Countertops: Is there a countertop material (kitchen/bath) and color you'd recommend that balances durability, cosmetic appeal and affordability?

My bank when I bought it appraised it for $100,000, so I thought the $99,500k appraisal was a slam dunk, especially since I added granite counter tops in the kitchen and bathrooms.  

It needs numerous updates, mostly cosmetic but some substantial, including new countertops.

We are in a dilemma in choosing countertop materials that would be appealing and durable for rental.

Currently, we have about 25,000 into repair cost but still need to install the countertop, carpet, and do some landscaping.

My wife and I are looking to remodel our kitchen and bathroom. Within the next couple of years we want to rent the house our and BRRRR. Does anyone know of a style guide or resources on matching colors, backsplash sty...

Cheaper houses have lower expectations on amenities, less likely to need fancy upgrades like solid counter tops.

Then built a 3.5 car coach house attached to the home, blew out the old 2.5 car garage into a kitchen, spent $48k on cabinets & counter top.

I was originally only going to replace the kitchen countertops, and paint the cabinets, but the contractor talked me into redoing the whole thing,  he said he had a source for inexpensive solid wood cabinets that he would finish,  and he had a solid surface guy that could do my countertops for the price HD charges for laminates.

Also my wife works in the countertop industry and could give you a good rate for countertops and referrals for the rest.