I always ask for a buyers highest and best ofer first. Then the seller and I can sit and go over each and decide to accept or counter for a better price or terms Harry F. D'Elia 

Harry... not sure what you mean by using "the counter offer." How a seller responds to multiple offers depends on the nature of the offers on the table. It might go to a highest and best request. It might lead to a decision to negotiate with individual buyers or just one before addressing others. There isn't any (and shouldn't be) any hard and fast rule. It should be situational.

I am with Nina Hollander on this one.  Often a counter is not necessary. Sellers likely accept the highest and best offer. 

I counter when my customer wants - no rules though

What Nina Hollander said.

Often a Seller might Turn Everyone Down and have their Agent state -

"Bring us your Final & Best Offer by ___________ @ 0:00  !!! "

Of course. We are also very cognizant of appraised prices so have to keep that in mind and be realistic.

We revise our offer is given the opportunity to reflect our 'Highest & Best' . 

Depends what the seller wants to do - price is not always the end all be all

I review options with the seller and the seller decides.   

It depends on what the seller wants to do and the offers. We have a specific counter form to use for multiple counter offers if seller is countering. Sometimes one IS the best offer

We go back to all offers and ask for highest and best and give a time line.

If you mean an actual paper hard copy - no.

Your ? is phrased oddly.

Harry F. D'Elia Couldn't have said it any better than Nina Hollander .

Going with Nina Hollander's response. No hard and fast rule!

It's sellers decision. Most selelrs aren't going to do multiple counter offers. Submit highest and best, then reduce to best 2 03 3 best offers first, then review those again and either accept one.

I give the seller the option and explain that oftentimes when there are multiple Offers and we ask for 'highest and best,' we lose a buyer or two who don't want to compete.  Many times they'll elect to begin negotiations with the cleanest and best Offer and go from there.

It all depends on the offers in front of us.

Harry F. D'Elia - this is the practice I hate! First ask for best and final offer and go back again and do the same instead of picking up the best from multiple offers!

I've never used a counter offer in a multiple offer situation. Letting all agents know there are multiple offers and they should have their buyers submit the highest and best offer has worked out very well.

I present all the offers and let the seller decide which ones to counter.

Only when I have multiple offers, we seem to have agents a tenancy to cry multiple offers all the time...

When there are multiple offers, we generally go to highest and best, if terms are similar.

My goal is to get the top price with the best terms for my client.  I'll use a multiple counter offer, counter offer or even have the seller accept an offer if it works out best for them.  Of course it is ultimately their decision but they do follow our lead.

Multiple offers are common in my area.  Counter offers are done if needed.

I think we used to do that a lot here in Santa Clara County, CA, but the market has changed.  There are more homes on the market and less "multiple" offers for homes, so I'm not certain that today's climate would necessarily be the best for a "counter everyone" scenario.  With more home prices adjusting DOWN than up over here, I'm thinking there is not a lot of countering going on these days.

Never been in that situation as a seller, but as a buyer when one of those comes back at me, I call their bluff and walk away.

And some of those properties come back on the market indicating that either everyone walked away or there really was only one offer.

If it isn't the best offer right away...the counter won't help.

It's not a counter, it is a call for highest and best with a time deadline.

Highest and best and we go from there.  

We picked the best that is available.  Do not like to play that game. Buyers will balk at it and walk,

if there are multiple offers and there is one that is at the max as far as satisfying an appraisal, we take it, if it's a clean deal.... no point in reinventing the wheel.... when they give it to you, run with it.

We have a pre-offer meeting where we agree & then contract. No countering!