floor trouble

I'm so stuck! I live in a small townhouse where it's a very open floor plan...front is living room small hall opens to family/dining/kitchen. currently all is a very light carpet (like that when we bought)
Over the years the carpet has turned a black color with all the cleaning from pet accidents and people walking. This really only is in the front room...we've done stanley steamer and it doesn't seem to come up.
We plan on putting our house on the market at the beginning of the new year...something has to be done.
My idea was to put down wood/laminet in the front room and hallway leaving the rest carpet. I want to leave carpet b/c my son plays and I don't want him playing on wood (9 months still falls) but ppl are telling me it would look bad.
I feel like it's a better option b/c putting new carpet all over is expensive and its hard to pick carpet for a new buyer. Let me say my brother in law could put the wood in cheap.
So what do I do?? Is wood and carpet bad???

Re: floor trouble

What do you have in the kitchen area? I know you said the hall opens into the family room/dining area/kitchen and it's all carpet, but did you mean the kitchen, too? Or is there some kind of time or laminate?

Anyway, from the standpoint of making your home marketable and attractive to the broadest number of buyers, I would say do the wood (or wood laminate? -- I couldn't tell whether you were saying you were putting down real hardwood floors or laminate, but I think it is the latter). It goes without saying that buyers LOVE hardwood floors. But even if you are considering doing a wood laminate floor, I think that is preferable to carpet. It often looks cleaner and more modern, and I've had buyers say that they get grossed out by the idea of living with someone else's carpet. So why put in expensive carpet if someone else will just rip it out. If you put in light carpet, which usually looks better and makes a space look bigger, it may be hard to keep clean when you have buyers walking through in all kinds of weather (not to mention your own pets, kids, etc.).

And it sounds like that is the cheaper option for you.

If the only thing holding you back is your son, I would try to just make the adjustment and put down a soft area rug or one of those foam play mats in the family room or whereever he plays most often. It's a tough thing for most people to get used to, but once you put your home in the market, you will be most successful if your home reflects not how your family needs/likes to live, but how potential buyers will most likely want to live.

Good luck! Let me know if you have any questions about the selling process... I am happy to help.

Re: floor trouble

Personally, I would prefer a home with laminate or hardwood than carpet.
I currently live in an apt that is carpeted and I can not stand it. "Wood" is easier to care for than carpet. We are expecting in Nov and I have already said that I want to have the carpets cleaned before the baby comes.
If you are worried about your son, put in the laminate and use an inexpensive area rug where he plays.
Good luck.