I love hardwood wherever and whenever possible.

That is what we were thinking. We are doing a bit of higher end products and need a high appraisal value due to the loan we took out for our remodel and addition. So we thought just carpet in the kids rooms and hardwood and tile the rest of the house.

Hardwood will last longer and be easier to maintain than a carpet. Especially if you have it almost everywhere in the house, it's a better option. Hardwood can be refinished whereas carpet needs to be replaced.

Should we consider hardwood for the kids rooms then? Will carpet bring down the value if we have in 3 kids rooms?

Depends on the market near you- if it's a family oriented area it might not, as most people prefer carpet in childrens' rooms. I'd ask an appraiser near you to give an opinion.

You could consider it though- you can always put an area rug on top of hardwood if you want carpet in those rooms.

What are thoughts on what kind of tile? I wanted slate but not sure if we want the maintenence of sealing it? Is porcelain or ceramic better for bathrooms and laundry room? I am guessing tile should go in a laundry room instead of hardwood.

Our go-to is usually porcelain tile, as it is typically in a good price point and requires very little maintenance, and there are many different color and designs out there that mimic real life or create something new.

I prefer hardwood floors over wtw carpet as it's easier to maintain and you can always enhance the room with an area rug or rugs.

We have wood everywhere EXCEPT the bedroom. Like the comment above I like stepping on a soft surface when I get out of bed. We've replaced it twice in 16 years, have it professionally cleaned twice a year along with regular Dyson vacuuming. More maintenance probably, but I don't like wood floors in my bedroom.