Thread: Should I offer to pay agent even though deal fell through?

Hello,
I was in the market for a house, but was very clear that it must close before Dec. 31. This was a requirement because I was using part of the money for my down payment toward my tax bill for 2010 (I was self employed for 8 months of 2009 all of which was not taxed) and the $8000 tax credit would offset some of the money I was using. Anyway, it's Christmas Day and there is no chance for this to clear by Dec. 31.

Here's why it won't go through:
- The house is a short sale, listing agent claimed in listing that he had bank approval in hand, turns out agent did not have approval.
- The house needed a single compression valve reinstalled for plumbing to work; however, listing agent never had this repaired.

Here's what I've done:
- Paid for appraisal ($425)
- Paid for inspection ($430)
- Provided all paperwork/financing paperwork to the point where agent and loan officer said there was nothing else I could do except wait to hear more.

My agent has been very quick at moving things forward and regularly applying pressure to ensure things were done as needed. We had seen about 15 houses prior to signing a contract on this one. She provided regular updates and in a couple cases kept pressure on me to ensure home inspections were setup/done on time and even called around for an appointment with a company on short notice. Overall, I was happy with the service I received and could not complain one bit.

While I really like the house, there is no way I can afford my upcoming tax bill and get the house after Dec. 31 because I need the 8000 credit for my 2009 tax year bill.

Finally, the question I have is: should I pay the agent for their services or should I not since they're usually paid on commission?

Edit: I won't be paying the full commission, just a few hundred to cover costs if I was to pay anything.