Welcome Frank!
Congratulations on your solo!!!
My advice won't be much different than what you've already read. Buy the nicest and best maintained bird you can. You'll never recover the cost trying to buy cheap and fixing up. There are some great well maintained older 150's out there. I'd put focus on airframe condition, engine time, and previous owners approach to maintenance.
Although I wouldn't factor this into a buying decision, I'm another one of those that love my manual flaps. Although I trained exclusively in 152's with electric, I MUCH prefer manual. In the time it takes to flip a switch for electric flaps I can actually have the flaps down. The absolute control is wonderful.
