Asked by user in Alaska. Answered by Enjuris Editors.
I'm sorry this is happening to you.
Generally speaking, a non-refundable deposit only protects the seller if the buyer fails to complete the sale. A non-refundable deposit isn't valid if the seller fails to complete the sale.
Because the amount at issue is only $650, it probably doesn't make financial sense to get a lawyer involved. Your best option is to work out an agreement with the seller. If this doesn't work, I would recommend taking the seller to small claims court. In Alaska, you can file a claim in small claims court so long as the amount you're seeking is less than $10,000.
The courts in Alaska publish a helpful small claims handbook to help you through this process.