Welcome to the forum! There is a lot of great info on here ... spend some time browsing! I also recommend the Vans kits; unlike you, I can't find the business end of a hammer even with a manual ... *laughing* but if you are that kind of a guy, I agree that the Vans RV-12 kit is probably the best overall. Having said that, there are others and you should consider your mission and preferences.
For example, the Vans has a fuel tank in the fuselage to accommodate removable wings, as I understand it ... some like that, and some don't. It's a low-wing aircraft and some prefer high-wings ... and there are a fair number of used LSAs on the market for pretty reasonable prices ... definitely worth checking those out on controller.com or trade-a-plane.com ... you may well decide that it's more cost-effective to buy a used one, fly it for a while to understand what you truly like or don't like, and then re-sell it and build or buy the exact kind of plane you like.
In Maryland, you should also be in proximity to some rental aircraft -- I live in Texas so can't recommend anything specific but others here might be able to do so. It would probably make some sense to rent some aircraft or get demo rides in some new aircraft to see what you like before committing to any purchase, whether it be a used aircraft or a kit.
There are definitely advantages and disadvantages to E-LSAs vs. S-LSAs (kits vs. manufacturer-made), and you should look it up.
Finally, the Vans forum is fantastic too ... both on the aircraft and the kit-building process. Definitely spend some time over there ...
http://www.vansairforce.com
Again, welcome!
Cheers
Joel