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Realtor Adam Garrett's Central & Eastern VA Seller Packages

Updated: Aug 3


A luxury property in the prestigious community of Kingsmill in Williamsburg, VA as viewed from the air

Image courtesy Raider Photography from a previous listing of Adam's in Kingsmill


In this article, I'd like to go over:

  1. My coverage area

  2. Media Examples of 3D tour, including neighborhood 3D tour, & public-facing version example of my premium multi-format video for sellers, as well as pricing & notation

  3. What I offer real estate sellers in central & eastern VA house sales in

  4. My legacy & about me

  5. More details on offerings


  1. Seller Coverage Map w/ my MLS that I have direct or indirect access to in orange & areas without good MLS coverage whited out:


  1. Media Examples & Notation/Pricing

https://youtu.be/Kea5SOHB7yQ?si=N2rEvUBNShSRS4Vk
Example of my Multi-Format Video Options w/public-facing view above & MLS Compliant version here

Pricing & Notation Below:

Anything with a (3%) is available in all 3% commission packages, while everything with a (2.75%) is available in all 2.75% packages, while items without any notation are available from 2.5% commission packages and up. I do not charge any admin fees or transaction coordinator fees. I do flat fees under $150k based on $150k pricing.


Example of one of my house+neighborhood Matterport 3D tours:


Most percentages below are based on Adam's opinion/research & publicly visible alternatives across real estate agents, brokers, and teams in central & eastern VA.


  1. Marketing:


At all price tiers & even at the bottom marketing tier:

Excellent Offerings Per Flexible Commission Rates (Based On Tiered Offerings)

One of my goals has been to offer options of more for less than other full-service experienced listing agents, as well as options for the same amount for much more quality, and at this point in my career, I've achieved that goal. I never plan to be a heavily discounted commission agent, as the sacrifice of quality would be too high for that where the net to the seller would be lower than what I can offer. That said, I offer flexible commission packages so that sellers can pick which commission option they would like, with even the lowest packages still including that which most agents aren't with a substantial positive influence on marketing & net profits such as a combination of aerial photography, fantastic area photography including offsite aerials, Showingtime, & 3D virtual tours (Zillow 3D tours for all, & both Matterport & Zillow 3D tours for 3% commission packages & 2.75% packages $500k+).


Note: Flexible options are unavailable for those who have an upfront commission offering by Adam from a 3rd party.

I offer an arguably locally unmatched competing offer spreadsheet, helping sellers in single-offer and especially in multiple-offer scenarios to directly compare dozens of offer elements, helping to narrow things down as well when navigating multiple offer types.

My house seller guide has links to dozens of articles I've written with links to 3rd party content as well included in those articles with localized content personalized to sellers' experience selling with me. I take you from prior to your decision to sell to after closing.

  1. Did you know that some showings and some offers never occur because the middleman is too slow on the draw? With Showingtime, which is far superior to alternative showing services, the middleman is cut out of the equation so that agents can instantly confirm showings on vacant properties & can directly ask occupants about certain timeframes available. I have my own subscription to it to optimize my seller's experience by getting more buyers in their door.

  2. I also include in my Showingtime instructions template-based language I've developed with a link for even more details.

  3. I also include in my agent remarks, visible to agents but not to buyers, that I am textable 24/7. Sometimes agents who use showing services rely too heavily on them while being slow on the draw to important questions.

  4. I also provide my seller occupants with optimized instructions for showings.

Zillow is the top public website that house buyers go to in the US. Trulia is in the top 5, and owned by Zillow. The Ricoh Theta Z1 was the primary camera that I used on Matterport tours for years, starting in 2020. After Zillow banned Matterport tours in the Fall of 2025 (which are significantly superior to Zillow 3D tours on sites other than Zillow & Trulia), I shifted to Zillow 3D tours by default for my lowest commission tiers & Matterport as well as Zillow 3D tours for certain other commission packages (see below). As of 6/26/26, the Ricoh Theta Z1 is, by many measures, the top compatible camera for Zillow 3D tours.

  • Other compatible 3D cameras exist, but are typically inferior quality vs the Z1, which is the most expensive 3D camera compatible with the Zillow 3D Home app, typically priced around $1k.

  • Per Zillow 3D Home facts, those who capture a Zillow 3D tour only with a mobile device (phone) won't get an interactive floor plan.

Aerial photography examples by Adam Garrett at listings he sold (all shot by Adam):





Keep in mind that there are some rare cases where I don't integrate aerials of the home in a listing even though I'll typically have aerials of area amenities. A typical case where I won't include aerials of a listing is if an aerial would highlight a negative element of a home no matter the angle (i.e. branches touching the roof, etc.).

*Area photography by Adam, including neighborhood amenities & amenities outside of the neighborhood.


Hampton area photo examples I shot.


Below are examples from Newport News:

City Center of Newport News

Christopher Newport University


Stoney Run Athletic Complex

Denbigh Community Center

Denbigh Community Center



Huntington Beach, boat ramp, tennis courts, & park

Here are some examples from my previous listings:

Image above courtesy Art Louis Photography from a former listing of Adam's


Image above courtesy American Real Estate Media from a former listing of Adam's

Image above courtesy American Real Estate Media from a former listing of Adam's

Image above courtesy American Real Estate Media from a former listing of Adam's


Image above courtesy Art Louis Photography from a former listing of Adam's

Image above courtesy Art Louis Photography from a former listing of Adam's

According to the National Association of Realtors in 2022, "86% of buyers purchased their home through a real estate agent or broker." The opinion and experience of the buyer's agent can be highly influential with the buyers including whether or not they make an offer, the quality of the offer they make, and how aggressively or not they try to keep the transaction intact.


*1-3 electronic MLS lockboxes & a contractor lockbox (minimum 1 electronic & 1 contractor box for homes & commercial buildings)


Many agents have too few lockboxes available, in some cases, eliminating a buyer and buyer's agent's ability to see a home before it goes under contract in a hot market, especially if the agent isn't part of the local MLS.

You don't need to guess much with me about whether or not your house will be something I'll consider helping you sell & the quality of my MLS coverage, which can be superior to more local options at times.

(MLS available to me are in orange)

For those outside of my standard coverage, I can often provide a quality referral for those seeking to buy or sell property >$40k.


Related:

How Close Should Your Real Estate Agent Be When Buying or Selling a House?

My live video for unrepresented buyers includes:

  • dual device recording for a live and dedicated recorded video

  • on a stabilizer

  • with additional lighting on the stabilizer.

  • I use T Mobile, which has the largest 5G network in the US

  • As of 7/29/26, I use Samsung S25 & S22 Ultras

  • Drone video options if on 2+ acres of any price or waterfront property over $500k (with seller consent & as long as FAA waivers, if applicable, are able to be acquired in time for showing)

While some agents are downright neglectful when it comes to follow-up, responding to inquiries from buyers' agents, & showing requests from buyers' agents, Adam is responsive to inquiries in detail & provides plenty of information upfront with buyers' agents at the time of their showing request automatically via Showingtime, such as web pages dedicated to showing his listings & for buyers' agents writing offers so that sellers can receive the best offers. Adam also has options for reaching out to parties who expressed interest or showed the property without ruling it out prior to acceptance of an offer, unless related to a deadline that was clear in MLS prior to the buyer's agent's request for a showing in agent remarks.

Garrett Realty Partners' Legacy:

  • Is over 40 years old

  • Has over 20,000 closings on homes (even if just counting since 1994, with online records before then being slim)


Garrett Realty Partners Support:

  • Has a marketing department

  • Has at least 4 brokers in management with over 500 career transaction volume experience each to go to for advice including principal broker Chuck Dunlap, who has had over 750 transactions since 1997 while being licensed and closing on homes since 1991.

  • Has perhaps the top agent/broker in Hampton Roads in total personal transaction volume over their career (Greg Garrett) with over 5,000 transactions personally. My father taught me a lot about the business and I got to him for advice on real estate frequently.

  • Has around 100 agents/brokers as of 7/30/26 located in Greater Richmond, the South Side, the Peninsula, & the Middle Peninsula

  • Has 3 offices located in Williamsburg, Newport News, & Virginia Beach



A. 2.5% Marketing Tier

In addition to aerials taken on site, my existing area photos are available, with some exceptions where I'll still take new pictures (including aerials) if I don't have at least 5 good existing photos of at least 5 locations within 5 miles


Limitations:

  • in areas where at least 5 locations would be suitable for area photos within 5 miles

  • In home situations where showcasing the home well could be done in 45 photos or less

I offer open houses according to the following price & geographical tiers, with the number of open houses being the max number of them through the listing period, including the 1st Saturday typically.

The Multiple Listing Service used is a commonly neglected element of real estate in the public view that can have major marketing consequences positively or negatively. Most buyers use buyers agents, and most buyer's agents have a property feed going to their buyers. If you're not on that feed, your listing could be virtually invisible to the buyers if they are relying primarily on their agents' feed. One of the reasons why a former real estate agent chose me over other agents for a listing was the superior MLS coverage I offered. When I say "primary" I am referring to the primary according to the numeric % in my spreadsheet on the subject (linked below) as taken from a large sample.


In Hampton Roads & Gloucester, the primary MLS by listing count is REIN, last I checked. Elsewhere, it varies substantially, as you'll see on my map linked below.


  • For properties under 1 million, I'll do REIN plus the primary MLS of a listing.

  • For properties 1 million plus, I'll do that, plus ensure at least 80% MLS coverage if that doesn't cover it.


While the vast majority of properties Adam lists are in areas where he has >99% MLS coverage available, in the event that he doesn't have the capacity for the appropriate coverage level, he will disclose that prior to sending a listing agreement to the seller.


Related:

Which Multiple Listing Services (MLS) Are Needed to List or Buy in Virginia,


Examples of locations where REIN Plus Primary MLS would be <80% coverage under $1M where I recommend the à la carte add-on if choosing the 2.5% package:

  • Caroline County (65%)

  • Essex County (43%)

  • Gloucester County (52%)

  • James City County (53%)

  • King & Queen County (69%)

  • King William County (79%)

  • Lancaster County (56%)

  • New Kent County (77%)

  • Northumberland County (64%)

  • Richmond County (68%)

  • Westmoreland County (67%)


B. 2.75% Marketing Tier

For those with my mid-tier commissions, in addition to aerials taken on site, my existing area photos are available, with some exceptions where I'll still take new pictures (including aerials) if I don't have at least 7 good existing photos of at least 7 locations within 5 miles


Limitations:

  • in areas where at least 7 locations would be suitable for area photos within 5 miles

  • In home situations where showcasing the home well could be done in 43 photos or less

See more on Zillow 3D Tours in the section above covering all price tiers.


$500k+

  1. Matterport is the industry leader in virtual tours. Matterport virtual tours (including interior & exterior*) contain superior virtual tours vs typical alternatives including a dollhouse view option.

    Here's a ranking of the top Matterport alternatives by a Popular Youtuber as part of a deep dive comparison, with common options like Zillow 360 Tours Not High Quality Enough to make the Cut:


  2. The Matterport Pro 3 is, by many measures, the top compatible camera for Matterport. I have the Pro 3 Performance Kit, which is typically priced around $6500, plus over $700 in related accessories. While I first used Matterport in 2020, I first used the Pro 3 in 2024.

  3. When I already have a nearby pertinent area amenity 3D tour or have already captured the neighborhood with Matterport, I will add an embedded version of that tour into the Matterport tour of the house

  4. My Matterport Professional plan enables the user to defurnish an otherwise furnished house.

I offer open houses according to the following price & geographical tiers, with the number of open houses being the max number of them through the listing period, including the 1st Saturday typically.

When appropriate (especially vacant, bare bones, or cluttered properties), I'll pay for virtual staging for various photos.


Example from a listing of Adam's:

These are beneficial for various shots at times, but especially the main photo of the front (especially an aerial) and of the rear of the house.


Example from a listing of Adam's:

See 2.5% "REIN MLS Plus..." for more details on why MLS coverage matters a lot more than many think.


  • For properties under $1 million, I'll do REIN plus the primary MLS of a listing plus ensure at least 80% MLS coverage if that doesn't cover it.

  • For properties $1 million plus, I'll do that, plus ensure at least 90% MLS coverage if that doesn't cover it.


While the vast majority of properties Adam lists are in areas where he has >99% MLS coverage available, in the event that he doesn't have the capacity for the appropriate coverage level, he will disclose that prior to sending a listing agreement to the seller.

C. 3% Marketing Tier

Everything from the 2.5% & 2.75% tiers not mentioned below plus

For properties in my coverage area, I offer 3D tours via Zillow 3D tours on the Ricoh Theta Z1 & Matterport on the Matterport Pro 3. See more on Zillow 3D Tours & Matterport tours in the 2.75% section above & the section covering all price tiers.


At the 3% tier, my Matterport tours include the interior, garage space if applicable, full exterior of the house, & at least 1 aerial 360. If there's a dock or nearby outbuildings, it includes that as well, though there can be some limitations for lower-priced, particularly large properties with 3+ outbuildings. In the below example, the 360 aerials are at the end of the driveway & in the backyard, with the 3D tour extending behind the garden in the backyard:


Due to demand & my time constraints, there may be times when I am unable to include 3D area amenities and 3D neighborhood tours when the price of the house listed is not in the range of the map listed below:

For those with my 3% tier commissions, my existing area photos are available, with some exceptions where I'll still take new pictures (including aerials) if I don't have at least 10 good existing photos of at least 10 locations within 5 miles


Limitations:

  • In areas where at least 10 locations would be suitable for area photos (& expanding beyond 5 miles if necessary to capture at least 10 locations within a max of 10 miles by driving)

  • In situations where showcasing the home well could be done in 40 photos or less (limitation not applicable if published in MLS other than REIN MLS as well that allow more than 50 photos)

Collage area photo example by Adam in Hampton
Collage area photo example by Adam in Hampton

Snacks and drinks of much better selection, quality, and quantity than typical if present at all. These snacks and drinks selected keep in mind mitigating the damage of spills, with all clear liquids, for instance.



Limited practical staging assistance, including (if not already present) hand towels, hand soap, interior floor mats, exterior entry mats, shoe covers, toilet paper, basket for shoe covers w built-in label, metal step-to open trashcan(s), wine cooler for available drinks, Poo-Pourri, plungers & toilet brushes, $100's of $ in label/picture holders (with the latter benefiting homes that are not physically staged & to showcase area amenities), etc.*

While I don't recommend ruling out an agent due to list price differences, & some agents can put on a higher level of certainty than they actually have since they know it can cost them the listing, if Adam, who seeks to be unusually candid, expresses uncertainty about value or a much wider range than other agents (i.e. due to a wide comparable sales spread & weak comparables), or you're about to list with another agent primarily since they say that your house is worth more or less than I do or share a higher level of uncertainty, I have a unique option for you. I'll reimburse the money for an appraisal from the appraiser of your choice as long as the appraiser has at least 5 years of full-time experience, up to .1% of the list price (i.e. $200 for $200k, $500 for $500k, etc.).

Email marketing to roughly 100 agents


Direct feed from MLS to hundreds of websites through a paid 3rd party service.


A social media campaign with the number of shares based on price and commission. Here are some examples:

(also excluding certain distressed properties that are in condition that could lead to public heckling, i.e. unusually dirty properties & those with many obvious repair needs)



None of the above are paid ads, but each took time and achieved results that other agents wouldn't. The top source of buyers coming to the open house on that last listing and one of the top sources of buyers inquiring after the open house was my Facebook campaign. I didn't spend a dime, and partnered with the seller by setting things up where it was easy for them to perform some supplementary shares while I did the bulk of them.


Images courtesy Facebook

If you plan on having contractors do some work, and it would be helpful for you to get a pre-repair Matterport 3D tour to get an idea of the scope of work for a range of what repair(s) might cost prior to getting more specific estimates from multiple contractors, I offer that at no additional charge.


See the multi-season media map below for restrictions.

I offer open houses according to the following price & geographical tiers, with the number of open houses being the max number of them through the listing period, including the 1st Saturday typically.


For properties where Adam can connect to the home wifi, $300k+, & by seller request, Adam has 2 motion-sensitive cameras that can alert Adam when someone comes to the home while he's showing the home or yard to another prospective buyer(s). For properties without wifi (that enable his motion-sensitive cameras), Adam has other motion-sensitive devices to alert him.

See 2.5% "REIN MLS Plus..." for more details on why MLS coverage matters a lot more than many think.


  • For properties under $300k, I'll do REIN plus the primary MLS of a listing plus ensure at least 85% MLS coverage if that doesn't cover it.

  • For properties $300k to under $500k, I'll do that, plus ensure at least 90% MLS coverage if that doesn't cover it.

  • For properties $500k to under $1M, I'll do that, plus ensure at least 95% MLS coverage if that doesn't cover it.

  • For properties $1M+, I'll do that, plus ensure at least 97% MLS coverage if that doesn't cover it.


While the vast majority of properties Adam lists are in areas where he has >99% MLS coverage available, in the event that he doesn't have the capacity for the appropriate coverage level, he will disclose that prior to sending a listing agreement to the seller.


When I interviewed with a former agent as a prospective listing agent who was selling his family's home in Hampton, one of the top 2 factors about why he chose to work with me vs another agent he interviewed with was that I was going to put his listing on more than 1 MLS.


MLS access is critical to a successful sale. In Eastern VA, some cities/counties do not have >50% of listings present on a single MLS, drastically reducing their marketability. According to the National Association of Realtors, "Having an agent to help them find the right home was what buyers wanted most when choosing an agent at 49%." The primary means that agents send properties to buyers is via MLS feeds to the buyers that they represent, and often agents are only part of 1 MLS. I've seen where agents in Richmond reached out to me about property in Hampton when it was clear that the agent had no idea about the competition in the neighborhood since they had only used the Richmond MLS to locate a property for the buyer & I had my listing in the Richmond MLS. I've also seen where listings from other agents were present where the only MLS used had <1% market share of an area, virtually eliminating the opportunity for that listing to go to buyers from agents' feeds. The seller was likely ignorant of that and had no idea about how poorly his property was getting marketed because of it. That sort of problem is more common for low-commission agents looking to cut corners, in part because each MLS has its own fees present.

I provide:

1. Access for sellers to up to 6 MLS (4 directly & 2 more indirectly). MLS access is one of the factors I offer that is dependent on price and commission rate. Feel free to reach out for all the details on that.

[Related: Most important cities to have more than 1 MLS in Eastern VA]


The data that I haven't seen elsewhere to show which cities/counties in the area are primary to each & what % representation each has. Here is a list of which MLS are used most by which city in VA based on my own research of 6 MLS & here is an article on MLS explaining the importance of MLS & other details for buyers and sellers.

Here are my 6 MLS (directly w/ 4 & indirectly w/ 2 more): 

Northern Neck (NE),

Central Virginia Regional (W) via CBRAR,

Chesapeake Bay & Rivers Association of Realtors (E),

Williamsburg (central),

Real Estate Information Network (SE)

BRIGHT MLS (Northern VA)


Data input in MLS is highly detailed to consistently max out the public remarks space's word count in REIN (above 95% among lower character count limit MLS like REIN) to display positive property elements & check far more property features than most agents for similar properties to maximize searchability.

If you are looking to sell at a time when the exterior of your house or the nearby area (for area photos) aren't optimal, I offer multi-season media for aerials of the house, 3D tours, and area photos.

Related:

The Impact of Season on Real Estate Photography

These are offered in my 3% listing side commission packages in the following price points:


I asked Chat GPT 5 on 10.16.25 if any real estate agent or brokers in Hampton Roads other than me publicly offered multi-season photos, video, and 3D tours. It wasn't aware of any, and when I shifted the question to all of Virginia, it still wasn't. It said that while those employed in media sometimes advertised this option, it didn't know of any real estate agent or brokers publicly advertising it. Hopefully that will change to benefit sellers, but in the meantime, it's available with me.

Zillow is the top public platform where house buyers come to look at houses. Showcase is an optional paid service directly to Zillow that agents do to support their listings. As of 6/26/26, 83/1295 (6.4%) of houses in Virginia Beach, 11/261 (4%) in Gloucester County, & 13/646 (2%) in Richmond have Showcase


For properties $300k+, I'll pay for Zillow Showcase for no added cost to the seller. For properties <$300k, if the seller wants Zillow Showcase, it's only $100, where I, as an agent, am contributing more than that financially myself directly to Zillow on top of that, as well as time to make it possible.


Have you ever seen one of these commercials (in red) on an unlisted home on Zillow?

house listing, highlighting Zillow Showcase Ad
Per Zillow, "³Showcase listings sell for 2% or $7K [$7000] more, on average, than similar non-Showcase listings on Zillow."

Zillow Showcase listings appear near the top of results by default in the first part of the listing period & have an algorithm boost following that as well. Here's an example where 2 Showcase listings are at the top of the results, with the newest one at the top and the 2nd newest one 64 days on Zillow:

Zillow Showcase substantially boosts the user experience on Zillow, including an overall better experience as well as options to stage a property as the user would see fit using AI (example from Adam's listing):

*By seller request, stands available to put cardstock or photo paper images of the home while staged (or while virtually staged) if the furniture is removed prior to listing (or virtually staged), and to put on location. In some rooms, rather than including the stands, they'll be put directly onto countertop surfaces, such as on this kitchen countertop that's adjacent to the area on the cardstock image:


  1. Professional highlight sheets produced by the GRP marketing department (possible but not guaranteed unless requested and added to listing agreement prior to signing for below $500k).


  1. *For Hampton Roads (possible but not guaranteed for lower prices if agreed to in advance), paper marketing to around 100 agents at my firm & same flyer on property in a flyer box on the sign & in the building

Premium multi-format video (1 geared for MLS compliance, 1 geared for a more engaging public showcase featuring Adam on camera - see $750k+ section for more details) is available in the following scenarios (though the Homes.com Boost is unavailable if taking advantage of this offer at or above $600k and below $750k):

  • Properties $750k+

  • Properties $600k+ in select neighborhoods when filmed from mid March to mid November Including (From Approximately Northwest to Southeast):

    • Greater Richmond:

      • Brandermill

      • Chesdin Landing

      • Hallsley

      • Magnolia Green

    • Middle Peninsula:

      • Piankatank Shores

      • Riverwatch

      • Sawgrass Pointe

    • Northern Neck:

      • Bay Quarter Shores

      • Cabin Point & Glebe Harbor

      • Stratford Harbour

    • Peninsula:

      • Colonial Heritage

      • Coventry

      • Fords Colony

      • Governor's Land at Two Rivers

      • Greater First Colony

      • Kiln Creek

      • Kingsmill

      • Queens Lake

      • Running Man

      • Stonehouse at Mill Pond

    • Southside:

      • Benns Grant,

      • Culpepper Landing

      • Eagle Harbor

      • Gatling Pointe

      • Governor's Pointe

      • Indian Lakes

      • The Riverfront at Harbour View

      • Villages at West Neck

(See video example above)


For listings priced $750k+ that opt for my 3% listing side commission marketing package, & for those who opt for the a la carte option, I offer premium, multi-format video, including off-site aerial video in at least 5 separate off-site locations:

  1. Video for MLS with no people visible

  2. Video with Adam showcasing the property


For properties $1,000,000+ with the 3% package (or for a $100 add-on for properties under $1,000,000), 1 of these videos may be shot from a go-pro while Adam is paddling with his Oru Inlet kayak (& Adam can take a shot of someone else paddling with his drone) if a location where that is available is nearby (if permission is granted, if warranted, i.e., in HOA's).


Winter restriction:

While filming may occur up to a year prior to listing, if filming would be necessary between November 15 and March 15, due to area media often being highly negatively impacted by that season, if prior video of the area isn't available, and it would have a drastically negative impact, this option may be unavailable.

A higher view of a property than typical aerials can give much better context in many circumstances to supplement other aerials. For properties $750k+, aerials (video, still photos, & aerial 360's) above 400' may be available.


Restrictions:

  • Needs to be requested at least 3 months prior to listing due to FAA waivers of 400'+ often taking 90 days or more to hear back from.

  • These will often be unavailable in restricted airspace that would typically require LAANC or FAA Drone Zone authorization even below 400', though sub 400' is still typically available using those channels.

  • $800k+ Paper Just Listed Postcard to area owners/residents to at least 200 households

Budget for the following:

  1. Additional marketing budget (not taking any funds away from the other marketing budget mentioned above for various paper and digital media)

  2. Staging (not taking any funds away from the other functional staging already available)

  3. Cleaning

  4. Repairs

  5. Updates

  6. Pre-listing home inspection

  7. Pre-listing termite/moisture inspection


A budget equal to the following:

.1% of the list price for higher amounts from $850k to under 2 million, i.e.:

$850 for properties $850,000

$900 for properties $900,000

$1000 for properties $1,000,000

 $1250 for properties $1,250,000

$1,500 for properties $1,500,000

$1,750 for properties $1,750,000


.2% of the list price for houses listed for 2 million to under 3 million

.3% of the list price for houses listed for 3 million to under 4 million

.4% of the list price for houses listed for 4 million to under 5 million

.5% of the list price for houses listed for 5 million or more


For those opting for these, due to the high cost, a retainer fee equal to the budget is required that gets taken out of the commission requirement, where the budget would be paid up front, and the remaining commission (3% minus the budget) would be paid at closing.

Example in one of Adam's listings, including proximity in miles from the house to each amenity
Example in one of Adam's listings, including proximity in miles from the house to each amenity

For properties not in flood zones and in relatively good shape from a flood perspective, these may also include historic flooding maps, i.e. of Hurricane Isabel, showcasing how the subject property is superior to many other properties from a significant risk perspective, using Adam's First Sreet subscription.

Unlike the other MLS I have access to, REIN limits pictures to 50. At the lower end of houses, 50 is typically fine, but when integrating area photos, and on houses with larger square footage &/or on acreage, 50 can be insufficient. In cases where 97% MLS coverage means REIN MLS only (most of the South Side of Hampton Roads), & in addition in any of the below 4 cases in those locales, I offer an additional MLS to push the photo count above 50 in public locations like Zillow:

A. $1M+ & 3500+ Sq Ft

or

B. $1M+ & 2500+ Sq Ft + 1k or more unfinished sq ft +.25 acres or more

or

C. $1M+ & 2500+ Sq Ft + 500 or more unfinished sq ft +.5 acres or more

or

D. $1M+ & 2500+ Sq Ft +1 acre or more


Eligible cities include:

  • Chesapeake

  • Franklin City

  • Norfolk

  • Portsmouth

  • Suffolk

  • Virginia Beach

(Isle of Wight County & west of there [excluding Franklin] already get >50 photos possible via other)



Items above with a * may depend on location, price, and commission bracket desired

Example Interior & Exterior Matterport Virtual Tour Including Dock, from a former listing of Adam's. Matterport example shot by Adam


À la Carte Options:

  • A la carte options for multi-format video are offered at a dollar-for-dollar cost, which typically starts between $1200-$1500 depending on the strong videographer used.

  • Most additional marketing if desired by seller

A Zillow Showcase add-on is available for:

  • $100 for properties below $300k for the 3% package

  • $200 for 2.75% packages over $500k


Rather than just having a Zillow 3D tour, the following packages, which typically don't also get Matterport & Showcase, can have it via an additional fee:

  • $300 for 2.75% packages under $500k

  • $350 for 2.5% packages over $500k

  • $400 for 2.5% packages under $500k

As of 7/30/26, the cost I pay is often around $299 per listing for Realtor.com & slightly under .1% for Homes.com ($300 for properties at or below $300k), but can vary.


For 3% commission listings below the prices that get them by default:

  • $300k+ These are each 1/3 of my actual cost

  • <$300k These are each 1/2 of my actual cost


For 2.5%-2.75% commission listings:

  • Dollar for dollar actual cost

This option is only available as part of 3% packages.

Example in one of Adam's listings, including proximity in miles from the house to each amenity
Example in one of Adam's listings, including proximity in miles from the house to each amenity

For $25 each, I can put your listing on Craigslist and Facebook Marketplace. Facebook Marketplace may be possible even without a paid upgrade, but is not guaranteed.

See the 3 tiers for what MLS comes with each package by default.


The MLS I have available includes:

  • REIN MLS (All listings - main MLS of Hampton Roads - syndicates with Richmond MLS; limit of 50 photos and 1k characters in public remarks)

  • CBRAR MLS (main MLS of Middle Peninsula - syndicates with Richmond MLS & Williamsburg MLS)

  • Williamsburg MLS (Substantial % of listings in Williamsburg and James City County - syndicates with CBRAR MLS & BRIGHT MLS)

  • Northern Neck MLS

  • My State MLS - Isn't primary MLS of any locality nearby, but less restrictive in various regards vs other MLS. For instance, it allows 4k characters, more than any other MLS I have access to.


More about Adam:

My list of values as evidenced by quotes from reviews:

  1. Staying Available

  2. Working Hard

  3. Saving Clients Money

  4. Keeping Clients' Interests First

  5. Client Educator (See also my extensive website that includes enough content I've written to fill a book)

  6. High Ethical Standards Including Integrity

  7. Excellence

Excellent digital tool belt to assist sellers, including but not limited to:


ShowingTime to get more buyers and buyer's agents through the door with immediately confirmed showings on vacant properties & no delay between when an agent requests a showing and when the occupant receives the request.


Extensive writing on numerous subjects beyond email direct content that can be provided on call, with over 50,000 words on my website alone.


Highly comprehensive emails edited according to situations at each major step of the process to guide you thoroughly. An informed seller can make the best decisions.*


Highly comprehensive offer comparison spreadsheet (*template provided for all, filled out for all standard commission sellers and for discount commission sellers above $350k)


Highly comprehensive responsibilities & obligations of buyer & seller with page #s to reference on contracts*


Here are some of the digital resources I offer specific to sellers, though some of my digital resources are unpublished.


Excellent physical tools, gadgets, & other resources to assist sellers.


For higher-end properties, if desired by the seller, my father, Greg Garrett (Linkedin, Facebook, Company Webpage), can be present with me at listing appointments & if desired, co-list property with me. He's been Recognized in Realtor® Magazine as one of the top 50 Realtors® in the United States. He's sold a few dozen properties for sellers over $1,000,000 & has possibly sold more homes than anyone else living in SE VA, thousands of properties personally.


My father, a 14th generation Virginian, started over 40 years ago, and both of his parents were real estate agents. He got in the business in the late 70's, & is still in the business.


"Early in his real estate career, Greg became the #1 agent on the Virginia Peninsula. Then he became the #1 agent throughout Hampton Roads, Virginia. He has closed on over 4000 thousand properties personally since they started recording his closings in our primary local MLS in the late 90's. In his best year, he closed on a house a day. He brands himself as a team although it is just him, transaction coordinators & other staff. He has "toned down" the amount of time he spends on real estate, but as of 11/30/22 he's closed on at least 98 homes in the past 365 days, at least 126 in the prior 365 days, and has typically done 100 or more homes a year relatively consistently.


Before my father was a real estate agent, both of my grandparents on his side were agents. My grandmother acquired the prestigious Emerald Award from the Virginia Peninsula Association of Realtors, acquired from those who have 20 years of award-winning sales based on volume. In some years, only 1 person achieves that award.

One of the top reasons to select an agent is because an agent is able to maximize your net proceeds. While many factors are involved, 1 of the top reasons is my honesty with sellers. Maximizing your net proceeds can't happen unless an agent is honest with a seller. A good agent should ultimately leave things up to you, but recommend what you can do to participate in achieving the top net proceeds you can, from cleaning, painting, & performing repairs to filling out seller surveys. An agent being honest means possibly not seeming as "enthusiastic" about your listing when meeting with you as other agents. It also means that honest agents are more likely to provide a lower # when it comes to suggested value. Many sellers fail to realize that and don't pick me because of my honesty, without realizing what they're doing, picking an agent instead who doesn't mention any flaws or suggests a much higher value. My honesty with sellers doesn't stop me from sounding very enthusiastic in the actual listing, pointing out positives of your property left and right and consistently going within 95% of the word count cap in remarks on REIN MLS before adding even more positives in picture captions of a listing as visible on MLS. It's very rare to see that from an agent. There are many agents who will intentionally wait until after a seller signs a listing agreement before mentioning any suggestions about improvements because they know those suggestions could cost them the listing if another agent seems more "enthusiastic" than them. In many cases, waiting like that could cost a seller time & $, in addition to frustration that the agent didn't tell them sooner.


Related:

1. Should You Sell As-Is?

2. Financing Repairs Paid at Closing

3. Where to Find Equipment To Borrow/Lease/Purchase for Your Property Repairs/Reno/Cleaning

1. In 1 case, I received an offer $40,000 higher than the closed price of another agent at the same property. On that occasion, a listing of mine had 3 offers while I listed it. The seller went against my advice and rejected the highest offer. Shortly after they listed with another Realtor, convinced that I was not marketing the property enough despite marketing efforts that far exceeded that of a typical listing, likely in the top 1% of active marketing for properties. After multiple price reductions, a year later, it sold through that other agent, one of the top agents in VA, for a sales price $40,000 less than the offer that they had rejected while I was the listing agent that I recommended that they not reject. Keep in mind that the market had appreciated during that year.


2. It's not uncommon for those who market homes very well to achieve contracts that an appraisal can't justify. Conversely, when agents don't do top tier marketing, there are many cases where properties are purchased for below the appraised value. Here are some examples from when I represented the seller(s) & my marketing led to contracts above appraisal:

A. 1 contract was $45k above (after the appraiser raised the amount from his original amount based on a value dispute I made), which was roughly 10% of the sales price.

B. Buyers paying as high as $15k (6% over the appraised price) above appraised value with an agreement for that in advance of purchase at time of offer.

C. Some closings with no appraisal contingency

I have had full-time experience as a Realtor since February 2015 with over 100 closings as of 2022. Prior to becoming a Realtor, I spent 9 months full-time in the marketing department at Garrett Realty Partners. As visible from a brief review of my website & as shared by a review, "As a third generation realtor, his knowledge base and experience is beyond his years."


In my best year thus far, I was within the top 8% of agents overall in my primary market (Hampton Roads & #s from REIN MLS, not counting sales outside of REIN).


My freshman year of college my family purchased this home, so I know some things about luxury waterfront that many don't:

You'll see the majority of my previous transactions on my Zillow page.


Not only am I experienced, but I'm also highly detailed including in my property walk-throughs for all sellers who want to maximize profits by not going as-is, but available for as-is sales as well.

Below a Coverage Map for sellers is labeled along with the 5 MLS I have access to with strong coverage. Areas in white are where my MLS don't have ideal coverage. See my coverage map page for more details including exceptions where I may go below the figures pictured below. For those outside of my standard coverage, I can often provide a quality referral for those seeking to buy or sell property >$40k.

Adam’s cities/counties covered (not including Northern Virginia shown on the map above, which I do cover) include:

Amelia County,

Charles City County,

Chesapeake,

Chesterfield County,

Colonial Heights,

Dinwiddie County, 

Essex County,

Franklin,

Gloucester County,

Goochland County,

Hampton,

Hanover County,

Henrico County,

Hopewell,

Isle of Wight County, 

James City County,

King William County,

King & Queen County,

Lancaster County,

Mathews County,

Middlesex County,

New Kent County,

Newport News,

Northumberland County,

Nottoway County,

Petersburg

Poquoson,

Portsmouth,

Powhatan County,

Prince George County,

Richmond (City of),

Richmond County,

Southampton County,

Suffolk, 

Surry County, 

Sussex County,

Virginia Beach, 

Williamsburg, 

York County,

On this website, you'll find plenty of information about me, a number of articles with me educating sellers, & otherwise.

Adam doesn't perform dual agency, where 1 agent attempts to represent both buyer and seller. While legal in VA, it's so fraught with problems that it's illegal in some states and prohibited at Garrett Realty Partners.


Adam has a wide coverage area throughout the majority of SE VA, excluding the Eastern Shore, for properties for buyers and sellers with access to 5 MLS. He also has a map of where those MLS are most important, info on where multiple MLS in SE VA are most important, and where in SE VA other MLS are used substantially or primarily.


As of 2022 Adam's closed on over 100 properties.


Adam's father (see legacy section) is an invaluable resource, available at times for co-listings, does residential & commercial, and has cumulatively likely personally sold higher volume than any SE VA agent still active.


Adam can do commercial or residential real estate, land only or land with structure(s). Whenever commercial is involved, he brings his father into the equation as an invaluable resource since Adam has done more residential than commercial, while his father has much more experience than he does with commercial.


As of 7/30/26, excluding Adam's current active listings, 23 of Adam's 25 most recent listings were sold rather than expiring or being withdrawn, with the only 2 exceptions each getting under contract with buyers prior to the sellers deciding not to sell

  • once due to a family dynamic shift

  • once due to major repairs uncovered in the crawlspace due to professional work that was not up to industry standards that the seller wasn't able to resolve at the time himself).


Related Facts:

Adam is good with math & good with words. He scored in the top 2 percentile on the SAT in math and scored an 80/80 on the writing skills PSAT.

Adam doesn't charge transaction coordinator fees.


Considering what Adam offers at different commission brackets & price points, what he offers is highly competitive. For instance, with his lowest commission options at the lowest price points he serves, sellers would still have professional photos, aerials, and Matterport virtual tour, a combination that is rarely offered standard by other agents even at 3% listing side commissions, but would have placement in the primary MLS of the city/county instead of up to 4 available at higher commission packages at higher price points (placement in 2 MLS if the primary MLS is CBRAR/CVR since via the co-op only 1 data input sheet is involved), fewer new area pics available to be taken by me from the ground or the air, & other reduced offerings in various capacities where I typically go above and beyond (i.e. no top 3% premium snacks/drinks at the property throughout listing).


What agent you use to sell can have a drastic influence on your net proceeds, even if selecting between 2 agents that charge the same commission rates, depending on the quality of the agent you are getting and the marketing that they will do for your property. See examples of just how much that can mean (i.e. $40k different sales price) in my section titled "Examples of Adam Maximizing Seller Net Proceeds".


If you're looking for the lowest commissions in town, Adam doesn't have them. If he did offer the lowest commission in town, he would need to drastically reduce what he offers, otherwise, he'd be forced out of business very quickly because he goes above and beyond again & again. In order for very low commission agents to survive, they have to cut many corners even vs what typical agents do to support much higher volume than a typical agent.

If you need to buy as well, I've got excellent options.


More Details on Offerings:

Virtual tours boost properties in search results in places like Zillow and increase the probability of someone viewing your home online. If the virtual tour is actually a good one, including interior finished space, interior unfinished space, and exterior, in a 3D style, things get even better, with a lower probability of sight-unseen purchasers wanting to withdraw from a contract due to surprises. On sites like Zillow, 3D tours are much more prominent than videos, with the 3D tour being clearly displayed, while a video is somewhat buried. Thankfully, not all public sites bury videos as much as Zillow.

  • Open houses boost the algorithm of properties on sites like Zillow, even when someone is not using the open house filter (i.e. picture below) & some people looking at it from the open house filter present on a number of sites.

  • Open houses are one of the top ways that unrepresented buyers preview properties, but in Adam's experience, they have a larger positive impact on represented than unrepresented buyers. While the actual number could be higher, as of 6/26/26, Adam knows of cases making up around 12% of his listing side sales where open houses occurred, where buyers came to an open house and then bought his sellers' homes, where either (and there may be more cases that he is unaware of):

    • Unrepresented buyers came, and the open house was their only showing

    • Represented buyers have seen a home he listed alone at an open house, then came back with their agent before a purchase.

    • Represented buyers came with their agent, then came back alone to the open house, then bought the house

  • More showings mean more competition and ultimately a higher net.

  • More showings mean more feedback as well.



Ask all agents you interview for their 5 most recent listings. Pay a lot of attention to the quality of those listings, & it's a good idea to compare similar listings from 2 agents side by side in terms of home quality and sq ft of the home. Here are some metrics to check:

  1. Picture volume (though keep in mind that unless you're talking about a kitchen with an island, a room with special features like a fireplace, or a room that exceeds 500 sq ft, you shouldn't be often seeing more than 2 pictures of each room that should get the full room between them; if you have 50 pictures of a 2k sq ft home on <.25 acres with no area pictures, the agent is merely doing a lot of unnecessary photos in most cases that waste buyers' time).

  2. Picture quality

  3. Area photos including whether or not the location name is clearly labeled on the picture (for homes with <3k sq ft & <.5 acres, these are most important)

  4. Virtual tour quality (especially whether or not it was 1 of the 6 top platforms used, exterior shot volume, area amenity shot volume, & unfinished space volume)

  5. Captions on pictures

  6. Word count for public remarks

  7. Searchability via the number of included items mentioned outside of the public remarks (specifically focusing on those items that aren't required but that can have a big impact on your property getting filtered out of a search, like acreage in REIN MLS)


Also, verify on their Zillow profile (where to search; Adam's) based on the dates of those listings that the agent sends you are their most recent listings just in case an agent wants to cherry-pick. If the listings are more spread out chronologically or not near you vs other agents, that's not a problem, especially if the marketing quality is higher (which inherently takes more time &/or $ for the agent), as long as the agent has access to the right MLS for you, & in VA, more than 1 MLS in many cases.


Keep in mind that sometimes, Matterport tours are taken down soon after a sale closes. In my case, I typically don't keep them up much longer after closing, but have an archive of all of the Matterport virtual tours I've done in case you'd like me to reactivate one for you.


For more details, go to: Reviewing Agents' Former Listings Online



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