Longevity Stamped Concrete vs. Normal Concrete?
Stamped concrete won't be any less durable than broom finish or smooth finish. Many people that do stamped, stain it artistically with various colors to make it look more like natural stone. But if you do that, it does needs to be sealed. It looks great, but you do have to re-seal it every few years.
I supervised a large driveway replacement project for my mother that included adding a patio area. We made a boarder of stamped concrete about 12&quot; wide.  I suggested staining it to make it more prominent and the concrete guy (VERY knowledgeable) said that if we did that, it would need to be sealed every couple of years.  The problem is, while the pattern (grapes &amp; vines) is great, it's just not very visible without any stain.
So at the end of the day, it's a matter of opinion/personal choice. So here's my opinion:  If I planned on living in a house for another 8 years I'd go stamped. According to your estimates, the cost diff is $5K. That's $650/year or $52/month.
Life is short, use the good china and silverware. This is of course totally opinion based, which I may get snipped for, rather than &quot;How do I do stamped concrete?&quot;. But I do believe you'll recover your cost diff. when you sell.