Seller Defaulted Twice—Now We're Stuck. What Should We Do Next?

We’re in a tough spot and could really use some advice from those who have been there. We thought we’d found our dream home, but the seller has completely thrown us for a loop. Twice. Now we’re not sure what our options are, and it’s starting to feel like litigation might be our only choice—but we’d love to avoid that if possible.

Here’s the situation:

• We found what we thought was the perfect home. The seller was firm on the price, rushed us into a quick closing (just 3 weeks to secure the loan), and didn’t budge after the inspection.
• When the first closing date came, the seller wasn’t ready. His excuse? He needed to transfer an SBA Loan. He missed the deadline in the contract and asked us for another week. We agreed, thinking it wouldn’t be a big deal.
• Fast forward a week—still not ready. Now he’s officially in breach. He asked us to sign an addendum to extend the closing date by 4 weeks, offering to cover any mortgage rate extension costs up to $5,500. We signed it, hoping for the best.
• But here we are, still waiting. No house, closing costs tied up in escrow, and we’re four weeks away from being without a place to live.

Has anyone dealt with something like this? Is litigation really our only option now, or is there a way to get this resolved without going to court? Any advice or shared experiences would mean the world to us right now.

For context, we’re in Florida.