Can/do you make low ball offers?

[Fabian Friedrich]

As noticed in other threads it seems hard to find good cash flowing deals in NoVa.

Often times I would have to buy 10-15% below the listing price to make numbers work.

Is it worth making an actual offer at that price (e.g. 220k vs. 250k listed) or would this be offending/lead to negative reputation?

Is it a good idea to spend time. Keeping properties first or just shooting off a low offer based on data available?

[Karl B.]

Different markets have difference thresholds. In my PA market I consider anything under 70% of asking potentially offensive to the seller. (the market is pretty cold) In the Los Angeles market that % would be higher as it's a hotter market with many more comps. 

What's somewhat weird is earlier today I made a 220K offer on a duplex in MO (the town is a tepid multi-family market at best) that's been on the market for 6 months at just under 250K (they had lowered the price a month or so ago by 20K or so). The buying agent told me a 220K offer might be offensive to the seller and they may not counter. I found his comment silly because A) I'm offering 88% of asking and B) he told me the selling agent told him the seller is motivated. 

I'm assuming they'll come back at 235K or less. I think 222K is a good enough offer based on sq.ft. comps but we'll see.