I stuck with my Brother for 6 years. Every time I would quilt with it, the tension would go all awry. I highly recommend getting a machine that is specific for quilters. The wider space between needle and motor housing helps A LOT!! I felt I needed classes and help, so focused on higher end machines with dealers not too far away. I had it down between Janome 5500 and a Bernina and only went with the Bernina because of a special closeout price (about $3000). The Janome Memory Craft definitely fits your budget including accessories.
Also, when making your choice, consider the actual cost of buying the machine. Bernina was offering free financing. I could buy a lot more machine without paying a dime in interest vs. the Janome that (with a rough calculation) would have cost at least $600 in interest. Since I happen to have no other debt, I can afford these payments and in my case, it will be paid off in a year. Had I waited a bit longer, they had an even better deal last month where you could stretch it out for 48 months with no interest.