Anecdata: I bid 90% of asking price on a house a month ago. Owner got offended (as I was told by my agent) and didn't counter. He then lowered the asking price to 93% of the original. Still didn't counter even though his new asking price wasn't far from what I had offered initially. House is now pending.
I think this idea of a seller being "offended" is far more a fiction in a buyer's mind than actual reality. Think about when you are selling something. Does a too low initial offer offend you and make you unable to evaluate a more reasonable subsequent offer by that person?
