Residential Service Contracts, aka Home Warranties
In the weeks before closing, your title company will send you a list of 14 or more home warranty companies and ask you to select one. For most buyers, that list arrives with no guidance at an already demanding point in the transaction.
Shipman Partners has independently evaluated the residential service contract companies active in the Austin MSA, reviewing coverage terms, customer claim experiences, out-of-pocket cost structures, and contractor performance specific to Central Texas. This guide presents our findings so you can make a confident, well-informed selection before your closing date.
The title company's list will include companies beyond those covered in this guide. Our research process reviewed actual customer claim narratives, contractor performance in the Austin market, coverage limit adequacy for Central Texas conditions, and the regulatory and legal history of each provider. Several companies that commonly appear on title company lists did not perform at the level we hold our clients' vendors to, and we have deliberately excluded them from this recommendation.
If the title company's list does not include First American, Fidelity National, or American Home Shield, or if you have any questions about another company on the list, please contact your Shipman Partners agent before making a selection. We are glad to help you evaluate any option not covered in this guide.