The suburban Detroit home once owned by music legend Aretha Franklin is back on the market after an extensive renovation, with an asking price nearly triple what it sold for less than two years ago.
The five-bedroom brick residence in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan, is listed for $3.15 million following a top-to-bottom refresh by its current owner, a Detroit-based attorney who purchased the property in late 2024 for $1.11 million. Located inside the gated Hills of Lone Pine community, the house sits among winding, tree-lined streets known for large estates, expansive lawns and circular driveways.
The Home of the Queen of Soul
The home first returned to the market in February at $3.35 million with Brett Schwartz of Max Broock Realtors before receiving a price reduction Thursday. Schwartz was not immediately available for comment.
Franklin, known globally as the “Queen of Soul,” bought the property in 1997, according to public records. The Bloomfield Hills residence was one of several homes she owned in the Detroit area during her lifetime. Her primary residence remained the Rose Estate, a 1920s Tudor-style home in Detroit’s Palmer Woods neighborhood where she lived until her death in 2018 at age 76.
Set on Kiftsgate Bend, the Bloomfield Hills house spans roughly 4,148 square feet and includes a walkout lower level exposed on one side because of the sloping lot. Interior updates completed by the current owner include new flooring, cabinetry and appliances throughout the home. A newly added swimming pool and two elevated decks expand the outdoor living space.
The residence’s double-height great room is framed by two tiers of floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the property’s backyard and surrounding greenery. The approximately three-quarter-acre lot backs onto a pond and a wooded common area shared by residents of the community.
In addition to private security with 24-hour monitoring, homeowners in the Hills of Lone Pine subdivision have access to amenities including tennis courts and a neighborhood pool.
The property’s ownership history became part of the broader legal battle surrounding Franklin’s estate after her death. Franklin died without a formally executed estate plan that clearly settled the disposition of her assets, leading to a dispute between handwritten wills dated 2010 and 2014.
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Following court proceedings in 2023, the Bloomfield Hills home was awarded to Franklin’s youngest son, Kecalf Cunningham. At the time, the property was valued at approximately $1.1 million. The ruling resolved one portion of the long-running disagreement among Franklin’s heirs over how the estate should be divided.
The house had cycled on and off the market in the years following Franklin’s death. It was first listed in 2018 for $800,000 before undergoing several price changes over the next two years. Listing prices fluctuated as high as $1.2 million and later dropped to $875,000 during its most recent previous stint on the market in 2020.
Franklin’s influence on American music stretched across decades, with hits including “Respect,” “Think” and “I Say a Little Prayer” helping cement her status as one of the most celebrated vocalists in popular music history. She earned 18 Grammy Awards over her career and a place as the first woman inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.
The relisting of the Bloomfield Hills property reflects continued interest in homes tied to major cultural figures, particularly in the Detroit area, where Franklin’s legacy remains deeply rooted. While the house has been substantially modernized since her ownership, the property’s connection to one of music’s most enduring voices continues to shape its identity in the luxury market.
