The Seller may take a day or so to respond, and by the time you've considered HIS counter, another offer has come in .... Now you're in a multiple bid situation, and even if the Seller gives BOTH potential purchaser the same counter, he probably will give the MOST consideration to the buyer who started higher if the next round of offerings are close ....

If you feel that you just CAN'T pay the asking price, try to get as close as you can on the FIRST offering .....