At what point is the property officially “mine”?

The property is yours once the sale closes.  We will still have to stamp and register the deed in the Property Registration Authority on your behalf.

What happens on the day I get my keys?

We will transfer the balance of the purchase price to the seller’s solicitor.  On the closing day we will have professional law searchers carry out searches in various official registries to make sure the title is still “clean”.  Assuming these are clear the sale will close and we will notify you where the keys are available for collection – usually from the office of the estate agent.  To allow time to make the searches, closing usually occurs mid to late afternoon.  You should check with the agent in advance how many sets of keys and what keys (e.g. for internal doors) are available.