As someone who has just made the decision to get my PPL starting in the new year, I've been looking at the options for a STOL aircraft due to similar circumstances and am currently investigating the purchase of a slepcev storch in a kit or preferably purpose built form (apparently approx 45,000 euro's new from the factory).
This may provide you with another option to review. I prefer to buy a ready to fly version however, I understand that the registration of a purpose built may be somethinng of a challenge - but one I'm presently contemplating once I've the PPL under my belt.
See
http://www.slepcevstorch.com