Hiya,
Well, prices vary by location. In the North East you are in the area that has just about the highest pricing on compact tractors simply because the income levels here can support higher pricing. Also, the Deere calculator does not tack on shipping and setup fees which most, if not all dealers have.
My advice is to shop around the dealers in say a 50 mile radius, tell them you are shopping their pricing so if they want your business, they have to have a sharp pencil.
To be honest, the dealers talk to each other, they know what discounts are supported in the area so you may get a 1 to 2% difference but you have to weigh that against dealer reputation, service and support. I deal with the dealer that's a little farther from my place not be cause they are the cheapest, (they aren't) however they have helped me out in other ways either by "product demo" when I needed to use something I couldn't justify to purchase or covering something beyond the warranty or simply having one of the employees drop something off at the house on their way home. I value customer support so I don't mind the higher initial cost because I know they will go above and beyond to keep me happy.
Edit: For the bucket, if your going to be digging or loading heavy damp soil or nit-pak/crushed stone, you'll want the 53", if your moving/loading lighter/drier stuff or snow, get the 61". A note of caution, the 61 is wide enough that if you load one side of the bucket more than the other when working with heavy material, you can get into a situation where the bucket has a lot of leverage on the loader and front axle resulting in a tipping hazard depending on slope of the land and
ballast. If you do get a 2x20 series, load the rear tires and get at least 1 wheel weight per side, 2 is better especially if your getting forks for the loader.
My 2 cents,
Tom