Real Estate: Has Carpeting Lost Its Popularity in Today’s Home?

I grew up in a carpeted home. And I would venture to guess that many people, until those born in the 1990’s likely grew up in a carpeted home as well. As a kid, carpeting was great, except when you fell, and slid across it and got carpet burn. But it felt neat on your feet. I remember that everyone’s parents had a spray bottle of Woolite Carpet Cleaner under their sink. They would spray it on, it would foam up, and then you would vacuum it a little while later. Most newer homes today have an emphasis on hardwood, tile, bamboo and other more natural forms of flooring. This is a big trend today. Do you think that now carpeting is starting to be considered a dated look, and gross?

I know that many articles I have read in magazines and articles on the web seem to show a waning interest in carpeting. When folks move into a home that is not new, most usually want to pull up the carpet first thing, and put down hardwood floors, especially if they have little children crawling around on the floors. Here are some reasons I feel that carpet is losing its popularity in today’s times:

1. Carpet reminds you of the people that owned the home before you.

These reminders can be varied. One reminder is simply the color of the carpet. Maybe the previous owners really liked red carpet for their living room. You love the house, but hate the red carpet. Well, until you change that carpet, you will always be reminded that it was someone’s else’s choice and home before you got there. Another reminder could be in the form of stains. The purple Kool-Aid stain on the dining room carpet from the kids before is there, but you and your hubby don’t have kids. The pet stain from the dog before is there, but you and hubby don’t own a dog. These things usually come with a house, and stains and spills are all a part of life, but when those spills are not yours, they can just seem….gross.

2. Carpet is hard on allergy sufferers.

If the owners before you had that same shag carpet in their home for 30 years, that stuff is going to be like one big sponge, holding in all the dust, grime, and pet dander of the carpet’s lifetime. If you are an allergy sufferer, this is going to drive your nose and eyes nuts, until you get that stuff out of there. Living with the remains of someone’s else’s life, embedded in carpet is not healthy, especially when that carpet makes you sneeze and wheeze, and makes your eyes water. For allergy sufferers, often the carpet is the first thing to go, even if it is only a couple of years old.

3. Carpet wears out and must be replaced.

If you are on any kind of a budget, and know that you are going to live in your home for many years, you know that even if your carpet is brand new when you start out, it is going to have to be replaced at some point, due to wear and tear. So you will have to purchase carpet, padding, and pay for labor. This can be expensive. And even after that is installed, there is no telling when that carpet will have to be replaced. The bottom line is that carpet is always going to have to be replaced, no matter what. That is why many times, people prefer to spend the extra money on hardwood or ceramic tile floors. That way, they can buy it once, and be done with it for a lifetime.

Carpet is luxurious, soft and comfortable, but many people today, especially new home buyers, are looking for solid surface flooring that is cleaner, won’t wear out and is easier to maintain. This is especially helpful if you have kids and/or pets, two major leading stain producers in a household. Besides, if you feel that the tile floor is too cold, you can go buy a throw rug for a nominal cost at Wal-Mart, to throw over those cold tiles. Then when it gets stained one too many times, you can simply discard or donate it. And you don’t have to worry about costly carpet installation and removal. These are some things to consider when purchasing a home. It seems from many accounts that the times are changing and many people today prefer tile, hardwood, and bamboo flooring to standard carpeting. These are some things you should consider when purchasing your next home, or deciding to update your current home.