If Scott and Kim Fogel had a theme song, it would be "You Can't Always Get What You Want." Because, as the chorus reminds us, if you try sometimes, you just might find, you get what you need, especially when it comes to a new home.

The Fogels weren't looking to make a showy statement in the move-up house they would eventually purchase. Instead of opting for formal, fancy and full size, they put their wish lists aside and chose a new home in Lake in the Hills that fulfilled their No. 1 priority: having separate bedrooms for their 10- and 6-year-old daughters."With our second home, we could've gone bigger, but we weren't totally comfortable with that," said Scott

Mortgage lenders use a special type of credit score, called the FICO, to gauge your creditworthiness. Here’s what your FICO score is made of and how to manage each component that goes into it, according to Lynnette Khalfani-Cox, contributing editor to CardRatings.com. Here’s how it breaks down.

Friends and family want to give you money towards your home down payment.  In 2011, 27% of first-time buyers received part of their home purchase down payments in the form of gifts, according to the National Association of Realtors. 

But there are strings attached – to the IRS and lenders.