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5 Best Real Estate Agents in Charleston (2026)

Ranked by real Google ratings and review volume · How we chose

Lorian Hartfield
By Lorian Hartfield, Real Estate and Financial Expert · ✓ Updated · 7 min read

We compared 14 real estate agents in Charleston on Google Maps · 5 listed · How we rank

Choosing among real estate agents in Charleston often comes down to a brokerage with a bench of agents or one person who answers the phone. The offices below carry more than 580 Google reviews between them, rated 4.0 to 5.0, and the gap between a brokerage with more than 280 reviews and a solo agent with more than 40 says a lot about which kind of help you are picking.

Short answer: Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Central leads on volume, with a 4.9 rating from more than 280 Google reviews, many naming individual agents. ERA Property Elite is rated 4.8, Melinda Starcher (eXp Realty) 4.9, and Marie McDavid, Realtor holds a perfect 5.0 from a smaller base. Old Colony, REALTORS is rated 4.0.
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Brokerages and solo agents compared

# Business Rating Reviews Best for
1 Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Central 4.9 ★ 282 Buyers and sellers with a team View ›
2 ERA Property Elite 4.8 ★ 135 Repeat buyers and sellers View ›
3 Melinda Starcher REALTOR® EXP REALTY 4.9 ★ 78 Selling with a local specialist View ›
4 Marie McDavid, Realtor 5.0 ★ 42 First-time buyers View ›
5 Old Colony, REALTORS 4.0 ★ 46 Established local brokerage View ›
5 Best Real Estate Agents in Charleston (2026)

Who you'd be working with

Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Central logo
#1 Overall🕑 Open 5 days/wk↩ Responds to reviews

Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Central

4.9282 Google reviews

Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Central is a real estate agency on Summers Street in Charleston. Its website offers property search, a home-value tool, farms and land, commercial and distinctive listings, relocation services and a Prepared to Sell program. Several agents are named in reviews, including Alanie Flanagan, Cynthia Maynard, Kristi Harris and Connie Machel.

What people praise

  • First-time buyers describe patient agents who answered email quickly
  • A seller said the agent recommended repairs and skilled workers before listing and suggested a sales price after analyzing the market
  • One family says an agent guided them through selling a home for a friend moving to assisted living
  • Reviewers say the process felt smooth and manageable

Worth knowing

  • You work with an individual agent, so experience may vary from one to the next
Reputation scorecardrank in Charleston
Rating4.9 / 5
Review volume282 · 96th
Confidencehigh
Recency6 months ago
Info completenesssite · phone · hours
Rating breakdown95% 5-star
✓ VerifiedSource: Google

Our take: It has the largest review base here, with many reviews naming specific agents. A strong fit for first-time buyers and for sellers who want help preparing a home.

5 Summers St, Charleston, WV 25301

ERA Property Elite logo
#2🕑 Open 7 days

ERA Property Elite

4.8135 Google reviews

ERA Property Elite is an ERA franchise brokerage in Charleston with an office on East Virginia Street, according to Google. Its site lists J. Craig Allison as broker of record and describes buying, selling, first-time buyers and investors. Reviews mostly name Craig and a second agent, Chris Luzier.

What people praise

  • A family says Craig has handled several purchases and sales for them and their relatives
  • An out-of-state couple bought a condo for a student through him and praised his communication
  • A first-time buyer called Chris Luzier kind, responsive and knowledgeable
  • One seller reported a quick sale

Worth knowing

  • One seller wrote about not getting follow-up on a listing inquiry
Reputation scorecardrank in Charleston
Rating4.8 / 5
Review volume135 · 89th
Confidencemoderate
Recency6 months ago
Info completenesssite · phone · hours
Rating breakdown94% 5-star
✓ VerifiedSource: Google

Our take: Reviews describe repeat clients and straightforward transactions. Ask which agent will handle your file, since reviewers mention two.

1001 Virginia St E Ste 205, Charleston, WV 25301

Melinda Starcher REALTOR® EXP REALTY logo
#3🕑 Open 7 days↩ Responds to reviews

Melinda Starcher REALTOR® EXP REALTY

4.978 Google reviews

Melinda Starcher is a REALTOR with eXp Realty on Hale Street in Charleston. Google tags her as a real estate agent, consultant and commercial agency. Her reviews come from home sellers and buyers.

What people praise

  • Sellers praise her knowledge of the Charleston market
  • One seller highlights strong marketing and negotiating, with several offers handled
  • Buyers say she kept looking until they found the right home
  • Reviewers call her warm and professional at once

Worth knowing

  • A smaller review base than the largest brokerage here
Reputation scorecardrank in Charleston
Rating4.9 / 5
Review volume78 · 82nd
Confidenceearly
Recency7 weeks ago
Info completenesssite · phone · hours
Rating breakdown97% 5-star
✓ VerifiedSource: Google

Our take: A well-regarded solo agent for both selling and buying. The reviews on negotiation and multiple offers make her especially interesting for sellers.

221 Hale St, Charleston, WV 25301

Marie McDavid, Realtor logo
#4

Marie McDavid, Realtor

5.042 Google reviews

Marie McDavid, Realtor works from an address on Hale Street in Charleston. There is no website on her Google listing, so this card comes from client reviews, which are almost all from home buyers, plus one mortgage lender who worked with her buyers.

What people praise

  • First-time buyers describe responsiveness from day one through closing
  • A reviewer says she noticed when a showing was not right and never pressured them
  • One buyer says she kept a deal on track through unexpected bumps
  • A mortgage lender praised her communication

Worth knowing

  • Smaller review base than the other agents here, so each review moves the numbers more
Reputation scorecardrank in Charleston
Rating5 / 5
Review volume42 · 68th
Confidenceearly
Recency7 weeks ago
Info completenessphone
Rating breakdown100% 5-star
✓ VerifiedSource: Google

Our take: A perfect 5.0 on a modest number of reviews, with detailed praise from first-time buyers. A good call if you want a hands-on, responsive agent.

210 Hale St, Charleston, WV 25301

Old Colony, REALTORS logo
#5🕑 Open 5 days/wk↩ Responds to reviews

Old Colony, REALTORS

4.046 Google reviews

Old Colony, REALTORS is a brokerage on East Virginia Street in Charleston. This card relies on reviews. They describe selling and buying homes with the firm, and one reviewer mentions that it sponsors a local children's soccer league.

What people praise

  • A seller calls the process professional from first inquiry to closing
  • One family worked with agent Heather Jones to buy a house and later to sell it
  • A parent mentions the firm's sponsorship of a youth soccer league
  • Reviewers describe the team as friendly and dedicated to clients

Worth knowing

  • A 4.0 rating with several lower reviews, the lowest on this page
Reputation scorecardrank in Charleston
Rating4 / 5
Review volume46 · 75th
Confidenceearly
Recencyabout a year ago
Info completenesssite · phone · hours
Rating breakdown65% 5-star
✓ VerifiedSource: Google

Our take: A familiar local name, but the rating sits below the others here and results seem to depend on the agent. Ask who would handle your sale and read the reviews yourself.

1205 Virginia St E, Charleston, WV 25301

6

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Reading the scorecards

These scores use public Google data on the date shown. Rating is the live star average, and review volume is how many clients have rated the agent or brokerage. Confidence weighs the rating by volume, which is why a perfect 5.0 from a small base scores lower than a 4.9 from hundreds. Recency shows how recently reviews arrive.

How agents get paid in West Virginia

No commission figures are listed in the reviews or site text, so there is no cost table. Agents are generally paid a commission when a sale closes, and the rate is negotiated with the brokerage. Ask for it in writing before you sign a listing or buyer agreement.

Agents near you in Charleston

These offices all have Charleston addresses, on Summers Street, East Virginia Street and Hale Street. Looking for a real estate agent near me? Each listing shows a phone number and directions, and several reviewers describe agents who handle the Charleston market from start to closing.

Questions for your first call

  • Which agent will personally handle my purchase or sale?
  • How do you recommend pricing a listing, and what do you base it on?
  • What is your commission, and what does it cover?
  • How quickly do you reply to calls and email?
  • Have you worked with first-time buyers in my price range?

Frequently asked questions

Which Charleston brokerage do reviewers say helps first-time buyers?

Reviewers of Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Central, ERA Property Elite and Marie McDavid, Realtor each describe first-time buyers who were guided through the process. Ask for the named agent when you call.

Which Charleston offices list buying and selling services on their sites?

Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Central’s site offers property search, a home-value tool, relocation services and a Prepared to Sell program. ERA Property Elite’s site describes buying, selling, first-time buyers and investors.

Do any of these agents have a website?

Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Central, ERA Property Elite, Old Colony and Melinda Starcher list websites on Google. Marie McDavid does not, so reaching her means calling the number on this page.

The short version

For a brokerage with plenty of reviews and several agents to choose from, start with Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Central. For a solo agent, Melinda Starcher and Marie McDavid are both praised in detail. Whoever you pick, ask for the commission and the agent’s name in writing.

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