Hi and Welcome from southern Indiana!!
And I think Ducky has the right idea -- buy a refurbished machine from a reputable dealer. Go to the different shops, tell them how much you want to spend and then test drive all of them. And sometimes, you can find a really nice machine on ebay for little cost.
Best advice for a newbie quilter? Gee -- take as many classes as you can; watch the t.v. quilting shows (if you're lucky enough to have any in your area); and of course you can ask all kinds of questions here as well as get inspiration!