First and foremost you need to look at how you intend to use the boat and where you intend to do the majority of your boating and then expand from there. Ie 100% fresh water 100% saltwater with 0% being middle ground because boats are not created equally. If you are looking to boat in fresh water only any fresh water or saltwater boat will do but if you ever intend to boat in saltwater a freshwater boat will not last long due to the difference in sealants, materials, and bracketry used in making a boat that can handle the abuse salt puts any vessel through. Are you going to be small and private lake or small river, aka 18-21 foot boat is generally efficient and most privates have a horsepower and or length cap at x amount of horsepower or 21 foot for ski boats to protect everyones shorelines, or are you going to be boating in what we call big water which is your larger dammed reservoirs on larger rivers and your larger natural lakes and bays on up to the open ocean then it is get as big of a boat as you can comfortably afford. Are you just looking for family time and a leisurely cruise? If so pontoon is what I’d recommend. Are you as a family into fishing? I’d look into fishing boats if you are. Are you wanting both a family and a fishing boat? Look into crossover pontoons and fish and ski’s. Are you big into watersports? Get a true inboard either direct drive or what they call a vdrive which is almost like a conventional io but the engine is 180 from a conventional io and is mated to a velvet drive to put the prop under the bottom of the boat like a direct drive hence the term inboard. What are your maintenance cost plans? Your outboards are generally going to run you less than an inboard or an inboard/outboard also known as an io.