Choosing a Roaster - Seeking Advice

I'm interested in trying out roasting and hoping to pick the collective brain here for recommendations and any considerations I've missed. 

• I only drink light to medium light roasted coffee (typically pourover, no plans to get an espresso setup for now), so focused on roasting to that profile
• I am the only coffee drinker in the house and I plan to continue to purchase coffee from the many great local roasters near me (just less of it if I can produce good results)
• I don't mind a smaller batch size or more cumbersome workflow if it yields a better result
• I am afraid of invest too much into a set up if I can't produce results I like (although not expecting immediate success). For that reason, I'd like to keep to a budget around $500 USD (happy to shop around for used and refurbed setups or to stretch it slightly)
• I like tinkering and don't mind modding, especially if I can do it over time

Based on my research, I think a refurbished SR800 w/ extension tube is my best option - but I'd love to hear what you think!