Phat,
yes, the price range for canoes is wildly insane. You can get a good used boat for under $500 or you can pay several thousand for a new one.

Rent and borrow, preferably from an outfitter who has a variety of quality boats - until you find a boat that fits your style. Most outfitters have gently used boats for sale. I have a tandem racer handmade by Gene Jensen that I bought from an outfitter for $300. It was not gently used but the outfitter fixed it up OK.

Take lessons. Most folks learn bad habits early and keep them forever. Learn to make a canoe dance. Learn to use a 'challenging' boat. Challenging means tippy but high performance. When you get comfortable with a performance boat, you won't want to go back to the abominations foisted onto an unsuspecting public. Like with backpacking, skill increases your options.

Make a decision between solo and tandem. I prefer solo open canoes. But there are a lot of good options for every taste, including kayaks and sit-on-top rubber duckies. Nothing wrong with the latter, IMHO. In general, I think it is better to buy a solo boat for starters. Rent when you need a tandem boat. There are no adequate compromises.

I prefer going for light weight instead of durability. I can keep a lightweight, high performance boat out of trouble. A heavy, dull boat needs to be able to take abuse because it is hard to keep out of trouble and will get beat up more.