In the past 6 years, I have seen some darkside and much gloryside (courtyard section)of living in Ashley Trace Apartments.

I got married my freshman year in college and my husband and I were relieved to live on Leicester Ave. It was a journey looking for affordable housing with little to no credit or job reliability.

I had also just moved to Norfolk, August 2001, and lived in the dorms at ODU. I found a job in September 2001. When my fianc moved down in October, he too found a job. We got married in November and were ready to find a place to live.

With little monthly finances to budget, college expenses, food, gas, and a short job track record and so on, it was highly difficult to find a place to stay.

Maybe I live on the good side of Leicester Ave, but all of the apartments I looked for in Norfolk in the same price range between $500-600 monthly, were an absolute NIGHTMARE!

Take a moment and look at some apartments in the same price range on Ocean View Ave, Little Creek Rd., and Sewell's Point Rd., and Chesapeake Blvd., these are tough places to live.

Ashley Trace Apts are luxury living compared to these: There is consistent upkeep of grounds, painting, trash removal, apartment rules (e.g. only patio furniture on balconies, no hanging clothes to dry on the balconies, no cigarette butts thrown on the ground).

The apartments are definitely more spacious than all of the other apts we've look at. Some of the management throughout the years have definitely been easier to work with than others (but we have to take responsibilty for renewing leases, rent increases, apt ins., and management addresses noise, pet and junk control, etc.) We even had neighbors evicted that were suspected of drug activity).

People are only allowed to park on one side of the street so it keeps the road clear, we have had some mishaps with our vehicles in regard to theft, I've had very nice neighbors, those of whom I still keep in touch with, there are no rowdy people hanging out [on my section of housing that is] one year there were some residents who partied day and night - they soon got evicted), as for rodents my experience has been that the more bleach and pinesol you consistently use, they become nonexistent until you leave something out for a while (they will pick up on it and show up, this is not something that is out of control).

Within our first year here, we had stray cat for month or two. We would leave food out for her outside the door in a dish. Someone told on us, management approached us about it and said we would have to pay a fine and a fee. Other neighbors in our building took her when they moved that same week. Needless to say, management doesn't tolerate any unregistered pets or pet mishandling in the agreement of the lease. There are only 4 apartments per building and washer and dryers are inside every building (a few quarters have been lost, but all washer and dryer machines have been replaced).

I too got my car towed my third year here because of miscommunication. Part signs and part management. People have stolen car parts from friends' cars. I have seen Ashley Trace develop a security system (i.e. paying a security company to patrol). One year someone stole my car inspection sticker, someone keyed my neighbor's SUV, and solicitors may come every now and then.

Overall, the complex is well kept,the streets are nicely paved, maintenance picks up stray trash with grabbers and trash bags. The beach is in walking distance and we are next door to a golf course, elementary school, and basketball court - hardly ever used)It's pretty quiet here. I live in the courtyard in Ashley Trace, the area that is advertised in the apartment books.

We lived in a one bedroom for 1yr and a 2 bedroom for 5 yrs.

The inflation has been as follows:

2001 1br - $525 now 2007 it is about $605
2002 2br - $650 now 2007 it is $710

In life you have to take the good with the bad, that's anywhere you live.
I will miss Ashley Trace Apartments. I am moving soon. It's about that time to purchase a home.

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