I've lived here since 2009, so I could probably give you a pretty good idea of what to look for.
Likes:
-Generally low cost of living in comparison to other areas of the country I have lived.
-Depending where in the Coastal Virginia (or Hampton Roads as it is most referred do) you live, you have easy beach living vibes.
-Relatively easy to get up and down the coast (~5 hour trip to Philadelphia, 2-3 hour to DC, 3ish to Raleigh)
-Fresh seafood year round
-Moderate weather climate, though can get quite hot in the summer
Dislikes:
-Public Transportation isn't the greatest depending on where you work. There is a lightrail system, but it only runs from Norfolk to just inside Virginia Beach (and does not run to the Ocean front)
-Biking to and from work (depending on where you live) can be quite dangerous if not impossible. Simply put, this area is not very well equipped to handle bike commuters.
-Disparity in living depending on area. This is one of those things that isn't readily apparent to an outsider. There are a few Cities in this area (Norfolk, VA Beach, Chesapeake, Portsmouth, Suffolk, Hampton, Newport News, Poquoson, Williamsburg, Yorktown) And even within those areas, living arrangements can change drastically one block to another (Ocean View portion of Norfolk is a prime example, large, 5 bedroom waterfront homes on one side of the street, section 8 housing the other side) And your place of employment may not be where you would want to live.
-Tunnels/Bridges - to get from Norfolk/VA beach to places like portsmouth/hampton/newport news/williamsburg, you have to go through a tunnel/bridge. No two ways around it. If any of those get congested (and they do quite frequently) be prepared to sit in traffic. I commute from VB to Portsmouth each day (15 miles one way by car, 10 miles by bike and ferry), but sometimes my commute can range from 30-45 min upwards of an hour.
-Very defense industry centric. Great if you are in the service, not a big market otherwise. Obviously other business opportunities, but for the number of people vs. established big corporations, the structure isn't there. This is home to the largest naval station in the world, so can you blame the surrounding industry for being DOD focused?
-Flying in and out, while the airport is easy, is a PITA. There are no direct flights to major destinations (unless your major destination happens to be one of the big hub airports like Charlotte, ATL, Miami, NY) Generally raises the costs of your flights, and if you are a travel guru, kills the points/reward flights you have to use)
I can provide you a bunch of other stuff to give you an better idea of where to live, pros and cons based on your age, career, etc. Just send me a PM.
If I were looking for a job, I would look at USAjobs.gov as well as the traditional job hunting sites.
Like anywhere else, it's what you make of it. I'm not here out of choice (service) but you get used to certain aspects of it. I like living at the beach so it fits for now. Good luck