I think it depends on where you are putting it. TBH I think that at the top end of the market people don't actualy mind what a house looks like inside as they often want & can afford to put their own stamp on things - when we bought this house last year I hated the interior fittings. We are changing all the carpets, paintwork, door furniture etc. But it was the only house of the right size with the right rooms in the right part of the village with the right sized garden, so we bought it regardless of the large amount of cosmetic work that needed doing to make it into my dream house.
If you are talking about a high traffic area like a hallway or main living area I would probably go for real wood (or engineered boards - it's almost impossible to tell the difference) just because it will last better and be easier to keep looking good (remember you can't give laminate a really good scrub). Bedrooms, dining rooms, even lesser used more adult living rooms can all take a decent quality laminate, and with the single plank designs you really are hard pressed to tell the difference.