D. Gerasimatos wrote:
If that's really what the seller was going to do and he refuses on
those grounds, then I think the buyer should compensate the agent
himself, even if he is not legally obligated to. However, the buyer
should ask the seller first.

But...the agent didn't find this property for the buyer, the buyer
located it for themselves.

Legally there isn't any obligation to the agent. If the buyer wants to
thank the agent for the time they put into looking at properties then a
gift certificate for a (good) local restaurant or something equivalent
would be adequate compensation.