A home once owned by the late Aretha Franklin in Bloomfield Township is back on the market for $3.15 million after undergoing an extensive top-to-bottom renovation.
Located inside The Hills of Lone Pine, a gated community with a 24-hour manned gatehouse, the two-story brick home sits on three-quarters of an acre.
The five-bedroom residence includes five full bathrooms, a half bath, two laundry rooms and a three-car garage.
The house, originally built in 1990, was completely remodeled in 2025 after investors purchased the property on Dec. 20, 2024.
Listing agent Brett Schwartz of Max Broock in Birmingham said the home quickly attracted attention after being listed during Thanksgiving week in 2024, generating 10 offers within about five days.
After purchasing the property, the investors began the renovation work.
“The entire house was torn out to the studs,” Schwartz said. “We raised ceilings, moved walls and completely opened up the floor plan to modernize it.”
Schwartz said the renovation focused on creating a more open and functional layout for modern living, including expanded closet space, larger gathering areas and improved sightlines throughout the home.
“We knew immediately if we moved a couple walls, we had something special,” Schwartz said.
One of the biggest transformations involved opening the kitchen to the great room. The original layout separated the spaces with walls and a bar area, but the renovation removed drywall down to the studs and added large steel beams to create an open-concept design.
“We have a modern open space now,” Schwartz said.
Public records show the property, originally listed for $849,000, sold for $1,111,000 in 2024 amid multiple offers before undergoing a yearlong renovation that included significant structural and cosmetic upgrades throughout the approximately 7,300-square-foot home and its lower-level walkout.
As you enter the neighborhood, the winding streets lead to the circular driveway and redesigned exterior of the home at 4585 Kiftsgate Bend.
Schwartz said the exterior was also extensively redesigned with new landscaping, hardscape, an exposed aggregate driveway, walkways, patios, garage doors and a fully finished garage with epoxy floors, drywall and fresh paint.
The west-facing backyard overlooks ponds and water features and offers sunset views with direct access to the neighborhood pool.
From the grand front entrance, sightlines extend through the rear of the home, where a wall of windows overlooks the backyard. Inside, the foyer and great room feature soaring 18-foot ceilings that open into a luxury kitchen with 9-foot ceilings, Taj Mahal quartzite countertops and backsplash, Wolf and Sub-Zero appliances, and custom wood cabinetry.
Schwartz said the Taj Mahal quartzite was selected because it offers the look of natural stone while also being durable for everyday kitchen use.
The first level also includes custom 8-foot solid-core wood doors, a half bath with underlit Cristallo quartzite, an office, library, pantry, mudroom, and a primary bedroom suite with a custom walk-in closet and private Trex deck.
A bridge on the second level overlooks the great room and kitchen and connects two-bedroom suites. The upper level also includes a second laundry room.
The lower-level walkout offers 3,184 square feet of living space and opens to the backyard through sliding glass doors. The space includes a secondary kitchen and bar with premium cabinetry, paneled appliances and a Sub-Zero refrigerator, along with a fireplace, two bedrooms, a flex room, two bathrooms and a sauna.
During the renovation, crews also removed a small stage area in the basement that dated to Franklin’s ownership of the home.
Franklin, known as the “Queen of Soul,” died in 2018 at age 76. The legendary singer, known for hits including “Respect,” “Natural Woman” and “Chain of Fools,” spent much of her life in metro Detroit and owned several homes in the area.
Schwartz said several custom pieces tied to Franklin remained in the home after the purchase, though the estate retained some of the items connected to the singer.
Though nearly every inch of the house was renovated, the connection to Franklin still gives the property a sense of history.
Schwartz described the renovation as one of the more extensive luxury projects he has seen.
“We went all the way with this renovation,” he said. “Everything is upper tier.”
Brendel Clark writes about real estate and other topics for the Detroit Free Press. Contact her at bclark@freepress.com.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Aretha Franklin’s former Bloomfield Township home listed at $3.15M
Reporting by Brendel Clark , Detroit Free Press / Detroit Free Press
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