Woodbr, how hilly is the area you'll be riding ? You may not need a three speed . I like my single speed , steel framed Electra Cruiser 1 a lot . And you can order it from REI for $250 . The only things I would change out are the tires and pedals . I would. Install some easy rolling city slicks tires and some better pedals . I find the gearing on the Electra just about perfect for me . It spins out around 13-14mph is is just about perfect for standing up to pump if you need to to get get up a hill. The seat is a personal thing , I changed mine out for a Brooks B67 and like it so much I ordered another for one of my other bikes .
Picking a bike is tough . Especially when you want a cruiser when a converted mountain bike would probably be a better commuter bike. Kirby