Help- I Want to Step Up My Photography

Michael,

Most cameras will get you a decent image, without spending a ton of $$$.

Don't get hung up on megapixels.  You can deliver fine quality with 8MP cameras, and most cameras are well over that figure.  Other features are more important.

So, I would tend to consider a wide, super-wide, or ultra-wide angle lens as a must have.

That wide angle lens opens up rooms a little, letting you show small rooms better.

24mm wide angle would be about a minimum, and can be difficult to find in a point and shoot.  Point and shoot is what I think of first when you mention price sensitivity. 

http://www.amazon.com/gp/search/ref=sr_in_-2_p_n_feature_keywords_20?rh=n%3A172282%2Cn%3A%21493964%2Cn%3A502394%2Cn%3A281052%2Cn%3A330405011%2Cp_n_feature_keywords_browse-bin%3A3451255011%5Cc4128727011&bbn=330405011&sort=reviewrank_authority&ie=UTF8&qid=1330944881&rnid=2882411011

http://www.amazon.com/Fujifilm-FinePix-Digital-Fujinon-Optical/dp/B004HO58O8/ref=sr_1_94?s=photo&ie=UTF8&qid=1330944752&sr=1-94

http://www.amazon.com/Fujifilm-FinePix-F550EXR-Digital-Camera/dp/B004S7BQ7C/ref=sr_1_23?s=photo&ie=UTF8&qid=1330944892&sr=1-23

http://www.amazon.com/Olympus-VR-320-Digital-Camera-Optical/dp/B004L2L6IS/ref=sr_1_13?s=photo&ie=UTF8&qid=1330944892&sr=1-13

Whoops, I see "$500-$750."

Yes you can buy a dandy camera at that.  Lenses are where the real money is, however.

I paid $639 for a fine Canon T2i, and I rent a wide angle lense when I need it, for about $20/day.  It would cost me about $550--$700 to buy that lense alone.

Before spending that much, you need to do some detailed research.

http://www.dpreview.com/reviews has helped me make decisions.