ORIGINAL: karlik

I'm very hesitant to post anything myself, but what the hell. You're asking for thoughts and input and since I actually fly an FP I'll share what little I can.

Coax are fun at first but for a lot of us they get boring real quick. I still use mine for orientation practice but I'm using it less and less for even that. But some guys enjoy them and never get bored, so it kind of depends on the individual.

I started with and am still flying the falcon 40 fp for the same basic reasons you are listing (mostly not sure how far I'd go and didn't want to make a huge initial investment). The honeybee/walkera 4/falcon 40 (all of 'em are the same heli) are in your budget and great little starter helis, with a few qualifications.
The upsides are they are very durable and repairs are cheap, and they are still small enough to fly in a garage or even a living room (not my living room, but I know some guys do).
Downside is they are small and lightweight - less stable than a cp and don't like wind. Depending on your skill level I'd say 3 mph wind is where it starts to get real interesting and the most I've tried is around 10 mph. At 10 mph I needed lots of room cause it was all over the place. I have no regrets about getting the falcon, it's been a pretty reliable little heli and I've made great progress. But there are guys here who say they are crap and don't waste your money. Then again, some people like Fords and some like Chevys, some are democrats and some are republicans. What works for me may not work for you. Regardless of what you get it takes time and patience.