I’m considering purchasing a firearm for home defense, but the folks that I know here in AR are advising me that a shotgun is not your best option. Whatever you finally decide to purchase..., spend time and ammo becoming fully proficient with it! Some people purchase a shotgun believing that it will have a shot pattern wide enough to make up for their faulty aim (IT WON'T). Shotguns DO intimidate more and "may" make a bad guy run the other way BUT, if you are nervously waving the barrel around..., he or she WILL JUST GRAB IT AWAY FROM YOU. Also, while a barrel mounted flashlight will aid your vision..., it will also represent a TARGET for your opponent!
Before the tragic boating accident that caused the loss of my firearms, I had an Ithaca 37 featherweight that i used for upland game. Had a couple of different barrels, including a 28", non ventilated rib that I picked up for a few dollars since the bluing was shot. A few quick turns with an industrial size pipe cutter and voila - instant (and very illegal) - very short barrel. Effective range, less than ten yards, loaded with #4 shot a shot at 10 feet aimed at center mass would put small holes from navel to nose. In the event of emergency, swap out barrel and put the little one into a pile of pipe.
And no worries about through and throughs into the next room.