a good question
Buying used is always a gamble - no matter how much experience you have. There is only so much information you can get on a purchase and ultimately you are relying on the integrity of the seller - and these days integrity has less value than it once did sadly. That said - many are switching to electrics and there are certainly decent deals to be had on forums, ebay, craigslist and FB Marketplace. I have purchased used boats from Germany, The Netherlands, and Australia. Interestingly the deals with the most disappointments (or exaggerated condition) have tended to be those closer to home.
The preference is always toward buying something local - saves on shipping expense and risk (of damage and of fraud). Buying local affords you the opportunity to see the boat in person and preferably see it running. Plus you may even make a friend!
My advice usually is for a new boater to find local boaters or a local race club to gain some much needed experience on the hows and whys before committing to a purchase. The group of social boaters I run with often help new boaters with adjustments lake side and advice is plentiful. Plus its just not so much fun (or as safe) boating alone.
If an interest in racing is there then it would be good to know the classes run locally and perhaps who you may be competing with. Further to this - racers in particular are often upgrading boats each season or as a more desirable version comes out - so there are occasionally opportunities to make a purchase at the lake from a known boater. I have found 90% of racers to be very social and welcoming.
Buying new is typically the easiest way to get started in the hobby. There are a number of companies that make custom or semi custom boats for new boaters as well as a number of factory produced RTR options. My experience with factory RTRs is that there are often a weakness or compromise though a search online will typically let you know what you're in for. Price is higher but the chance of disappointment is usually reduced.