Rather late for me to say Welcome, but you are certainly joining a great group of quilters. I am also fairly new and found this group via another link. This group is so helpful I just had to join. Do hope you get your machine soon. To begin, just look for a simple machine that has enough power to do quilting, if you plan to machine quilt. Nothing fancy required. You can always upgrade later. There are always people who no longer sew and are willing to sell their machines very reasonably. Good luck with your machine and do post your work so we can all enjoy. Advise that was given me was to not take your work too critically. There are many "sins" you can cover up with quilting. My first major hurdle was trying to get over doing something "perfectlly". The next was fabric selections. Now I am amazed at how some unusual fabrics can blend so easily. Trust your instincts and if you like it, use it.
Happy quilting from another newbie in North Carolina, USA.