If you have pets, there are a few things you definitely need to keep in mind when selling your home. I know you love them and don’t want to be without them, but your options are limited if you want to get top dollar for your home and sell as quickly as possible.

When a prospective buyer sees a cat or dog, the first thing they think is pet stains. You know, those stains and odors which (although there are a number of products on the market that remove them permanently) everyone just knows will never come out. That thought alone is often enough to turn someone off of buying your home.

If you’re living in your house while you sell it, ask a friend or family member to take care of your pets. If you can’t find someone willing to watch them for a while, find a reputable kennel or pet motel where they can stay in the interim. If you’re moving out of the house while you sell, all is good, take them with you.

Once you have your pets out of the house, you’re almost home free. Be sure to vacuum everything, carpet, rugs, hard floors, drapes, furniture, lamps; everything. You want to get up every bit of pet hair.

Once you’ve done this, look around for anything that may have been scratched or chewed by your favorite furry (or hairless) friend and get it out of the house. If what’s been damaged is part of the house, repair it.

If there are any pet stains, use an enzyme-based product, such as OdorOut-222, to remove them. OdorOut does not contain any alcohol or perfumes, it does not hide or mask stains or odors; it chemically breaks them down, removing them permanently. There are many other products on the market that can do this, but I’ve used OdorOut and know it works, not just on pet stains, but on smoke odors and nicotine film, as well (I don’t smoke, but the previous resident of my apartment did). A little off-topic, but it also does wonders for cooking odors that may have been absorbed into walls.

Once you’ve moved your pets out, buyers can picture themselves moving in. You’re well on your way to selling faster, for the highest price you can get!

So far, I’ve written about 9 color picking tips. I’m pretty sure I promised you 10, so here’s the last one…

If your home has windows, what’s outside them is something you should definitely consider when selecting colors for what’s inside them. Look out the window, find a color out there that you like and have some paint color-matched to that color.

If your color of choice is a dominant color through your window, make it a dominant color in the room by painting at least one wall that color. If it exists more subtly in the landscape, go ahead and use your new color on moldings and baseboards, like I mentioned in the previous tip!

Of course, if your house doesn’t have windows, I hope you at least get out a lot.