Just ask any seasoned realtor, and they'll say that they've seen it all. Pink 1950s bathrooms, asbestos-laced popcorn ceilings, cobwebs, wildly overgrown yards, old wood paneling and shag carpeting.

Oddly enough, sellers are under no obligation to fix up their homes before showing them, nor are they required to give them a deep cleaning before they put them on the market. As a buyer, you may want to look beyond what's on the surface because a seller's laziness can work to your advantage.

Strange Colored Walls and Dingy Carpets

Buyers like homes that are "move-in ready." In this fast paced world, they don't have time for a DIY project or a renovation. But buyers don't always realize that painting the walls or tearing out the dingy carpets won't take a long time or break the bank.

When sellers leave the neon green walls, the 1970s wall paper, or the bright blue shag carpeting, they're putting themselves at a disadvantage.

If you're considering buying a time capsule from 1965, realize that replacing the carpets and a fresh, neutral coat of paint can work wonders for updating a home and it won't cost you a fortune, nor will it take longer than a week.

Other Strange Seller Habits

As you shop for homes, you may run into other strange seller habits, but they should not be deal breakers. For example, if the seller is using the dining room as their artist studio, it's nothing that a dining room table and a new light fixture won't fix.

Sometimes sellers will leave up personal photos and other memorabilia that will make it hard for buyers to picture themselves living in the home. The homes that show the best don't have any photos on display.

If a home is too personalized, the house can sit on the market for a long time. The savvy buyer will look past the personal items and use them as an advantage to snatch up a house at a good price.

If you're on the market for a new home, contact a real estate attorney for help!