Anybody who is buying a home for the first time would be well advised to read The Savvy Woman's Homebuying Handbook by Tara-Nicholle Nelson, Esq., published in 2007.  It is just excellent and will transform you from vulnerable to enpowered on this topic.  It is easy to understand and extremely thorough, also contains "Insider Secrets" that explain how to handle over one hundred tricky situations. Do yourself a favor and spend $25 on what will give you insight, guidance and peace of mind for the navigating the endlessly sharky waters of first time home buying!