If I were in the OP's shoes I would have found and gone to a well respected local real estate attorney within minutes of being told I could not get my deposit returned. I would have taken all my paperwork as the attorney could not help me without having and examining it. The attorney would have listened to my story, read through the relevant contract(s) and any other documents that may have pertained to the matter and consequently have taken action - or not if nothing could be done - which I doubt. A letter or even a short phone call to the broker/agent from the attorney probably costing $200 - $500 would likely have resulted in a timely refund of the deposit.
If there was any doubt of my deposit being refunded I would have obtained an inspection from an independent inspector paid by me and not affiliated with or suggested by the broker. The inspector would have been one highly experienced with homes in The Villages. This would have provided me in detail with the damage to the property, mold issues and so on.
IMHO with your husband experiencing the medical issues you have reported in your posts the last thing either one of you needs is the stress from trying to handle this on your own if you feel unqualified to do so.
Best wishes for your husband's health and a positive end to this matter for you!
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"No one is more hated than he who speaks the truth." Plato
“To argue with a person who has renounced the use of reason is like administering medicine to the dead.” Thomas Paine
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