Lots of good alternatives ... my $1.48/sq ft stuff looks exactly like real wood - of course the "texture" isn't there ... is is a photo of wood afterall.
TBD on the durability (25 year "warranty"), but is is super easy to clean.
There is a brand that Lowe's sells (Wurtex I think) that is actually a thin layer of wood (3/32-3/16") on top of a laminate material - it can even be refinished 1-2x if you want. That stuff was $4.50/sq ft - still cheaper than real wood flooring (that is end matched) - and no nails/glue involved during the install.
A real wood floor should always be more valuable than a laminate I would think ... if more $ during a resale is very important to you. But laminates are nice nonetheless.