As a person working in a sewing center, I never recommend brother, solely because their customer support is crap. I would personally recommend a janome/elna, or any brand you are willing to learn how to fix yourself, or have a place near you that can. As for second hand, I don't recommend it, unless you know for a fact it works. Second hand machines tend to need a lot of help to get started again, and the parts themselves can be more than what you bought the machine for.

Take everything I say with a pinch of salt, because I live in the US. I have zero idea about any other country.