Ashlea Gardens, New Holland PA

DO NOT RENT FROM HERE! They will lie to you and when they screw up you pay for it.

Ashlea Gardens certainly has its pros and cons, but overall, I wouldn’t recommend living there.

Pros: Out of many apartment communities in the area, Ashlea Gardens is one of the cheapest to live in. I am a firm believer in that you pay for what you get, but AG is certainly a little bit more affordable than some other communities.

Frank, the head of maintenance, does a good job of keeping your apartment running as it needs to, despite being stocked with drafty doors, sealed bedroom windows (at least in my former one bedroom layout), and inefficient, cheap appliances. He’s a gem amidst the staff here.

The people that live in this community are friendly and kind. For someone who wasn’t home a lot, I certainly felt welcomed by others that lived there.

Cons: The buildings were built in the 70s, but don’t appear to have had much updated. Not a major con, but certainly makes you wonder where your increased rent money goes to every single year.

The rent is raised yearly. Not sure why this is the case maybe other than the market changing, but you would think your increased rent would mean upgrades to the provided appliances, A/C, etc. The only improvement I saw over the three years I lived there was a new parking lot. Big yikes.

Passive aggressive notes about facility usage went out almost every month with a “we love our neighbors” tag at the end. I don’t buy that at all. If they really cared, they would speak to individuals and handle issues with more effort.

This is more of a location con, but here you go: if you’re not from the area, understand that New Holland is a small town with not much to offer. You’re better off looking for an apartment near 30/Old Philadelphia Pike than here. You’re 30 minutes away from Belmont and Lancaster city. It’s definitely a community that is geared towards older folks. Nothing wrong with that, but not for someone who wants to be close to things in Lancaster proper.

The stackable washer and dryer are egregious. Make sure to give yourself at least an hour on top of what you think is enough time to do just one load of laundry. The power settings for the dryer are not set up the right way. Your clothes will take too long to dry. You’re better off going to a laundromat.

The oven/stove top is tiny in the one bedroom units. Your kitchen is basically enough to fit 1/2 a person.

The fridge is also an inefficient appliance that will cost you big time with PPL. Be prepared for a hefty utility bill if you live here.

Moving out will be a major hassle for you if you’re not extra extra careful. The cleaning/repair fees are outrageous and they will mark everything they can. The blinds are super cheap too, so you’re better off replacing them yourself when they inevitably break. I’ve heard from people before that they’ve paid less for more damage in a different place. It comes along with renting from a big realty company like Horst, but you’ve been warned.

I hope this is helpful if you’re looking for a new apartment to move into. Spend a couple hundred more a month for a better rental community.

Former resident. Don't walk.run the other direction.