“A week later they had an ASL interpreter hired and ready to go,” Broadrick said. “Still, it’s very frustrating that deaf people are continually put in a position where they need to forcefully advocate for what they already are entitled to under the law. It’s not the deaf person's fault that hearing people don't know ASL.”
Ishaa Vintinner, a property owner who worked with Anna to sell a home in Blaine, agrees that the needs of Deaf people are too often overlooked during real estate transactions.
“Buying and selling a property involves a lot of money and no one wants to make a mistake,” said Vintinner, a retired professor who taught ASL at both the University of Minnesota, and Bethel University, and who now lives in Arizona. “Providing a certified fluent ASL interpreter for Deaf clients should be standard practice. And it should be provided for free. It isn’t right to expect Deaf people to pay. But all too often they have no choice and pay out of their own pocket because they can’t risk misunderstanding what’s going on or is being said.”
Beyond the potential for costly mistakes, many Deaf people find that working with Realtors® who are not fluent in ASL simply burns a lot of extra time. When Kristy Ramos, a certified life coach and real estate investor, was purchasing property in California a few years ago, she worked with a Realtor® who did not know ASL. Although the transaction was successful, Ramos said it required more effort for her because of the communication barrier.
“As a Deaf person, I had to advocate for myself to get the accommodation I needed. So, I did more work than necessary,” Ramos said.
When she prepared to purchase real estate in Minnesota, Ramos was determined to make the process smoother, faster, and more convenient. Reaching out to ASL Realty, a Colorado-based real estate company that connects Deaf homebuyers and sellers with real estate professionals who cater to the Deaf and Hard of Hearing Community, she was soon in contact with Broadrick.
“Anna is fluent in ASL and understands Deaf culture, so she ensures the needs of each individual are met,” said Ramos. “She helped line up an ASL interpreter for the home inspection, lender meeting, and meetings with the seller and builders.” The process was significantly smoother and easier than her transaction in California, Ramos noted, and a model for the way businesses should accommodate Deaf clients.
Dr. Regina Daniels, a program director and professor of ASL at North Central University, said that while she had a positive experience purchasing her condo through Chan Slettehaugh, an ASL-fluent Realtor® with Edina Realty, she observes that the real estate industry could do more to support Deaf and Hard of Hearing clients.
“It would be great if Realtors® shared more options about funding, FHA grants, donations, and other sources that could help Deaf clients purchase homes.” She added that real estate professionals should cultivate patience when working with Deaf clients, and take time to help them with financing, planning schedules, and effective strategies for purchasing a home.
For those who are not born deaf, it’s tempting to dismiss hearing loss as something experienced by a small minority that will never impact their lives. But in fact, more than one third of people over age 65 have hearing problems, and by age 75 over half are struggling with some form of hearing loss.
“Most people will experience hearing loss at some point in their lives, whether it’s a loved one or themselves. Older people—especially men—tend to self-isolate when their hearing declines, which can lead to issues with mental and physical health. That’s another reason why more people should know ASL,” said Broadrick. “It can help the elderly stay connected to family, friends, and community, greatly improving the quality of their lives.”
And it’s not just the elderly who would benefit from wider ASL literacy. According to the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders, more than 90 percent of Deaf children are born to hearing parents. In Minnesota alone, over 200 babies are born each year with some form of congenital deafness or hearing loss.
“So, learning to sign is vitally important for children and their parents. It can make all the difference for the emotional and intellectual development of kids, and the cohesion of families,” said Broadrick, who believes that all Minnesotans should learn ASL early in life, from grade school through high school, whether they have hearing loss or not. “Deaf children thrive when they have a visual language to communicate. Imagine the possibilities if everyone knew ASL, too.”
Broadrick knows that Realtors® who have not worked with Deaf clients before might feel apprehensive about the experience. And though leaving one’s comfort zone might be intimidating at first, she says, the opportunities for professional and personal growth are well worth the effort.
The more you learn to work with people who are different than yourself, the better you can serve more home buyers and sellers,” Broadrick said. “Just because someone thinks or communicates differently than us doesn't mean that we should shy away from them. In fact, it means we should lean in and see what we can learn.”
As Minnesota becomes increasingly diverse, it’s vital that we understand each other’s languages and cultures, Broadrick explained. And Deaf people, she noted, are very much a part of that diversity. “When we communicate effectively, we build empathy and respect for each other, and make Minnesota a better place to live.”