Abstract: An information access system is provided to create and maintain a rapidly accessible index to information extracted from information sources accessible over the Internet. The information access system may be tailored to extract, analyse and index information obtained via the public query interfaces to a number of predetermined information databases. Information may be extracted from the information databases by submitting appropriate query requests to their query interfaces and analysing data returned in response. Query requests may be stored and maintained by the information access system in query files. Query responses may be analysed by one or more query result analysis modules, each module being tailored to convert information supplied by a particular site into a common format for storage in an index. New information may be identified and reported to users. The information access system may be applied, in particular to commercial property trading.