I agree re: it not being the agent's fault if the buyer insists. But I've seen all too many cases where it's the agent doing the 'gentle push' to higher prices. "Well don't forget this will give you a tax break over renting, and that will add up to a couple hundred a month..." Etc, etc.

I'm shopping for a house again now, and even now I've had to tell my agent that the top end of what I provided as a limit is actually a limit, and I want to see properties under it as well.