Are you a member of AOPA/AOPANZ? If not, it might be a good idea to sign up & take full advantage of all the guidelines they have for aircraft purchase.
AOPA Aircraft Buying Guide: Your blockbuster event--buying an aircraft
If you do decide to buy, buy the best aircraft you can get with your budget, do not try to get a bargain - it is highly unlikely to work out well in the end.
Buy something that is fairly common Cessna 150/152/172 or Piper Cherokee/Archer - that way you have a plane which is familiar to most mechanics and therefore should be pretty straightforward to maintain. It is also usually more common because it is very straightforward to fly.
You will be able to fly for your commute, but only on fair weather days. It is a great feeling, for sure.