here at the local RSA.

Before you tell me which place you've put the offer in on,

let's just run through what options you had.

So, the first place I remember ― beautiful location.

It felt like you were out in the middle of nowhere.

That really kind of slopy, steep hill out the back. - Yeah.

- A really nice, modern, renovated home.

What did you think of that one? - Yeah, it was lovely. It was a beautiful spot.

- Yeah, it was a nice spot. - Yeah.

A touch on the small side. - Nice big shed, though. - And kitchen was gorgeous, yeah.

- And if the wallpaper wasn't necessarily to your tastes, easy to switch, yeah?

- Yeah. - An easy fix, yep.

- House number two had just under 10ha, so a lot of land...

It didn't have a shed. - Nah.

- But it had a lot of other great aspects to it, didn't it?

- Yeah, there was. - Yeah, second house, we―

- Real nice house, that. - ...really liked.

- Real modern. - Yep ― beautiful, underfloor heating,

and just a really spacious house.

- Yeah, that big family area, eh. - Yeah.

Awesome location. - It was nice. It was a nice house. - I really liked that house.

- And then the third place I brought you to...

The biggest house in terms of space ― five bedrooms plus a sleepout. - Yeah.

- We absolutely love that house.

The trees, the birds, the chook house...

The whole entire ambience of it was just so peaceful and beautiful,

and we felt really comfortable. It was just stunning.

- Everything's so well established and thought-out through the whole area.

- Everything has its purpose, everything has its sustainability,

and, you know, it's just exactly what we're looking for.

- Yep. - Yep. - Right.

In that case...

- ...I feel like I might have an inkling about which way you're going,

but, let's have the big reveal. Which way are you gonna go?

- So, we're in negotiations with the house number three.

Yeah, I thought so.

It did just kind of have everything you were looking for, didn't it? - Oh, definitely.

- Just ticked all the boxes instantly, really. - Yeah, we fell in love with it.

- Hey, and I hear that the work front is going pretty well for you as well. - Yes. Yeah.

- Tell me you've already got a job. - I do. I have a job at Bellasole here in Taumarunui.

- Eh! - Yeah, so it's a beautiful salon,

and really awesome people that work in there.

My boss is amazing. - Amazing.

So this is all gonna work out really great! - It's gonna work out.

- Hey, good luck. Hopefully the sale goes through.

Either way, whatever happens, Taumarunui's home now, so... - Yeah, that's it.

- Welcome to town, and... - Beauty.

- Cheers, guys. - Cheers.

- Fortunately, Ash and Krystal's negotiations were successful.

House number three is now theirs to keep.

And with such a stunning property,

I've got no doubt that they and their two boys

will be very happy in their new home.

Captions were made with the support of NZ On Air.

www.able.co.nz Copyright Able 2024