Which style?
 

We got our Malibu last year and my daughter and I have fallen in love with surfing! We spent the summer learning to surf on our Hyperlite Broadcast. Both of us have gotten good enough that all the basics are really pretty easy, no problem free riding etc. Now we think we are ready to start learning tricks and we also think we are ready for a new board. Like everyone else we get are knowledge right here on WW and what we are reading is we need to pick a surf style board or a skim style depending on how we like to ride. The issue is we don't know yet how we like to ride. How/when did you guys develop a "style"?

What kind of tricks do you want to learn?
Also, do you want a more free and floaty ride or a more locked in and aggressive ride?

We both want to learn 360's. She like "zig-zagging" up and down the wave (sorry, don't know the terminology) and wants to "get air". I like the feel of the wave. Just something about the connection between rider, board, and wave. I don't know if that's free and floaty or not but I really like riding regular and switch and would love to learn 180's etc. I don't care a bunch about "air" but it does look fun.

Steve, you seem like you would be happier with a skim style board. While your daughter might like surf a bit more. She can still get air on a skim though.

Ok so I'm thinking maybe the James Walker Signature Pro or Sweet spot for her and either the Phase 5 pro carbon or Black Pearl for me. Obviously all of those boards are more advanced than what we need but I'm kinda thinking that they would be boards we could have for a REALLY long time, buy now keep forever and progress into them. Can't really demo them so we just have to make our "best guess" on what to get. What do you guys think? FYI she is 5'5" 150 lb and I am 6' 180 lb.

That is what I would have suggested as well. But for you i would recommend the Phase 5 Carbon Pro 54" over the black pearl. The Phase 5 is much faster.
Check your PMs