The Arbordale

We have lived here almost a year now and it has been the best decision my husband and I have made. This is OUR home and we LOVE it. The people who live here have welcomed us with open arms. You can be as active as you want. Between the exercise class to Saturday night movies there is always something to do. Our apartment is so bright with the many windows to let in the sunshine. The closet space is amazing. Our kitchen is big enough for the two of us to be in at the same time. All space is utilized amazingly. I believe this is the best kept secret in Urbandale. The Arbordale is THE best place to live and I am so glad we have moved here. A very special community.

Mike and team at Arbordale are wonderful. The facilities are clean and spotless. All the residents I met yesterday had nothing but positive and encouraging things to say about and their experiences there as they sat together in the dining room. Community and being around others is key for the elderly as opposed to sitting home alone in solitude. Looking forward to this next chapter for my 80 year old mother to have a fresh, new start ❤️

My wife and I moved into The Arbordale in Aug. of this year. We have lived in multiple over 55 communities and the first thing that sets The Arbordale apart from the rest is the leadership team. They don't just make promises to get you moved in, they follow up on all promises after you have moved in. They definitely have the resident's as their top priority. The communication between management and the residents is excellent, this is another thing lacking in other over 55 communities. The apartments are larger than most other facilities. Rosie, the Executive Chef, does a wonderful job serving us well balanced meals that taste great. Susie, the Marketing Director, is not a high pressure sales person. She will ask questions to find out exactly what your needs are and then be very honest on how The Arbordale can meet those needs. Amy, the Activities Director and Administrative Assistant, does a tremendous job of offering a wide variety of activities for residents. Angie, the Executive Director, is the most genuine caring director we have ever met. Her word is her bond. Having a leadership team that truly cares and are good communicators and follow up on promises is hard to find. The Arbordale leadership team sets themselves apart from other communities.

Their marketing department called multiple times a day along with emails & texting. I was communicating with them but they continued excessively contacting me. I eventually agreed to take a tour though I had already mostly decided on where I was going to live. I gave them an honest look. The pricing the marketing department gave did not match what the salesman gave. He did not have any availability in the first four tiers of pricing which is not what marketing said. His first story was how they were formally a co-op and have changed into rentals. That is not a good sales pitch. So people bought & had "rent" and got a partial refund and now just get to rent. Cringy. The Arbordale has some good qualities. It needs updating. It is pricey. Compared to other places on the market, I don't find it competitive. Plus the salesman, Mike, who I have tried very hard to be polite & patient with is overly aggressive. I have told him several times I have already signed a lease somewhere else yet he continues to contact me. I don't understand the over aggressive tactics of The Arbordale. It's not effective or convincing. It brings a desperate feeling. I had left a very polite review with the referring company but I think it's past time for my honest experience. I tried to contact The Arbordale directly to discuss this with them but they did not want to do that. They just want to make sales. They don't want to know what they are doing wrong. I would NEVER live there let alone but the care of a loved one there. I will say their craft room is very impressive. The wooded area is very nice and is not easy to find with many of the newer places. The apartments seemed nice. Though for being mid tier, they should be. The washer/dryer were old and would never hold a comforter. They were the all in one unit type. The meals are extra. The community fee is $2750 and many activities have a fee on top of that. The halls are all beige no matter what floor you are on. It's a very confusing layout. Mike, the salesman, was getting turned around the entire time. I kept saying that I would be lost the whole time. I have a vision issue. I would think painting the floors different colors would be helpful. Something. Different color carpet. I don't know. It's definitely got room for improvements. But it's not all bad. The gal at the front desk is very friendly & helpful. I am sure she is a great asset to the residents. I enjoyed meeting & speaking with her.