Today, however, there are hundreds of communities across the country that cater to the 50-plus housing market alone, say Bill Becker, president of the William E. Becker Organization, and Feinberg & Associates president Bill Feinberg. With a change in demographics, builders and developers alike need to change from the standard "cookie-cutter" community to one that stands out and catches the buyer's eye. And as boomers are looking to sell the family nest, 50-and-over active lifestyle communities are pitching their properties and leisure lifestyle to attract these buyers, the duo note.

Since their inception, active lifestyle communities have changed the senior housing marketplace. "In the past, older adults often moved south to warmer climates, purchasing a condo near the beach," say Becker and Feinberg. "These communities often had a pool and a clubhouse, but not much else in the way of amenities to support an active lifestyle."

Many prospective buyers are now drawn to communities that feature various activities to help them stay active. Across the country, communities have a range of amenities such as swimming, horseback riding trails and golf courses on their property. "Many of these developments promote the lifestyle their residents can enjoy and then sell the housing," explain Becker and Feinberg.