Akaroa

During their visit to a vineyard, prospective buyers Simon and Caroline are shown an income opportunity on the property in the form of a wagon. REVIEW: If UK ...

As a guide to escaping the rat race for life in the country – so far so fizzle. It's an exercise in selling New Zealand as a place to buy property to overseas buyers, Country House Hunters is about as good as it gets. After giving the couple a minute or two to decide, they meet Gibb at a local pub for a recap. Built in 2013, the home is a classic example of sleek, modern Kiwi holiday home design, with a large central living/dining/cooking area, and two bedrooms. It takes the couple’s breath away, but there just aren’t enough bedrooms for the duo, who expect to have family visiting often. You can tell because he mentions it many times in a tone usually reserved for discussions of root canal work. The rooms are hotel quality – cosy, yet stylish. First, it’s a very boring 1950s house, on a very not boring rural vineyard. There’s also a cellar door with accommodation above it. In their middle age, they’re ready for a change from the fast pace of one of Asia’s biggest cities. * Gibb has three very different properties to show them.