I say get the longarm. Learning to free motion quilt on a domestic machine won't help alot if you get a longarm later. I believe the HQ Sweet Sixteen is considered a longarm---it has a 16" throat, right? As for resale value, all longarms depreciate over time. If you have room for one, though, I would test drive as many brands of machines as you can before purchasing, and get the very best you can afford and have room for. Often you can get more bang for your buck if you buy a used machine. Figure out what features are most important to you, and focus on the brand of machine which best provides those features. Good luck!