Miss-Delectable
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Agent helps deaf clients - San Bernardino County Sun
An agent representing a deaf woman spent many hours finding Diane Dames, but success was had.
Dames, a Realtor with Keller Williams in Victorville, is fluent in American Sign Language.
In fact, as the oldest child to parents who were born deaf, she is the rare person who can say signing is her first language. Her siblings were able to speak, because they had her, but when she was a baby, there were no voices.
Deaf parents' children often serve as interpreters, but they grow up and move away, as Dames did from her mother in Atlanta.
In the case of Dames' recent client, being without an interpreter was an obstacle to an already complicated real estate transaction.
"I got a call from another agent that they had been searching for someone to help a deaf lady sell her home," said Dames. "She had never heard of a short sale, and she had a lot of questions." Dames is hoping to get a referral network of signing professionals instigated.
"When I heard it took so long to find me, I thought people to know there are agents that can sign. She said she had never thought she could find an agent that could sign in the High Desert. The DRE (Department of Real Estate) referred her to me."
Aside from knowing how to sign, agents don't need any special knowledge to represent deaf clients.
As buyers, they don't need homes with special accommodations. "Deaf people live wherever they want to live," Dames said. "They may install a doorbell or phone that flashes a light."
She said fire alarms that flash are also available, and that people who are used to responding to lights are likely to be awakened by them.
"We're going toward a high-tech world. A lot of things hearing people use were used by deaf people before, like texting."
An agent representing a deaf woman spent many hours finding Diane Dames, but success was had.
Dames, a Realtor with Keller Williams in Victorville, is fluent in American Sign Language.
In fact, as the oldest child to parents who were born deaf, she is the rare person who can say signing is her first language. Her siblings were able to speak, because they had her, but when she was a baby, there were no voices.
Deaf parents' children often serve as interpreters, but they grow up and move away, as Dames did from her mother in Atlanta.
In the case of Dames' recent client, being without an interpreter was an obstacle to an already complicated real estate transaction.
"I got a call from another agent that they had been searching for someone to help a deaf lady sell her home," said Dames. "She had never heard of a short sale, and she had a lot of questions." Dames is hoping to get a referral network of signing professionals instigated.
"When I heard it took so long to find me, I thought people to know there are agents that can sign. She said she had never thought she could find an agent that could sign in the High Desert. The DRE (Department of Real Estate) referred her to me."
Aside from knowing how to sign, agents don't need any special knowledge to represent deaf clients.
As buyers, they don't need homes with special accommodations. "Deaf people live wherever they want to live," Dames said. "They may install a doorbell or phone that flashes a light."
She said fire alarms that flash are also available, and that people who are used to responding to lights are likely to be awakened by them.
"We're going toward a high-tech world. A lot of things hearing people use were used by deaf people before, like texting."