Hello Brennan,
Welcome to thye world of RC helis. Why do you want a small heli to start with??? The bigger the ship the more stable it is - and thus the more easy to learn on.

I am still a newbie (and I never touched an RC plane) so take my advice with some precaution but nevertheless:
My first heli was a real mini - the Kyosho Caliper M24 bought as a RTF set. You won't believe how tricky, unstable and lively this thing is! It is not a bad heli, though, I have lent it to skilled pilots who take it straight from the ground into stable hover 50 cm above the floor in a small crammed shop with maximum one meter clearance to each side. It looks deceptively easy - untill you start focusing on the pilots fingers on the radio: they move CONSTANTLY.

After a few months and a lot of repair-demanding crashes I bought a second one: the Lite Machines Corona 120 with a good computerised radio system (Multiplex Cockpit X). This is way easier but still difficult.

My conclusion: if you have the money and the flying space: go for a big electric heli like T-rex 600 or Century Swift. And be prepared to spend quite some time on repairs.

Good luck,
Bing117, Copenhagen, Denmark