Yeah CD players are coo.. But u never will get the experience of learning on vinyl, which I highly recommend ESPECIALLY if you're a hiphop DJ.
I would get nuthin less than 1200s (Technics).. They are the stand by of DJing.. They are the best.. everyone uses em, they last FOREVER. I would compare it to a car, but there is no car that compares to it. It will last longer than a car and stay in better shape.
You can find real good deals on craigslist, depending on how hard you wanna look. I looked for about 2 weeks and got a mixer and 2 1200s with needles for 600. I would say $300 is a decent deal for a single Technic with a needle, but you can do better. Anything under $200 for a single 1200 is suspiciously low. You should be able to find a good deal on craigslist.
Since 1200s are fuckin tanks and they're the best and they last forever like I said, you dont really gotta worry bout buying it used, unless you insist of having something brand new. Just test that it actually plays music, and it should be all good.
Peace and best wishes for your DJing pursuits