Well, from my experience...especially if you can put your hands on 5-10k cash (not gonna need to get a secured car loan)
Start watching ebay, here, pirate4x4 and other local boards for a BUILT rig in your price range.
For instance on here is SOA 'yota pickup running brand new 36s, etc for 6500. You will see "built" rigs all over the place about that price range and 90% of the work is already done, the 10% is making it your own.
So for that kind of cash, buy something built, you wont believe at how much that will save you.
As far as the rest...do you want to sit, 1, 2, 3/4 folks? Do you prefer comfort over open air?
Cherokee and Full Size Jeeps are the cheapest family rigs to build right at the moment. You can pick them up for $1k all day long... Blazer and Bronco are similar but slightly higher price tag, but bigger axles...BUT more weight so that offsets the axle strengths.
Jeeps/open tops, YJs are the best bargain right now, 97-99 TJs are starting to get reasonable for low buck build basis (or built in your range)
Final thought is what kind of driving do you want to do. Mild wheeling, any of the above with 33s...medium, 35s and a locker in rear at least and a winch.
Hard core...36+ tires, lockers front and rear, beadlocked rims, good cage, and don't mind major body dmg.
Insane...the "cool" factor at the moment is buggy rig with 2.5 ton axles, v8 and it looks like 40+ tires...(Dana 60s are SO last year...heh)
Mall Rated...any of above and spend more time on here than on trails (Guilty as charged!)
Sam