Bigtoe. when they talk "laminate", they are referring to an imitation wood product, similar to Formica countertops, but bonded to a thick particle board-like substrate. You are referring to a real wood product, like plywood, with a real hardwood veneer on top, right?

While most laminates look cheap, I've seen a few that really imitate real wood quite well. I wouldn't use them in a really upper end custom home, but middle range homes tend to sell easily with laminate here.

What you are referring to is engineered hardwood. Laminate does not have any real wood in it. You are correct in saying that engineered hardwood is hard to see the difference and that most people will consider it to be hardwood (and this is what I believe was being discussed in that previous thread on here). Laminate is easy to notice. Yes, there are some decent laminates out there and they do serve a purpose (although I do not like them at all) but they most definitely are not confused with hardwood.

Yes engineered hardwood is way different than a laminate product in my area.

There are very few areas where you get back a dollar for dollar investment with upgrades.So basically if a quality upgrade it used that is broad and not very taste specific it should help to sell faster but not for more.

Generally laminate is a manufactured product that has a thin layer of hardwood bonded to a cheaper wood, probably the best known is Pergo. It's usually less than 1/4 inch thick.
A hardwood flooring product is generally at least 1/2 inch thick or thicker and is a solid piece top to bottom. Sometimes it is prefinished and sometimes unfinished.
You can almost always feel the difference if you walk on it barefoot. Laminates generally have some kind of underlayment or padding that makes it feel spongy and you feel it if you walk on it without shoes. And most laminate product now are designed to "float". Hardwood are mechanically attached to the subfloor, either nailed or stapled. It has a solid feel when you walk on it.
I've had both and can easily tell the difference. Go into a home center some day and look at both.

As others have commented, I would be wary of investing in a new floor, since you cannot predict what the buyer's reaction will be. Every person has their own preferences, and you may be spending money installing flooring that the next person moving into the house is just going to decide to tear up. I like the idea of hiring a stager, or entering a flooring allowance into the contract/selling price much better; in this way, you can entice buyers and at the same time not risk spending money on an unknown variable.

Replacing carpet would be a no brainer - wood or tile would depend.

You are correct, sort of. Hardwood, and maybe even laminate, would probably differentiate your townhome from others. It would not, however, necessarily bring more money and probably would not even pay for itself in a market with a high number of foreclosures. Buyers in a foreclosure-intense market are not looking for a fair price. They are looking for a bargain.

You said in the original post that the entry has hardwood, then you use another term later on to describe the entryway. That leaves me wondering how much you know about flooring. Are you an agent? Do you plan to list the house? If so, please seek the opinion of your real estate agent, who can help you evaluate what sells in your market for the price range.

My 2 cents: Carpet is superior to pergo-style flooring. Pergo-style just looks like an imitation of wood. The "floating" and spongey nature gives it away every time. At least when you use carpet, it looks like you meant to use carpet.

I am learning quite a bit from this thread. I guess there's no absolute answer. The ultimate factor for me would be my budget.

Whoa! Just stumbled upon this forum and am shocked at the tone of the comments from certain realtors. Personally I prefer hardwoods, but the realtor could express his opinions in a much more professional manner. Just reviewing the forceful, angry, defensive way he expresses his opinion, I would be sure to never use him (or her) as MY realtor if I lived in his state (Georgia). If he can't give factual reasons for his opinion without spewing angry comments, to me he seems like someone who hates his job. Not someone I would want trying to help me find a home to buy -- or help me sell one. Just sayin'. Apparently the "Southern Gentleman" thing is a myth.

I realize the poster posted this over a year ago, but in case anyone else is thinking of installing hardwood vs.laminate: If you are installing on a concrete slab, wood flooring can be tricky, as moisture is a serious issue if it is glued, and if you install a subfloor, it will be almost impossible to keep the floors level with the other floors. (In other words, if you are installing hardwoods in the living room, and that room is adjacent to the kitchen where you have tile, the subfloor will raise the living room floor.) Plus, the cost of installing the subfloor probably wouldn't be worth it in a $100,000 townhome. Also, if you have a cement slab, is there a vapor barrier between the "gravel" and the "cement"? If not, your floor could warp within months--especially in wetter climates. Either way, be sure to put a vapor barrier OVER the concrete floor before you lay anything --laminate or hardwood.

I am in the same situation you are in. I live in a pretty moderately priced neighborhood where all the homes have detached garages with an upstairs storage space/loft style above it.

My house is 2535 sq ft. The house was built and selections were already made. The entire house except for the kitchen and bathrooms had chocolate brown carpet. Me and my husband went in and pulled out the carpet in the office, hallway, dining room and living room. We put down Real natural maple hardwood floors. My kitchen and two bathrooms still have vinyl. We are tapped out with spending money doing upgrades, so I will offer the potential buyers $3,200 towards their closing costs or to use for new flooring.

Also, give the buying agent at least a $1,000 bonus. That'll help with them pushing the sale of your home.

Good luck.

Whoa! Just stumbled upon this forum and am shocked at the tone of the comments from certain realtors. Personally I prefer hardwoods, but the realtor could express his opinions in a much more professional manner. Just reviewing the forceful, angry, defensive way he expresses his opinion, I would be sure to never use him (or her) as MY realtor if I lived in his state (Georgia). If he can't give factual reasons for his opinion without spewing angry comments, to me he seems like someone who hates his job. Not someone I would want trying to help me find a home to buy -- or help me sell one. Just sayin'. Apparently the "Southern Gentleman" thing is a myth.

Who died and made you the forum Tone Police?

I live in an area of various prices, probably half the homes are $300k and up. Even $500-600k homes have the engineered wood. I think it looks good, but in that price range, I'd want to see a solid wood.

I, too, am in the midst of pricing wood flooring (although, when I think of the hassles to have bare wood installed, sanded, and stained (possibly) and then polyed, I may wait until Spring as I don't know where to put all the furniture and I have 3 cats that would have to be shunted to the basement for 1-2 weeks.

Laminate - I've only seen one laminate floor that I ever liked. Laminate belongs in the cheapest-priced home, if it belongs anywhere. I have no idea why people buy this product. It would be great for a room that houses a dog all day long, but, I can't stand that clickety-clack, clickety-clack noise of walking on plastic.

I expect, maybe, to get 1/2 of the value of my wood floors back in a sale, but the main purpose for the flooring would be, "I want wood floors" finally after dealing with vinyl for 16 years, and, if I need to sell, in my neighbhorhood, wood floors are a definite plus.

I would tell the poster to look at the interior of properties in their neighborhood, go 1/2 step above what they have because the poster's price range is not a very high price range.

Years ago, my little townhouse (in a down market) had only carpeting and vinyl. It was under contract in less than 30 days - buyer bought it because it was CLEAN, CLEAN, CLEAN, and, I was one of those who decluttered (not that I had much money to purchase clutter anyway), neutral paint, closets organized - the whole works.