Man, check
www.boardersbestbuy.com for their daily deals/steals. when you see a board longer than 140cm, go do quick research to see the specs (rocker, weight limits, etc...)
As a first board you will not necessarily care if its 3-stage, continuous, or a hybrid of the 2. Just find one that will float you for as cheap as possible. (my first set-up was $300 new, 3-stage board with flexible open toe bindings... now I have a continuous rocker with closed toe stiff boots. I did not matter what I was riding when I was first learning
Also, do not let the label of Rider Level: "beginner-intermediate" or "advanced" sway you, most "advanced/pro models" later become "entry level boards/beginner" with new graphics for half the price.