Hello everyone been lurking for a while. Just purchased a foreclosure condo in Tacoma, Washington area. The cement floor underneath the carpet apparently has no vapor barrier. The HOA representative said that in a law suit all they were able to get was enough money to drain around the exterior of property. Obviously it rains a lot here and you can definitely smell the moisture smell when you first walk in. Tore up the carpet and have found some cracks as well. Obviously I need to fill the cracks prior to trying to seal the concrete.

I am wondering what your recommendations are for what to put on top of the concrete. The inspector said it had a higher gloss which would make acid etching difficult so I'm trying to decide if I should just try and seal it with some sort of paint/sealant, and then carpet. Then encourage my future tenants to run the house circulating fan 12 hours a day.

I will be living in the property for one year and then plan to hold for 10-15 years as a rental.

In a mid to high end neighborhood so I think laminate is out of the question.

Thank you in advance!