I have had the same experience as many others -- got my LA this past August. I don't really have room either, but my DH and I agreed to sacrifice the dining area of our house for it. Like many have said, I also HATED layering quilts with pins or spray baste. I was actually doing pretty well with FMQ on my regular machine, but it always gave me problems in my right shoulder. Some folks warned me that quilting on the LA would also be hard on your body, because you typically stand a lot, and sometimes it can bother your back. But, I find it more comfortable because I end up moving around a lot more. Another thing is I love the stitch regulator. I guess you could get one for your DSM; I never investigated that.
One nice advantage I hadn't anticipated was that now I have a 12 ft working space. My LA has a 12 ft frame, and the table (used for pantos) is 2' x 12'. I got 4 cutting mats (2x3) for the table, and now I have a nice long area for trimming edges, and for other work. It's a little narrow, but my largest work space up to now has been only about 2'x4' .... any usually piled high with "stuff"!