So last year we tried to sell our house. We had a listing with a realtor who seemed to do a good job and who we liked. We extended the listing 3 months but still no sale, and we let it expire last November 30. We decided to hang on to the place for a while and took it off the market.
Yesterday we got a call from somebody who had seen it when it was for sale. They said they've spent all year looking for a place, have looked at a bunch, and decided our place is the one they want. They say they're going to make us an offer this week. They've made some effort on this, no idea how they got my wife's phone number but it wasn't with any of the material they would have seen from the Realtor, so we do expect an offer from them.
Assuming they make the offer and we take it, what do we owe the Realtor? Full commission? Or is something less than that acceptable, considering the amount of time and the expired listing and all? Keeping in mind that this buyer found the place because of the Realtor's efforts, but also that she couldn't close a deal and we ended up carrying this place for another 9 months so far, at significant expense.
Not trying to fuck anybody or get away with anything, on the other hand we don't want to give money away. What's the correct thing to do?
edit: corrected listing expiration date to November 30