Buyers advocate · Essendon

Buyers Agent in Essendon, on your side only.

Essendon combines Victorian and Edwardian homes, interwar bungalows and some of the north-west’s best-known schools, all within reach of the Craigieburn line and the 59 tram. Street choice and school plans drive most decisions here.
★ 4.9 rated on GoogleIndependent, buyer-onlyOne fixed fee, agreed upfront
1 in 2Bought off-market
47Days on average
50+Years combined
REIV memberREBAA accredited memberPIPA memberREIV Awards 2024 finalist
Essendon at a glance

Essendon: Period Homes, Grammar Schools and the Craigieburn Line

Essendon is the established heart of Moonee Valley in Melbourne’s north-west. Its housing runs from Victorian terraces on streets such as Napier Street to Edwardian villas, Californian bungalows and substantial interwar homes, plus newer townhouses on subdivided blocks. The median house price is around $1.9 million (REIV, March quarter 2026), and school choice has a lot to do with that. Penleigh and Essendon Grammar, Lowther Hall Anglican Grammar, housed in the 1890 Earlsbrae Hall mansion, and St Columba’s College are all here.

Essendon and Glenbervie stations on the Craigieburn line, the 59 tram along Mount Alexander and Keilor roads, and quick access to CityLink and the airport make it a practical base. As a buyers advocate in Essendon, we spend most of our time sorting the quiet period streets from the arterial and rail-side pockets that are much harder to resell.

Essendon market snapshot

  • Median house price: $1.9 million
  • Auction clearance rate: 81.8%
  • Average days on market (houses): 39
  • Median weekly rent (house): $695
  • Gross rental yield (houses): 2.0%
  • Source: REIV, March quarter 2026
How it works

How we buy in Essendon

01

Free strategy call

Thirty minutes on your brief, your budget and the streets and property types that genuinely fit it. No obligation.

02

Search on and off market

We inspect, shortlist and run the due diligence, including homes that sell quietly and never reach the portals.

03

Negotiate or bid, then settle

We set the price strategy, negotiate or bid on your behalf, and manage the contract through to settlement.

Book a free strategy callOne fixed fee, agreed upfront. We act only for the buyer, never the vendor.
Lou LihariFormer selling agent and auctioneer. Leads negotiation and bidding for our clients.
Before you inspect

Essendon Buying Traps: Arterials, Rail Lines and School Premiums

The Essendon name carries a premium, and some sellers price busy locations as if they were quiet ones. Homes on Mount Alexander Road, Buckley Street and Keilor Road, and those backing the Craigieburn line, need a discount that reflects noise and slower resale. The Buckley Street level crossing near the station has been replaced by an underpass, which has eased congestion but not the traffic volume on the road itself.

Families often stretch for school proximity, so check whether a property genuinely suits your school plans and confirm government zoning at findmyschool.vic.gov.au. The opportunity lies in interwar and postwar homes on wide blocks in quieter streets, which can often be renovated or extended more freely than period homes under heritage controls.

Searching in Essendon? Book a call and we will map the streets, schools and price points that fit your brief.
Local knowledge

Buying in Essendon: a local view

Premium pockets

The streets near Queens Park and the prized Aberfeldie and riverside border hold the grandest homes.

Quieter pockets to weigh up

Mt Alexander Road, Buckley Street and the rail frontages.

Hardest stock to secure

A renovated period home near Queens Park.

A common buyer mistake

Overpaying on a busy arterial for the Essendon name.

Life in Essendon

Queens Park, the Mt Alexander Road shops and the river nearby.

School zones in Essendon

Penleigh and Essendon Grammar (PEGS), Lowther Hall Anglican Grammar and St Columba’s College are in the suburb. Confirm government zoning at findmyschool.vic.gov.au.

If Essendon is out of reach: Moonee Ponds or Strathmore.

Thinking of buying in Essendon?

We take on a limited number of clients at a time, so every brief gets a director’s full attention. Book a free, no-obligation strategy call and we will map out your Essendon search together.

Book a free strategy call

A Recent Essendon Buyers Agent Success Story

An interstate pilot came to LP Advisory looking for an Essendon apartment to use as a Melbourne base between work commitments. With limited knowledge of Melbourne’s suburbs, he needed help balancing quick airport access, strong CBD connectivity and a walkable lifestyle with cafes, shops and public transport close by. After weighing up a range of suburbs and properties, we identified Essendon as the best fit for his brief and budget, securing a well-located apartment with easy reach to Melbourne Airport alongside the vibrancy of Melbourne’s inner north-west.

Whether you’re buying or investing in Essendon or the wider inner north-west, our local knowledge and negotiation experience help clients secure opportunities both on and off market.

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Federica Caldaroni profile picture
Federica Caldaroni
7 days ago
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I was flat out with work and had neither the time nor the resources to house hunt, and not being local made the Melbourne market hard to understand. Lou and Alana were incredibly professional and took care of every single detail, making the whole process smooth and stress-free. They found my home in just 11 days! I'd wholeheartedly recommend LP Advisory to friends and family who want to actually enjoy finding their perfect place.
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Jac Bowie profile picture
Jac Bowie
10 days ago
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I can’t recommend Lou and Alana from LP Advisory highly enough! They helped me secure my dream Melbourne apartment and, along the way, educated me on the property market, Melbourne suburbs and making smart investment decisions. Their knowledge, professionalism and genuine care made the entire experience fantastic. I’ll absolutely be using them for future purchases and recommending them to everyone I know. Couldn’t be happier!
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Connie Caligiuri
38 days ago
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Lou was extremely helpful, professional, personable and knowledgeable from the get go. He was responsive throughout the process and gave us the confidence we needed to make informed decisions. My partner and I can’t recommend Lou’s services enough! Thank you Lou!
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Stephanie Evans
39 days ago
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Have dealt with LP Advisory on many occasion being a real estate agent in the Port Phillip area. I have to say Lou is always extremely easy and no fuss to deal with, always having the best intentions for their clients. Lou recently purchased a property through us pre market in South Melbourne. Within 48 hours, his client had viewed, a building inspection had been conducted and we had negotiated with the owner and come to an agreeable price. Happy clients all round so thank you. Steph Evans - Marshall White.
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Kirrily Graham profile picture
Kirrily Graham
40 days ago
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The team at LP Advisory are an absolute delight to work with. They have incredible experience, local knowledge and expansive network in the industry. They provide an impeccable service and I was so impressed with their promptness and level of communication. Thanks Lou and Alana, it is a pleasure to work with you!
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Tashi Dorjee
41 days ago
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Genuine, easy to trust , real world market advice. Can't recommend him enough
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Hayley Vo profile picture
Hayley Vo
46 days ago
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I’ve had the pleasure of working with Lou on a number of property matters, and one thing that really stands out is the level of care and attention to detail he puts into the property search for his clients. Lou is extremely knowledgeable. He is always asking questions, clarifying details and making sure he has a thorough understanding of the property so he can properly guide and assist his clients. From a conveyancer’s perspective, it’s really lovely to see the amount of care he takes behind the scenes to ensure his clients are making informed decisions and purchasing the right property for them. I would happily recommend him to anyone looking for an experienced, knowledgeable and genuinely caring buyer’s advocate.
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Dominic Monaco profile picture
Dominic Monaco
79 days ago
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I've had the pleasure of getting to know Lou and Alana from LP Advisory and wouldn't hesitate to recommend them. They genuinely put their clients first and are committed to helping buyers make informed property decisions. Their knowledge of the Melbourne market, professionalism and attention to detail are evident in everything they do. They're approachable, honest, responsive and clearly passionate about achieving the best possible outcome for their clients. I have every confidence recommending LP Advisory to anyone looking for a trusted buyer's advocate.
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James Miller profile picture
James Miller
85 days ago
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There are not enough superlatives for what a wonderful job Lou and Alana have done. Looking for a home is stressful enough, especially when you add in the fact I am move interstate, however the LP Advisory team took all the difficult work out of it. I am extremely happy with the service and care I have received, which obviously ranged from sourcing appropriate inspections based on my preferences, then through going to them, giving me amazing advice and suggestions. They are both very professional, very kind and very efficient. Thank you both so very much. I am beyond appreciative and I could not recommend their services enough. If anyone is looking, please look into Lou and Alana. Thanks :)
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Erin Richardson profile picture
Erin Richardson
85 days ago
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I could not recommend Lou, Alana and the LP Advisory Team more highly. They are absolutely the real deal in terms of their local knowledge, price guidance and relationships - it is almost an unfair advantage if you have them on your team. I recently was able to purchase a home far better than anything I would have dreamed of due to the strength of their relationships and negotiating advice. At no point did I ever feel pressured to look at homes which I felt were off brief - they would send me video tours of homes before I even stepped in to make sure that it was only for the highest and best potential homes that I was investing my time. I wasn't fighting with the regular weekend crowds but had the opportunity to view when it suited me. And more than that, I was able to be candid and open in my feedback which was clearly taken back on board and reflected back in the shortlist that was presented back to me. As a business owner making a significant purchase, their commercial nous was unbelievable as was their integrity (they earned their fee four times over) and I feel incredibly fortunate to have worked with them. I was actually recommended them by one of the local Port Melbourne/Albert Park agents who probably regrets introducing us now!
Your team

Our Approach to Buying in Essendon

Essendon’s best homes often change hands within local networks, so access is half the job. Sharyn’s relationships with north-west agents help us hear about period homes before they are advertised. Alana’s due diligence covers heritage overlays, building condition on century-old timber homes and subdivision history on blocks with townhouses behind. Lou handles negotiation and auction bidding, drawing on his years as a selling agent and auctioneer, and can read when an Essendon vendor is ready to meet the market. Because we work only for buyers on a fixed fee, our price advice stays independent.

Lou Lihari

Director · Lead buyers agent

Former selling agent and auctioneer. Negotiates and bids for you.

Alana Prideaux

Director of Operations · Licensed agent

Runs due diligence: contracts, Section 32, overlays and building reports.

Sharyn Prideaux

Off-market specialist

Finds the homes that sell quietly, before they reach the portals.

Questions

Buying in Essendon: Common Questions

Is it worth paying more to live near Penleigh and Essendon Grammar or Lowther Hall?
Only if you will use the school, and only to a point. Being close to Essendon’s private schools adds convenience and some buyer appeal, but these schools do not have zones, so you can enrol from anywhere. The bigger premium usually attaches to quiet, well-presented streets. For government schools, confirm zoning for each address at findmyschool.vic.gov.au before you set your budget.
It removed the boom gates near Essendon station by taking Buckley Street under the rail line, which has improved traffic flow and safety across the suburb. Homes nearby lost a daily source of congestion, although Buckley Street remains a busy arterial. For buyers, the benefit is mainly easier movement east and west rather than a change in which streets are most sought after.
For most of Essendon, it is not a major factor, but it is worth checking on the northern side. Essendon Fields still operates as an airport, and flight paths affect parts of the wider north-west. The level of noise depends on the exact street. We check the planning scheme for any airport-related controls and recommend visiting at different times of day before you commit.
A renovated Victorian or Edwardian home on a quiet, wide street within walking distance of Essendon station is the most contested stock. These homes are tightly held, often sell after short campaigns or off market, and draw both local upgraders and families moving from the inner north. Having finance approved and your due diligence done before a listing appears makes a real difference.
Essendon generally has more large period homes than Moonee Ponds, which has more apartments and a busier centre around Puckle Street and the Junction. Strathmore is quieter, with more interwar and postwar homes and strong family appeal, but fewer shops. Buyers wanting period character with station access usually focus on Essendon, while value seekers often widen their search to Strathmore.
Not necessarily, but it helps in a market where good homes are tightly held. In the March quarter of 2026, Essendon houses averaged 39 days on market with an 81.8% auction clearance rate (REIV), so well-presented homes sell quickly at auction. A buyers agent gives you access to off-market listings, independent pricing and experienced bidding, which can be the difference in a competitive campaign.
Free 30-minute call

Buying in Essendon?

Talk to us before your next inspection or auction. You will come away with a clear view on price, competition and your best next step.

Also buying nearby

How we can help

We act for owner occupiers buying a home to live in, as well as first home buyers, families upsizing, downsizers and property investors.

Some homes change hands before they are ever advertised, so we search off-market property as well as listings. If it goes to auction, we can bid for you. Not sure about the building? Start with a pre-purchase property report.

Moving from interstate or overseas? We run the search and inspections for buyers who are not in Melbourne. Buying for business or super? See our commercial property buyers advocate service.

Selling instead? Our vendor advocates help you pick the right agent and campaign.

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Independent property advice you can trust.

  • ✓  50+ years combined experience
  • ✓  REIV, REBAA & PIPA accredited
  • ✓  50% of purchases secured off-market
  • ✓  Average 47 days to purchase
  • ✓  Boutique, senior-led team

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Whether you are buying a home or investment, we help you assess value, reduce risk and negotiate with confidence before you make a move.

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