The visible signs that it's an active adult community are there. There aren't any tricycles or skateboards in driveways. The clubhouse buzzes with card games and potlucks. But beyond what you see, there are other factors that folks 55 and up should consider in the search for a home to embrace the next phase of life.

Roy Wendt, developer of Olde Town Grayson and The Preserve at Hamilton Mill, says buyers are considering four major components: security, social, maintenance and convenience to shopping.

Photos by CHRISTOPHER OQUENDO /Special (ENLARGE)

Bob(left) and Armida Belt and Armida's mother, Ethel Jones,sold their homes and moved in together in Jefferson.

(ENLARGE)

The birdfeeder gets restocked at Armida(left) and Bob Belt's brick ranch home in the gated adult community of Northminster Estates.

(ENLARGE)

The Sunshine State's hurricanes and high taxes sent Peggy and Merle Amlin packing for Georgia in 2005. They bought a two-bedroom home in the active adult community of Briarcrest in Jefferson.

To respond to those needs, he and other builders are part of a shift in the location and layout of neighborhoods. "Everybody used to go to the mega golf course destination-type communities. Now that's changing because of the family fabric," Wendt said. "People want to be close to their family and grandchildren." Now, you'll find active adult neighborhoods everywhere from intown to the suburbs to even two hours outside of metro Atlanta, at Lake Oconee.

Moving from nearby

Who: Bob and Armida Belt, 75 and 74, and Armida's 93-year-old mother, Ethel Jones

Where: A brick ranch home in Northminster Estates, a gated Bowen Family Homes neighborhood in Jefferson, northwest of Athens, with 106 two- and three-bedroom homes from the $170,000s-$230,000s.

Moved in: November 2007

Why there: The couple moved from nearby Oakwood, in Hall County, in search of a community that fit them and Armida's mom. "My mother is a healthy 93 years old and we all wanted to live together," Armida said. "She and my dad were living next door. When my dad died, we decided we didn't need two big houses any longer. We could go to one that would take care of the three of us." They needed a floor plan where Ethel could have her own suite.

What they considered: The location. It needed to be near the Jackson County Airport (about 7 miles away), where Bob is building an RV-6A aircraft. They also wanted a rural setting and made a sacrifice in being farther away from shopping centers. The activities are important, whether it's line dancing, speakers or the ROMEOs (retired old men eating out) group.

Their tip: Talk to residents to get to know future neighbors and determine whether their ages and interests fit your needs. "I knew another lady at our last community and her sister happened to live here. I got acquainted with people before we moved in. It was just a welcoming feeling, really," Armida said. She added that the age of residents is something to consider if you are older, or have a parent living with you. Her mother also needed people to relate to. "One thing that an older buyer needs to look at is making sure there is someone in the neighborhood that you can communicate with, that's in your generation. That's getting harder for people to do in their 80s and 90s," she said.

Moving up from Florida

Who: Merle and Peggy Amlin, 72 and 68

Their home: A two-bedroom, two-bath home in Briarcrest, a Meridian Homes neighborhood (average prices in the mid-$100,000s) in Jefferson.

Moved in: October 2005

Why there: The couple moved from Palm Harbor, Fla., after being driven away by hurricanes and rising taxes and insurance. They represent "halfbacks," the term given to retirees who move from points north (they're originally from Ohio) to the Sunshine State and then relocate to Georgia or the Carolinas. "Every year, we would come up this way and go to the mountains in North Georgia and North Carolina. We decided, 'Why not move there?' " Peggy said. It's in between their daughter's home in Kennesaw and the mountains.

What they considered: The size (Briarcliff will have 84 homes), safety, and social and fitness activities. Since moving in, they have joined other residents for card games, coffees and weekly boccie ball tournaments. "We've all realized how much importance there is about exercising and walking and keeping your mind active," she said. "Just being able to take care of ourselves a longer time in our homes rather than going to a nursing home. Being able to get out and tinker in your yard and plant flowers, play boccie ball, playing cards, things like that, keeps your mind active, keeps your body active."

Their tip: Think about the size of a community that will satisfy you. "For some people, a huge social clubhouse with 1,000 people is important. We do it with 15 or 20 people, and that satisfies us," Merle said.

5 Tips that will focus efforts

1. Consider your family.

One common reason for moving is to be closer to the grandchildren, said Steve Romeyn, managing partner for Windsong Properties. Think about how hands-on of a grandparent you are, such as how often you see the children and how close you need to live to them. "They don't want to have to drive 50 miles to pick up their grandkids from day care," said Jonathan Berzack, who is building a 55-plus luxury community, The Beragio at Crabapple.

2. Consider your current routine.

Are you involved in religious groups, club and other activities that you want to continue, or do you want to start anew? Romeyn said most residents in Somerset, a 55-plus gated community in Woodstock with homes in the mid-$300,000s, are not relocating far from their friends and activities.

3. Consider your attitude.

Do you see this as a chance to learn about a new area, or do you want to stay in a familiar place? Do you want to continue to use the same grocery store, dry cleaner and doctor, or are you in the mood for a change? Berzack envisions the majority of buyers in his Alpharetta neighborhood will move from a 10-mile radius. "It's the familiarity they enjoy," he said.

4. Consider your fitness routine.

Do you belong to a gym, wellness center or golf course community, or do you need your fitness options right outside your door? If you need things on site, look for wide sidewalks, walking trails, parks, a pool, and a fitness center with cardio and weight machines and even group classes. But sometimes the social atmosphere still may impact the ability to build up a sweat. One resident told Romeyn, "I like to walk for exercise, but I sometimes have to go up to the park and walk because if I walk in the neighborhood, I'm stopping and talking to people and I'm not getting my exercise."

5. Consider your free time.

Volunteering and learning may be ways you plan to spend your days. Kevin Taggart, who is developing The Wyndsor at Mineral Museum Drive in Cartersville, behind Tellus, the Northwest Georgia Science Museum, said there will be opportunities there to volunteer and attend lectures. "I bought this piece of property because the museum surrounds it on two sides," said Taggart, whose 47 homes are priced from the high $100,000s-$200,000s. "You come through the gates of the museum to come to our community." Or you may be focused on entertaining, and want to seek out floor plans with outdoor areas, said Berzack, whose 20 homes (priced in the mid-$500,000s to mid-$600,000s) have at least 300 square feet of patio space.