Offer: reduce selling price & agent commission = same result?

[John Martin]

I am selling my house. I have a buyer interested and we are negotiating. I sent a counter offer asking for $5K more on the list price. I received a counter offer from the buyer who ask me to reduce the selling price and have the agent reduce his commission. The amount I would receive is actually the same than keep the same commission and increasing the price by $5K. However, I am suspicious. Why would they do that instead of just accepting the counter with the $5K more on the list?

[Wayne Brooks]

The buyer simply is trying to get someone else to pay the difference, to see if they can. As an agent I simply said,"nope, next!"