Guide to Move to Southeast & Central Virginia

Adam Garrett
Feb 27, 2024
12 min read

Updated: 5 minutes ago

Aerial of sailboat going down York River under the Coleman Bridge — Image by Adam B Garrett in front of the Coleman Bridge that separates Yorktown & Gloucester Point

Introduction

I wanted to share a number of articles I've created as well as resources from others and embedded content pertinent to area considerations in the home-buying process & those coming to rent. While most elements are pertinent throughout the United States, some elements are geared specifically toward VA, and others even more focused on SE VA where I'm a real estate agent with access to 5 MLS across a large coverage area.

Buyer's Guide

Renting

In Depth SE & Central VA
Areas of VA

1. Basics to Note As You Consider Different Areas:

Basics for Buyers & Tenants Including but Not Limited to Area Considerations

Below are matters that go beyond the scope of, but heavily integrate, area factors:

Home Elements to View Online Prior to a Showing Request
- i.e. neighborhood values, crime, school districts, area visuals, etc.
Master Spreadsheet for Prospective Home Purchase Considerations
- i.e. those in "Home Elements to View Online..." & many additional possibilities from a broader spectrum, i.e. sex offender registry, local comparable sales, proximity to undesirable locations, radon zones, minutes to work, tax % of city/county, etc.
Virginia Tenant Guide
House Buyer Guide
- i.e. a section on area considerations with examples from my area guide

Spreadsheet Comparing Cities/Counties Focused on SE VA, w/ all of VA in Some Tabs

See my SE VA City Information & Real Estate Property Info which focuses on SE VA but includes the same details throughout VA cities/counties on certain tabs.

There you'll find information on:

I. Miscellaneous Statistics

II. Maps & specific Property Details

III. Real Estate Taxes

IV. Personal Property Taxes

V. Law

VI. Schools

& more!

Taxes

The overall tax burden in Virginia is better than the average state in the US. Taxes within Virginia vary considerably depending on locality, even within the same region, & in some cases like Kiln Creek which are split between 2 localities, even within the same neighborhood. For instance, the 2023 real estate tax rate in Williamsburg is .62, while 1.20 in adjacent Newport News. Real estate taxes elsewhere in VA can be even lower than .62 and even higher than 1.2 in VA. The personal property & machinery & tools rates in Newport News are also higher than in Williamsburg in 2023.

With the map immediately below, the total payment in taxes is visible in color, while the tax rates are available by hovering over the counties:

Unlike 16 states (i.e. WV, MD, OR, NY), "Virginia prohibits local income taxes. Localities must rely on regressive taxes such as sales and property taxes and on state and federal funds (The Commonwealth Institute)."

For a more composite look at taxes, considering sales taxes, real estate property taxes, income taxes, & excise taxes, this map by Madison Trust Company is helpful:

Factors to Consider to Help Determine Where to Find Your New Home

Go to my guide on this subject alone here, covering the following:

Area Free/Paid Amenities/Things to Do
Crime
Environmental Factors
Differences in Government Policy
Loan Differences Depending on Area
Market Conditions
Metrics (i.e. Prices)
School Districts
Transportation/Commute
& more

Purchasing or Renting from Out of Area

Coming to Search for Your Home from Out of Area

Stays:

Short-Term Rental Options
Extended Stay Hotels
SE VA Hotels (TripAdvisor)
SE VA Hotels (US News & World Report)
SE VA Points/Certificate Options when considering Hotels, with emphasis on value per point

Getting here:

How To Locate Low-Cost Cash Flights
US Airline Ratings
VA Transportation Map
Amtrak vs Commercial Flights vs Driving
Commercial Airports in VA (image courtesy Flight Connections)

FlightConnections map of airports in & around Virginia, based on number of direct flights from airport

Amtrak Map VA (image courtesy Amtrak):

Amtrak basic map of Virginia & surrounding area

Red routes are with trains & green routes are with Amtrak busses that connect to the Amtrak trains with a single ticket.

Immigrants:

Exploring the Area - Things to Do

Virginia Map Guides (Especially Southeast VA)
Free Things to Do in & Around VA (1500+ Options worldwide, with likely >97% in VA or an adjacent state, and >90% in VA).
Things to Do in SE VA Locations
Virginia Shopping Map (focused on SE VA, but including other parts of VA & some outside VA
Hunting in VA
Fishing in VA
Marinas & Ramps in SE Virginia
Finding a Place of Worship
Finding Restaurants

Here's a screenshot of that VA shopping map:

Transportation

MLS Differences Depending on Area

MLS differences are significantly more applicable to buyers and sellers than to tenants, since buyers and sellers should rely significantly more heavily on the multiple listing service(s) pertinent to their area. It's nice for tenants to get an MLS search going with an agent, but tenants should be casting a wider search net than MLS alone since there is a much higher % of properties not on MLS for rent than there are for sale.

There are 6 different MLS covering SE VA alone. I have access to 5 of them, while most agents only have access to 1 or 2. I share the following at the beginning of my article titled " Multiple Listing Service (MLS) Details":

"The Multiple Listing Service (MLS) is the main way that agents input real estate properties onto the market for sale, and in many cases, for rent. There are different MLS around the country. Some states have only 1, while states like VA have more than 1. Sometimes multiple MLS will intersect to a high degree, with no 1 MLS having more than 50% of the properties in a given city/county (i.e. Williamsburg/James City County), while in other cities/counties, 1 MLS will cover >99.5% of the listings (i.e. Norfolk). Realtors and real estate firms need to pay for access to each MLS. Even when an agent has access to more than 1 MLS, they won't always put their listings in each MLS that they have access to due to the time-consuming nature of MLS entry and paperwork. From the MLS, especially when accompanied by paid programs that companies like Garrett Realty Partners use, the listing auto-populates to 100's of websites where buyers can search for listings."

National Association of Realtors MLS Map of United States

Image courtesy National Association of Realtors

I have another article on the MLS needed in SE VA

While I get into more details in that article and the associated spreadsheet, generally speaking, the MLS are as follows:

Hampton Roads, including the primary MLS of Williamsburg, James City County, and Gloucester County by Listing Volume
A Secondary MLS for Williamsburg & James City County, with noticeable presence in adjacent counties.
The Middle Peninsula, though Secondary by Listing Volume in Gloucester County
The Northern Neck
The Richmond Vicinity
The Eastern Shore

SE Virginia MLS based on 5 MLS: CVR, CBRAR, WBG, REIN, Northern Neck

Contract Differences Depending on Area

There are a wide variety of differences in contracts between areas, including within different parts of SE VA. The contract divide in SE VA is primarily dependent on the MLS that the listing agent (& sometimes the buyer's agent) works with primarily.

Buyer's Agents & Tenant Representation in VA

Do You Need to Sign a Buyer Brokerage Agreement in VA?
Tips for Search Creation with Your Agent (geared toward VA, especially SE & Central VA)
Zillow Searches & Other Public Website Searches Vs MLS Searches

Specific to Adam

(& a Benchmark of What's Possible that Many Don't Know is Possible When Purchasing or Renting from Out of Town):

What Realtor Adam B Garrett Offers Southeast & Central VA Buyers
Real Estate Agent Tenant Representation in Hampton Roads
Adam Garrett's Premium Video Visuals for Out-of-Town Buyers/Sellers
Adam Garrett's Unmatched SE & Central VA Digital Tool Belt
Adam's Unheard of 3D Matterport Neighborhoods
For his buyer clients purchasing from out of town without coming in town prior to a home inspection contingency deadline, in addition to his video options, if a property doesn't have a 3D tour, w/ seller permission, Adam can create a Matterport 3D tour on the best camera available on the platform as of 9/17/25 (Matterport Pro 3; he has the Performance Kit), enabling measurements, defurnish, & more.

Finding a Specific Home

2. Locations (Ordered SE-NW):

For more VA area information, see also Virginia.org

South Side

See Virginia.org's coverage of Hampton Roads here.

Marriott Virginia Beach Oceanfront: Image by Adam B Garrett from a mostly free 5-night staycation

Why Move to Virginia Beach?

Virginia Beach In-Person Tours by Land & Sea

Virginia Beach

Niche Virginia Beach Real Estate Market

Redfin Housing Market Data for Virginia Beach

Realtor.com Housing Market Data for Virginia Beach

City-Data General Information for Virginia Beach

Virginia Beach Real Estate Tax Rate: (as of 6/23/25):

General: .97%
Sandbridge SSD: $.98
Central Business District South SSD: $1.42
Old Donation Creek SSD: $1.154
Bayville Creek SSD: $1.442
Shadowlawn SSD: $1.1294
Chesopeian Colony SSD: $1.2613
Harbour Point SSD: $1.09
Gills Cove SSD: $1.13
Hurds Cove SSD: $1.408
Schilling Point SSD: $1.55

Virginia Beach Personal Property Tax Rate (as of 6/23/25):

4% (unless tax relief is present)
"Mobile homes on temporary foundations are assessed as personal property by the Commissioner of the Revenue's office... Mobile homes assessed as personal property are taxed at the same rate as real estate."
"Since 2001 the personal property tax rate on "privately owned pleasure boats and watercraft used for recreational purposes only" was lowered to one-millionth of one cent ($0.000001) per $100.
The tax rate on all other boats remains $1.50 per hundred dollars of assessed value by Virginia Beach City Ordinance 3232E."

Chesapeake

Oak Grove Lake Park: Image Courtesy City of Chesapeake

Niche Chesapeake Real Estate Market

Redfin Housing Market Data for Chesapeake

Realtor.com Housing Market Data for Chesapeake

City-Data General Information for Chesapeake

Chesapeake Personal Property Tax Rates as of 6/23/25:

Automobiles/trucks/trailers/motorcycles: 4.08%
Privately Owned Recreation Vehicles (Motor Homes/Camping Trailers): 1.58%
Aircraft: .58%
Boats: .09%
Business Property (Furniture/Fixtures/Equipment) 4.08%
Machinery & Tools (Manufacturers) 3.2%
Motor Carrier Transportation Property: 3.2%
Mobile Homes: 1.05%
Vehicles (Automobiles/pick up trucks/motorcycles) for Disabled Veterans who meet certain qualifications: $.09
Vehicles (Automobiles/pick up trucks/motorcycles) for the Handicap who meet certain qualifications: $.09

Norfolk

Battleship Wisconsin: Image by Adam

Norfolk Real Estate Property Search
Norfolk Real Estate Tax (#2) as of 6/23/25: 1.23%, except 1.39% in business district
Norfolk Personal Property Tax Rates as of 6/23/25:
- Aircraft: 2.4%
- Vehicles: 4.33% (see high mileage adjustment table)
- Business Boats: 1.5%
- Personal Boats: .000001%
- Mobile Homes: 1.25%
- Recreational Vehicles: 1.5%

Portsmouth

Portsmouth City Park at Sunrise: Image by Adam

Portsmouth Real Estate Tax Maps & Data per Property

Tax Rates:

Portsmouth Real Estate Tax Rate (#2) as of 6/23/25: 1.3%

Portsmouth Personal Property Tax Rates as of 6/23/25:

Vehicles (auto, truck, motorcycle, utility trailers): 5%
Boats: .5%
Recreational Vehicles: 1.5%
Mobile Homes: 1.3%
Leased personal property, such as cars & trucks, is taxable at the personal property tax rate, excluding daily rentals.

Suffolk

Lone Star Lakes Park: Image by Adam

Suffolk Government Guides & Resources
Visit Suffolk VA Website
Suffolk 2024-2025 Tax Rates (PDF):
- Real Estate 1.07%
  - Downtown Business Overlay District .105% (1.175%)
  - Route 17 Tax District .24% (1.31%)
- Personal Property:
  - Cars, Trucks, Trailers 4.25%
  - Boats 1.5%
  - Recreational Vehicles 1.5%
  - Manufactured Homes 1.09%
  - Airplanes .58%
  - Business Personal Property 4.25% (20% of original cost)
  - Machinery & Tools 3.15% (Sliding Scale, 20% of cost first 5 years, and 10% of cost after 5 years)