This may be a "dumb" suggestion, but don't get hung up on the way folks decorate their homes. You need to envision your things in the home. So many times I've heard..."what an awful color", "I hate the carpets". You can change all these things. You really need to focus on the "bones" of the house. Yes, definitely hire an independent inspector - can save headaches down the line. Found the house you really want? If items found by inspector, negotiate the seller fix them or give you an allowance on the price so you can have them fixed.
One last thing...don't let on how much you "love" the house in front of the seller's agent. You have just jacked the selling price up.
Good luck with your search! It's never too early to start looking.