When we were house hunting in 2005, our realtor drove us around to the places we wanted to see and was very friendly - not without good reason of course. Once settled in, he and his missus were our first dinner guests.

We used him again a couple of months later to buy our rental property.

Aside from a couple of months in 2009 when it looked as if we might be moving, our only contact has been an annual xmas card from them, not reciprocated by us.

Perfectly reasonable that he's hoping for repeat business although that would mean an ever increasing xmas card list.

But yesterday, out of the blue, we got a phone call from him. He'd heard of a house fire on our street (I had seen the fire trucks earlier while shoveling snow) and was checking to see if we were okay.

One assumes an insurance paid for rebuild wouldn't mean commission for him.

Anyone else got any "above and beyond" examples?

Oh bless, you see things so positively but it was just a phone call. Above and beyond i see often in the hospital where i work. Giving examples would be a problem due to potential identification. One that won't be so specific though is the doctor giving a patient money to buy boots.

I am such a cynic and my first impression would have been he is looking for some kind of angle to promote his services somehow it's nice that you can see it as a thoughtful gesture though, which I am sure it was.

I can be quite cynical too...hence two references to there being something in it for him and a third possibility of the same.

But sometimes people are just nice because that's the way they are.

Except for realtors. There's always an angle with them.

The trouble with a lot of people is they don't accept thoughtfulness or kindness at face value.

Being cynical is all very well and good if it's in your nature, but not everyone has an ulterior motive.

But most do. Well maybe not Sister Wendy.

I find the opposite true. Most don't (including Sister Wendy).

So you think there truly are acts of complete unselfishness where a good deed has no benefit to the doer? Not even a feeling of smug self righteousness, of having ticked one off on the good deeds list paving the way to heaven! Surely if most of us were noble there would be no need for images of heaven and hell to keep us on the right track?

I have received so much help, from so many kind people over the years, I wouldn't even know where to start...

There are some unadulterated rotters out there, but I really do think, and hope, that they are in the minority. The vast majority of people would much prefer to do a good turn.

I too am always a bit critical of realtors...and insurance or 'financial services' sorts...but it sounds like you got a good'un Bristol.

If you are selling your house I would recommend Comfree,you give the realtors a bodyswerve and save $1000s

Actually our realtor did such a good job for us I would use him again. We might have spent more on his fees but he sold the house in a week and at the price we wanted. All the others said to sell for less and were less insistent about how we presented the place and were going to advertise less so there are good ones. It's just an unsatisfying way to spend $$$ as you don't end up with some goods in a fancy bag with a bow on top.

Agree. It's a key differentiator between a British or Canadian mindset.

I agree.