Jen, very sorry to hear about your circumstances. Here are some thoughts:
It's my understanding that you would have had to settle before July 1, 2006, to be eligible for HAP. However, I would suggest you personally call the appropriate HAP office to verify. This link shoud have the numbr. http://hap.usace.army.mil/
If it's any consolation, even if you were eligible, it doesn't ensure that you wouldn't lose considerable money going through the HAP program.
Assuming I am correct on that, the next critical piece of information would be the market value of your home. Did any of the realtors give you some idea of how much they thought it would sell for? if not, call them back and ask them. Don't hesitate to ask another realtor for a "market analysis."
Next question is: How much do you owe on the home?
With these two pieces of info, you should have some idea of "how far in the hole" you are.
If you decide to sell the home yourself, you should discuss contact a local reputable settlement company and ask if they have a "for sale by owner" package of the applicable contracts and disclosures. I would also do some research on real estate attornies in the area and consider using one to review any contract that you might get from a buyer.
Regarding marketing the home, you may find a real estate attorney who would list the house in the MLS for a modest fee on a "limited service" type agreement. You can advertise on www.militarybyowner.com for a modest fee and / or on www.moresam.net for free. Should also be able to advertise on www.ahrs.com for free as well. All three reach the military market. But I should advise you that selling by owner rarely has a high success rate.
Depending on "how far" in the hole you are, you may want to discuss selling your home as a short sale. Some Realtors have experience doing this. But you should be aware that it generally takes a considerable time, can be very stressful, AND it will have credit score hits associated with it for both you and your husband, which could possible impact his security clearance.
Realize this is just a start, but knowing "how far in the hole" you are is the critical first step.
Joe Gladden
Veteran Realty Serving America’s Military, Inc., VR SAM®, is a partnership of retired Military Officers and Spouses, all Military Realtors, serving Military Families purchasing or selling homes in the Northern Virginia region including Fairfax County, Prince William County, Loudoun County, Fauquier County, Stafford County, Arlington, and Alexandria, Many of our purchaser clients are PCSing to the Pentagon, NRO, Fort Belvoir, Fort Meyer, Anacostia, Bolling AFB, Andrews AFB, Navy Yard, Quantico, Coast Guard Headquarters, and other NOVA military installations. VR SAM also serves a large number of defense contractor employees and Federal Employees from the FBI, NCIS, CIA and other agencies. Call VR SAM today to learn about our industry leading purchaser client credit and competitive listing programs and rates.
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