Get it in in your country's ccTld, also register .net and .org version. Use cctld version as main one. Keep an eye on .com version, it may drop someday.
How important is the name to you? If it's important, $225 is a very cheap price to pay for the .com. What about the .net, is that available. If you don't wanna pay, get that instead.
I personally wouldn't pay that kind of money for my name in a .com if it's available in .net or others. Have you tried the hyphenated versions? Or .name?
I wouldn't buy a .name, that's just a waste IMO. I would go with the .net or make an offer on the .com