Ditto on checking what others are riding. A good bike shop is a must. You need to be fitted correctly. As a newbie, it might be difficult to discern what is correct. Ride lots of different bikes.

You might want to be modest in your first expenditure, since you are new. If you decide you love it, you can always upgrade to a better bike & keep your first one as a commuter.

Watch the overzealous salespeople. I almost bought a bike that was a steal except it didn't fit me at all. It just felt weird - I was too stretched out. Later, I realized that I would never have fit on that bike - it was too big. The salesman was anxious to move it out of inventory and kept telling me that I'd get used to it. Wrong. That is another reason for a good bike shop.

Good luck & welcome!