Because you acquired the home by a gift, your basis usually is the basis that your parents had in the home (what they paid for it, plus capital improvements they made over the years). It may be difficult to reconstruct this information, but their initial cost may be available (e.g., published on Zillow).
A retirement account to which up to $4,000 (or $5,000 if you are 50 or over) may be contributed for 2007, but deductions for the contribution are restricted if you are covered by a company retirement plan. Earnings accumulate tax free.