I want a self-hosted WP blog

After having spent some time blogging on blogger/Blogspot for some time, I have the feeling that I am lacking something or the other. I tried other free blogging platforms too! But each one of them gave one kind of inconvenience or the other. That made me to return to this blog and try something here!

Then while visiting other WordPress blogs, I found opinions in self-hosted blogs that for a blogger who would like to build up something, a reputation as a useful blog, or to be in control of one’s blog, it is always better to setup a blog with one’s own domain and self-hosting. I do feel it is a nice suggestion, because I have a website that offers free pen pals ads and hobby ads, started by me in 2006, and it never gave me any kind of trouble so far. I am the owner of the site and if I want I can leave it idle, sell it, or give away free to anyone I like! But that kind of freedom is not associated with a free blog! And that makes me think seriously about a self-hosted blog. However, I do not think that I will be closing down my other blogs, or migrate from there, as I want them to run as they are!

With the idea of such a blog, I visited many WP ‘How-To’ blogs, WP forums and guidelines, WP recommendations, etc. and all of them seems equally attractive and helpful or, I am a bit confused about what choice I should make, though I am serious about my own WP-powered blog! Any suggestions or help from those who went through the same experience or suggestions from WP veterans or experts are welcome!