I agree with what Joe said, so I won't add anything about the floors.
However, because you said you're a first time homeowner, I'll make a big
deal out of something else: If you're in a cold climate, check RIGHT NOW to
be sure the outside hose faucets are shut off (via the valves in the
cellar), or that they are the frost free type. When pipes freeze and burst,
it's not fun, especially if you moved in recently and still have cardboard
boxes in the basement. And, they usually burst when you're not home because
there are these evil home repair gremlins.....a long story. Washing machines
and their friends, the laundry tubs, also like to overflow when you're not
there to shut them off.

I've never had the frost free hose outlets, so I can't describe them to you.
If you have the regular type, turn on the water outside, then go in and turn
off the valve in the cellar. Go back outside, wait a minute for any residual
water to drain out, close the outside valves, and then congratulate yourself
for doing a good thing. If the water does NOT stop, it means the washers in
the inside valves are worn out. If you own a wrench already, replacing the
washers will cost less than three bucks. The washers are fifteen cents each,
and the rest of the cost is for a roll of teflon plumber's tape. Find a real
hardware store. They'll show you what the tape's for.

I mention this because I just moved into a house owned by a young couple who
never paid attention to the plumbing. It's easy to tell when washers are
going bad. They're supposed to be pliable, and they press against a hard
metal surface when the valve is shut off. You'll see that when you
disassemble the valves to fix them. When you shut off a valve or faucet and
it feels hard, the washer's stiff and needs replacement. Buy extra washers.
It's silly to blow a gallon of gas for a fifteen cent washer.

Wow....I really DID make a big deal out of this! But, I've had several wet
basement episodes. Nobody deserves that. Oh...speaking of laundry tubs, grab
a good flashlight and peek into the drain of your tub, if you have one and
your washing machine drains into it. Check for lint in the drain, and yank
it out with tweezers or needlenose pliers if necessary.

OK...enough. :-)