I have a HQ 16 with pro stitcher as well. I bought the store's display model and paid about the same as your quote. I have been very happy with it. If you can find a dealer in your area paying for instruction will be very beneficial and then start simple and practice on baby quilts for charity or for small kennel quilts if you don't want to quilt on something your afraid to mess up. I love mine. And it really was not that hard to learn how to use it. Also, there are several sites that offer some free designs to try them out and they are good to start with, of course the machine comes with some as well. happy quilting.