I DO consider the flooring as a significant factor in purchase. I hate carpet. If one spot gets on it, you're on your knees. If it won't come out, you have to replace the whole darn room. It wears faster than anything else and takes most maintenance. Wood has can be damaged by water spills, mold, etc, and takes a delicate touch to clean, but it's the only surface worth dancing on and some types absorb shock and ease joint pain.
Plastic flooring looks ok, but it mimics wood, so it really IS artificial and lacks the quietness of walking on wood. How proud can you be saying "my flooring looks like wood, but it's plastic"? I am just going on and on.
Tile can be cold and hard but cleaning the grout is so seldom needed, I don't care. You can have the grout set at 1/8 inch if cleaning it scares you. Tile is not absorptive for shock. If you have back trouble or joint pain, stick with a brand of wood (perhaps an adhesive back) that is not as solid and probably less expensive, and you will get shock absorption instead of transmitting it to joints. I know this because of dancing on different surfaces.
For me, tile is as near permanent as I can get. Then I decorate with beautiful rugs for softness and doggie traction. Beside the beds and in bathrooms, put a cushy sweet little rug for soothing your bare feeties.
don't ask me for any more opinions, I'm all done.
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