Like millions of other young people, Sam Patterson thought that if he worked hard enough, he could achieve the Australian dream of owning a home.
But even after saving $130,000 for a deposit and working a $140,000-a-year job, banks still considered the 35-year-old a risk.
After being rejected three times for a modest home loan, Sam realized the system was broken and decided to forge his own path.
He packed a suitcase and moved from Melbourne to Canada, realizing that he no longer wanted to live in a city that didn’t want him.
“I wanted to buy a house because I thought it was the smartest and most adult thing to do,” Sam told FEMAIL.
“I wasn’t even greedy. I just wanted a one-bedroom, one-bathroom apartment close to my job on a budget of $350,000.”
At the time, Sam was living in a shared house in St Kilda (paying $1,800 a month for the privilege), which made him wonder if there was more to life than bills.
“I tried my hardest, but the cost of living is not easy, especially if you’re single,” he said.
Sam Patterson (pictured) was fed up with living in Melbourne so he moved to Canada.
“Melbourne put me off,” Sam (centre with his new Canadian friends) told FEMAIL
Frustrated by the monotony and rejection of life in Melbourne, Sam knew he needed to make a change.
While he had previously desperately wanted a mortgage to get into the property market, after three rejections the idea of being trapped in 30 years of debt lost its appeal.
The death of his father last year increased the emotional burden and his need for adventure.
“Eventually, a friend told me about Vancouver, how beautiful it is and how you can get a visa for two years until you turn 35, so I gave it a try,” he said.
‘I was worried about spending a significant portion of my savings, but a good friend told me, “Money is just numbers on an app,” and that’s how I felt.’
A friend from Canada’s description of it as “Disneyland for adults” appealed to Sam after he had been so focused on saving and economizing.
“I used part of my savings to move to Canada and be in a place that makes me happy,” she said.
Sam has only been in the country for two months, but he already feels more alive than he did in years in Melbourne.
Sam lived in a shared house in St Kilda (paying $1,800 a month for the privilege), which made him wonder if there was more to life than bills.
When working in Australia, he saved money by eating free lunches provided by his company, riding a bicycle and driving a car he inherited from his father..
He no longer has to make the same sacrifices in Vancouver, which he says is simply a more affordable city compared to Melbourne..
He said gas, food, car insurance and vacations are all much cheaper because of the country’s location.
“The only thing that has been more expensive so far is mobile data. I have a bike, a snowboard, a nice van and a fishing rod. I’m very happy,” he says.
Although Sam finds it cheaper to live in Vancouver than Melbourne, the Canadian city is experiencing a housing crisis.
As in Australia, first-time buyers are finding it difficult to break into the market. Monthly rent for an unfurnished one-bedroom apartment is CAD$2,367 (AU$2,577).
When asked what excited him most about moving abroad in his thirties, Sam said it was “taking a second chance” at a fulfilling life.
“Not being stuck on an island in the middle of the ocean eight hours away from anything good excites me; being a fish out of water is pretty special,” he said.
“Almost every day someone is happy to hear my accent or to know that I am a foreigner. What excites me the most is having a dog and traveling around the United States and Canada,” he continued.
Now, after just two months, Sam is happier and Vancouver is proving to be a more cost-effective city compared to Melbourne.
He’s also an avid snowboarder and is excited to see so much snow, experience a white Christmas, and see a bear.
Taking the leap of faith was perhaps the scariest thing Sam has ever done, but he’s glad he decided to go.
Having secured a working holiday visa at the last opportunity, he is now urging other Australians to travel the world while they are young enough.
“The best way to double your money is to double it, put it in your pocket and spend less at the bar,” he said.
“If none of your friends have values that match yours, go solo. Life isn’t fair, so have fun.”
