Not enough information in the original post to make a sensible recommendation. What's the practical difference between <20 lbs and 22 lbs for carrying the bike up and down stairs? How old is the OP and what are his/her physical characteristics? I'm not really sure I could offer a guess based on not knowing.
Also, the OP says that he doesn't have mechanical abilities. That's a problem for any solution that isn't purely turnkey. Even a used bike needs a qualified mechanic to go over fasteners, bearings, cabling and controls, rims and the like to get it into top shape.
Riding environment. Again, the OP says nothing about this except that he believes that he needs 9 speeds. Based on what? Terrain? Fitness? Best guesses?
My answer for a lightweight bike that's fun to ride and can be built up for under $1000? Fixed gear.
My 1979 Peugeot PXN-10 weighs in at 21 lbs with tubular tires and a heavy-ish Brooks B-17N. But it only cost me ~$600 all in. Fabulous riding bike.
My 2016 Motobecane Gran Premio was stock at $900 delivered from Bikes Direct. It's modified now, but I'd wager that it came in at 21.5 lbs in the 56 cm frame. There are some compromises in the components (FSA crank, Tektro calipers), and I had to rectify them over time. It's a hair under 21 lbs now and a very capable rider.
Last edited by Phil_gretz; 09-29-20 at 07:23 AM.