Even with damage, river home still fulfills a dream

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At least Brian Dieringer still has his sense of humor.

The Battle Ground resident and his wife Charlene recently satisfied their goal of buying a second home. The Dieringers, who live in the Meadow Glade area, purchased two lots on the Lewis River, just across the water from the Lewis River Golf Course. On one of the lots rested a modest home.

During a recent windstorm, two large cottonwood trees fell right down the middle of the home. The extensive damage will likely lead to a complete rebuild, although Dieringer said he and Charlene haven’t completely worked things out with their insurance company.

“We had owned it for a whole two months,’’ Dieringer said. “We made our first insurance payment on Nov. 2 and I think the trees dropped on it during the windstorm on Nov. 11. Talk about making it by the skin of your teeth.’’

Dieringer said that he and his wife had slept in their new second home just twice prior to the incident.

“We’ve been looking for years for a place on the river but everything we found was just so outlandishly priced,’’ he said. “We were floating down the river one day and we saw this for sale sign on a vacant piece of land and drove around to take a look at it.’’

The Dieringers befriended the neighbors of the property and later struck a deal with the owner to purchase it. He was told by insurance reps that it was the worst damage caused by wind to a property in Clark County this season.



The Dieringers were awaiting a final decision from their insurance company on whether or not the home was a total loss.

“We were going to tear it down in five years and build something else anyway,’’ he said. “So, it could be a blessing.’’

Dieringer has been back up to the property several times since the incident.

“I was fishing in front of the house the other day and these guys were looking at it,’’ he said. “I said, ‘how do you like my house?’ One of them said, ‘at least you have the right attitude.’’’

A crane was recently used to remove the trees from the middle of the house.

Dieringer said he and his wife didn’t purchase the property because it was their dream home. Rather, it was their dream location.

“It’s a cool little place,’’ he said. “There’s still fish in the river.’’