engineered hardwood flooring for low-mid flips, maybe rentals?

[Jessica H.]

I am trying to decide what the best type of flooring would be to do. The first house is in a popular historic college town. Most homes even the rentals have hardwood floors. Sell for around $150k .The second house is a little further away from the first, in an average area and would sell around 120k. I think people here generally like the hardwoods better then say a laminate or vinyl floor and out first exit strategy is to flip but our second is to hold for rentals if they don't sell( or in the case of the first house a turn key landlord might want to purchase ). So should we go with the engineered wood? I want something at a good price but durable and I am kinda afraid if we out in a vinyl it might chase away potential buyers. I know the engineered can also be sanded a few times if it does turn into a rental situation. What do you think?? Thanks!

[Ryan R.]

I've installed both engineered hardwood and laminate.

Laminate has bad connotations because for years it was garbage. Laminate has come along way though. They still make the garbage stuff, but if you spend a little more you can buy a decent laminate.

If you purchase a quality underlayment and a decent laminate floor, most people will not know the difference.

The only benefit I see to the hardwood is that you can claim its real wood flooring...

Laminate is cheaper and it is typically harder (scratch resistant) than engineered wood.

Below are two of my houses that I personally installed the floor. One is laminate @ $1.99 sq/ft. The other is engineered hardwood @ $3.99 sq/ft. Can you tell which is which?