Dr. John DiBenedetto, a native New Yorker, and his wife Debbie, a native Canadian, have lived in 16 houses in eight different states over their 42-year marriage. They had never really considered living in Alabama until they found themselves in the market for a lake house. Their son-in-law mentioned Lake Martin, and so the couple rented a townhouse and a pontoon boat for a month to get a feel for the area.

Thirty days later, they were sold.