Damn technology!!!
It depends on what you have to spend.  You will need a power supply either
way.
The amplifier for a Handy talky is designed to be used in a car.  The handy
talky is designed to receive on the basic antenna or a mobile antenna at
most.
If you try a gain base antenna, you will not hear much because of the
overload.  That's how they make it so small.
Everybody likes the tmv-71.  There are lots of base radios, with different
combinations of functions and features.
Since you are not driving all over the country, an older radio with the
right PL board for your area might work just fine.
You might find a used radio locally that would do fine.
We all were on VHF and UHF long before radios that talked.
Its nice but not absolutely necessary.
50 watts is 50 watts, no matter if the radio was made in 2014 or 1974.