Painting Cabinets

I am purchasing a new home and I hate the cabinets. I want to paint them white. What type of paint is the best for this (finish wise)? And, should the be sanded and/or primered first?
TIA

The absolute best finish on cabinets is a lacquer based finish. Most homeowners are not equipped to work with lacquers though. Urethanes are good but they are also difficult to work with. The cleanup requires a thinner and the urethanes are prone to crack and peel, urethanes in white also tend to turn yellow in time.

There are certain latex finishes that will work. But you have to be careful what you buy. While latex paints are durable on walls, they don't perform as well on cabinets.

Whatever you decide to use, you need to clean the surfaces first. Then sand until you knock off the shine. Any repairs to the finish need to be done after sanding, then sand and blend the repairs. Clean again with a mild solvent like mineral spirits. Dispose of the rags outdoors let them dry for a few days before you soak them with water and trash them. After final cleaning you can brush, roll or spray your cabinets. I usually remove the doors and the hardware (hinges, knobs, pulls..) and brush the frames in the house. I spray the doors at my shop where I have a better controlled environment for spraying. Although, the doors can be brushed too.

Proper prep and clean will make any finish look better and last longer

The best paint "finish" for cabinets in my opinion is either satin or semi-gloss. Semi-gloss has more of a sheen / shine to it. Both are durable and washable.

And yes, make sure you prep the surface - scuff the surface by sanding and then prime.

I recommend a shellac primer...but be prepared to ventilate! It will give you the best adhesion to the current surface. B-I-N is a good product.