For the house specifically a good shotgun is the way to go. you can pick up a Maverick 88 for under $200 which is almost the same thing as a mossberg 500.
If you're intent on a handgun that is fun to shoot that you plan on taking to the range frequently then I'd go with a 9mm cause the ammo is cheaper. I personally have a Glock 19 in my nightstand and a shotgun within arms reach of the bed.
It also depends of the price range you're looking at. you'll find the glocks, kahr's, springfields, sigs are going to be more on the higher end, and for good reason, they are all great guns that are reliable.
If you want a good reliable gun you can pick up for like $300 then Ruger is pretty solid.
Personally, I live in florida where I spend 95% of my time in flip flops and board shorts so on a daily basis I usually carry around a Ruger LCP because its reliable and super small, light and concealable.