Ivy Green at the Shoals

"I lived at Ivy Green for over 11 years, from 2011 through April 2023. During all that time, I got very familiar with the place. Really, I'm surprised to find that other people have left very negative reviews. In my experience, Ivy Green is considerably better than other reviewers said, though it does have some flaws. It's affordably priced housing (especially if sharing costs with a roommate) that can be a decent place to live for a couple years before moving on. There are pros and there are cons. Pros: Probably the best thing about Ivy Green is the location in Central Florence. It's close to two grocery stores, a Dollar General, gas stations, and some fast food restaurants. It's close to UNA and the downtown area. It's right on the road that crosses the bridge if you need to go south across the Tennessee River. And it's not too far from the Florence Mall and chain restaurants. You can get to either end of Florence fairly quickly. Management is on-site in an office, full-time. I found management to be pretty good to work with. They are quick to handle repairs; they get done within one business day, often within a few hours of the request. Jerry, the maintenance guy, was competent, polite, and did an excellent job. I had my own washer & dryer in my apartment. Although they have a laundromat on-site which I occasionally used, I preferred using my own machines. Florence can be cold and rainy in the winter, and hot and humid in the summer. I did not want to carry laundry through the rain or heat. There have been some updates done in recent years: new windows & screens (2019), new heat/air units (2021). They keep things nicely landscaped outside. It's pretty in the summer. However, the grass-cutting and blowing guys routinely showed up at 8 in the morning on Monday morning and started right in making racket with their machines. The pool area is nice, though the pool is small and shallow. There are a couple picnic tables and grills outside. Generally, I felt like the complex was a safe place to live. Cons: Ivy Green doesn't have enough land to have a good place for exercise, so I wound up walking on the road around the complex. This was DANGEROUS sometimes at night because cars that could not see me would come around the curves in the drive too fast. I finally resorted to buying a reflective construction vest at Dollar General and wearing it when I walked at night, while also being careful to walk close to the side of the road so I could get out of the road quickly if needed. It's worth noting that there are two gyms (Planet Fitness and Crunch) located nearby, so that is an option for exercise. Despite the posted speed limit signs, people tend to drive too fast both day and night at this complex. It is something to be aware of and watch out for. It's safer during the daylight hours because you and the drivers can see better, and there are fewer cars because tenants are in town at work or school. The evenings have much more traffic. After 10 PM, things settle down and there are very few cars. Helton Drive can be very busy between 3-4 PM every weekday. It was sometimes hard to get into the driveway because of the traffic. The rest of the day, it is fine. There are no ceiling lights or fans in the bedrooms and living rooms. You will need to bring lamps and maybe fans. This complex allows small dogs; unfortunately, owners routinely do not clean up after their animals outside, despite management's efforts to get them to do so. There is a railroad that runs behind the apartment complex fence. It rarely has a train, and they never blow the whistle at this spot. Summary: It's decent if you can cope with a few small problems, and relatively inexpensive. Would I live here again? Maybe. It would depend on my budget and I'd do some comparison shopping, of course. It seemed well-suited for college students to me, though there were also some small families and single people who lived there. I'd probably give it 3.5 Stars. Tip: Try to get a ground floor unit. It's much easier to move in and out."

"Edit: Toward the end of my experience here it wasn't pleasant. Yes, we paid rent on time, and no we didn't have any issues with other residents. Our AC broke twice a year but would get patched with the equivalent of a band-aid... (supposedly it was always the same part breaking..). Every time pest control would come to spray we would get pests. I suggest getting your spray to follow up after them. it was the only fix for us. Talking to neighbors helped solidify that we weren't being picky or intolerable, but they also share the same issues as well. Ivy Green is just a place to live, that's all. Great for college students who don't wanna live on campus since it more-so short term! It hasn't felt like a place to call home since management changed. Goodbye, Ivy Green."

"BEWARE, The absolute worst place to rent in the shoals. Most money hungry and disrespectful people you will find. The grounds are constantly messy with trash, very poor and unprofessional management. The “public” washing machines do not work. They WILL go up on your rent once you live here and you have to pay the up-charges or be evicted. Also they will not be notify you of the up charges when you move in. Be careful and save your money."

"This place is a joke. The rent keeps going up & it’s most definitely not worth the money. You can rent a nice house for cheaper than the price of these apartments. This apartment complex is overrun by college students that throw parties 24/7 & are obnoxiously loud at night. My child gets woken up from the noise every night. The parking here is also a joke. We were supposed to have the lot paved over but it never happened. Residents speed through the lot and play loud music day and night. There’s also no light fixtures so make sure you pack lamps. Don’t waste your money on this place."

"I enjoy living here. It's clean and the apartments are nice. Only downfall is there are no light fixtures so pack your lamps and fans."