I agree that things could be nice under there. I've pulled up a lot of old lino floors and found decent fir underneath. The last one I did had newspapers from the 1920's as underlayment. Around here, they typically put lino in a center square and then painted the fir between the lino and the wall.
However, I have found that wood floors take a beating in a kitchen. In mine, I had to patch a lot of holes where pipes used to pass thru the floors. So, of all places where I doubt whether the floors underneath are good, kitchens and baths are the most dubious. I have had success in going back to the original in both however.
The last time I was at Lumber Liquidators, I got pre-finished finger jointed 3/4 inch solid oak flooring 8" wide for $3 a square foot. It was a cinch to install given it's width and its still holding up very well.
I do have a soft spot in my heart for painted fir floors. They are absolutely the best choice from a landlords point of view. No refinishing, no shampooing, just slap on a new coat of paint. Black is best since then the gaps between the boards dont show.

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1977 300d 70k--sold 08
1985 300TD 185k+
1984 307d 126k--sold 8/03
1985 409d 65k--sold 06
1984 300SD 315k--daughter's car
1979 300SD 122k--sold 2/11
1999 Fuso FG Expedition Camper
1993 GMC Sierra 6.5 TD 4x4
1982 Bluebird Wanderlodge CAT 3208--Sold 2/13