Tiny Boidae's advice is right on the money. Depending on the part of Virginia that you're moving to there are only a couple of venomous species that you'll have to be familiar with: copperheads (occur throughout the state), cottonmouth (restricted to the SE parts of the state), and timber rattlesnakes (occur in the western half of the state). This distribution means that regardless where in Virginia you live, there will be no more than a maximum of two of those three species present.
Use
this link as a good starting point to learn what those species look like. The golden rule is that regardless whether you are able to positively identify the snake or not--it is completely harmless if you leave it alone. Snakes don't chase after people, regardless of all the stories you may have heard. To the snake, you are the predator, not the prey.
As for keeping snakes off your property to protect your animals, there is no single solution short of solid, gap-free fencing around the entire property (and even that is not 100% reliable). Instead, focus on making your property unattractive for snakes: keep the grass short, immediately remove any debris or wood piles, and control the rodent population (or else the snakes will feel compelled to do that for you). I used to do a lot of snake removal in college, and those where the main factors that would keep the snakes off the property. If you happen to live very close to a creek or some other type of body of water, then it may be infinitely more difficult to keep them away, as you're essentially living in their kitchen.
Do not waste your money on chemical snake repellents, as the only one thing that they are effective at is repelling your money.
I foster dogs, and always teach them not to get near snakes. They pick this up fairly quickly, and my own dogs will always keep their distance.
Hope this helps, let us know if you have any other questions.
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