Quoted from HydrogenHuman:I'm willing to be patient and wait for a good deal or bargain. Seeing that $850 F-14 Tomcat on my local craigslist last night told me it is possible to find good deals, I just will have to check frequently and jump on it right away!
It may be possible but there are probably 30 people just like you waiting to jump on it. You should stay ready but honestly you should probably pay a fair price from a helpful hobbyist who will walk you through the basics of breaking it down and setting it up. If you pay a fair price you will probably be able to sell it for about what you paid. It is not about getting the best deal ever all the time (and not on your first pin) IMO.
There are games out there though! If it wasn't a COVID situation I would say to get out and play a bunch and meet some pinball people who often have some machines!
Good Luck!