I would suggest you figure out what kind of sewing you are going to do first. If it is just mending and utility sewing, I wouldn't buy a real expensive machine. If you enjoy doing home decor like making curtains, pillows, etc. Then a mid price machine would be great. But if you love to sew or quilt a work outside the box then a high end machine is wonderful. I have made many very challenging items from tailored ladies suits to a "latte Quilt" that had very intricate machine embroidery. I enjoyed every minute that I spent on my machine(Viking Diamond). I am always taking classes to expand my knowledge and get my money's worth for the machine. I am now taking a quilt class called the "Stitcher's Garden". It is a class where you learn to use all the beautiful decorative stitchers. It is unbelieveable what you can do with these machines. Check with different dealers and make SURE they offer classes for you to learn the machine. Many also offer monthly classes including embroidery and software.
Just my two cents worth.