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2 women, neighbours in Jurong for 23 years, share tearful goodbye after one moves out
"Sometimes when you move, it's not the house that's the hardest to leave, but the people who made the place feel like home."
August 25, 2026, 07:00 PM
Photo from gina_khazali/TikTok
After over two decades of living next door to each other, two neighbours, Siti and Lee (not their real names), shared an emotional goodbye.
Siti was moving away after selling her family home of 23 years.
The moment was captured in a TikTok video by Siti’s property agent, Gina Khazali, who was present for the home's handover.
Both women are in their 50s.
@gina_khazaliSeeing them hug their neighbours, the tears, the final look around the house… even Agent G also emo a bit. 🥹 Head to my profile to see their story
More than just neighbours
While the two women started as neighbours, living next door meant they interacted almost every day, Siti's daughter, Aifa, told Mothership.
"[Lee] would walk past our unit daily, and they would even hang their laundry side by side along the corridor," the 35-year-old said.
Over time, Siti and Lee naturally grew closer.
They confided in each other, particularly as they navigated the challenges of raising their own children during their teenage years.
"They were always ready to lend a helping hand and eventually became more like sisters than neighbours," Aifa recalled.
Siti and Lee's families taking one last group photo as neighbours during the flat's handover day. Photo from Gina.
Day-to-day life
Their friendship also extended to the little, everyday things.
Aifa shared that they would exchange cooking ingredients such as onions and pandan leaves whenever one of them ran out, and share household items including trolleys and printers.
Lee was also there for the family's milestones, such as witnessing their weddings and the arrival of Aifa's children.
"When we were younger, she also helped to look after us whenever our parents were not at home," she added.
Difficult goodbye
When it came time for Siti to leave, saying goodbye to Lee was particularly difficult.
"After looking out for each other for so many years, moving away meant they would no longer be physically present in each other’s everyday lives," Aifa said.
In the video, the neighbours could be seen crying and hugging each other.
Photo from Gina
Siti's family also went around to say goodbye to their neighbours and even ordered cakes to give out as farewell gifts before they left.
Selling a home is more than a transaction
Gina, who has been a property agent for around six years, said this was the first time she had personally witnessed such an emotional goodbye between neighbours.
This experience was also a reminder that selling a home can involve much more than just transactions, paperwork and handing over the keys.
“Moments like this remind me that when someone sells a home, they’re not just leaving four walls behind. They’re leaving years of memories and relationships they’ve built there," she said.
