Granite Vs Laminate Countertops

[Shane Welch]

Granite or Formica Laminate?

This is a 180k 1975 Brick Style Duplex in Virginia.
The maximum I plan to rent out (after renovations) is $950 each side.

I would like to get Formica Laminate in granite style.  Which would cost me under $500 for both units. But my friend recommends just getting granite.

- Will granite have any affect on what I can price the rent at and would it even be worth the extra $2,000-3,000?
- Will granite raise the value of the home enough to pay-for-itself in equity?

[Bob Okenwa]

Not sure what your friend does for a living, but unless your unit is in luxury complex with most other units having granite, laminate should be fine. The ROI on granite vs laminate in a rental usually isn't enough to justify the cost of granite unless you are working with a high-end unit in a high-end area where such upgrades are the norm.