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I own an XDm, mine is one of the first 5k produced so its chambered in .40S&W. Its a great gun, I was in fact shooting it today, getting ready to rotate it into my holster. Its an accurate shooter, mine has one of the best factory triggers of any production gun I have ever shot. Either I got a perfect double today or I missed a 4'x4' piece of cardboard at fifteen yards with my second shot. The XDm is at the top of my list of guns I will always own, and with a Don's Guide rod is perfectly balanced for me.

For a new shooter I would also recommend purchasing a .22 rim fire handgun for training purposes. That doesn't mean you can't get the XDm (or something better) at the same time or at first, but you really need something you can practice with and afford to feed. Now, with that said you mention you are new to shooting so training is a must have. I don't mean the minor stuff you get from a CHL class or hunters education. I mean some real training of the basics of firearm ownership like safe storage, maintenance, operation, ect. These are skills you can not perfect without someone who is more experienced helping you. An NRA certified instructor is strongly recommended as they are trained to teach you these things while Bill from down the road may be the safest and most accurate man on the planet with firearms he probably lacks the skills needed to teach his habits and skills to someone else.

I have been around firearms and have shot for most of my life (and All of my adult life), I shoot every chance I get, I shoot every firearm I can that I feel comfortable shooting (I do not like to shoot rare, unusual, or extremely expensive firearms), and I still see where I can use more training and I want more training.