Aretha Franklin’s Detroit mansion has been sold for $300,000.
The late Queen of Soul, who died in August at the age of 76, was born in Memphis, Tennessee, but grew up mostly in Detroit where she began her legendary music career as a gospel singer in her father’s church.
She once owned a number of properties in Detroit but sold them all off during her lifetime, except for a historic mansion next to the Detroit Golf Club, which she held on to.
However, the 5,600-square-foot estate on Hamilton Road was bought for $300,000 in late October, according to the Detroit News.
Sabrina Garrett-Owens, the personal representative of Franklin’s estate, told the publication: “There are no other Detroit properties that were owned by Franklin. There is no link with (the) new owner.”
The mansion has five bedrooms, six bathrooms, leaded glass windows and a three-car garage.
Franklin bought the home in 1993 but almost lost it in 2008 due to unpaid property taxes totaling almost $20,000.
Meanwhile, it was revealed after her death that the “I Say a Little Prayer” hitmaker hadn’t left a will, meaning her four sons, Clarence, 63, Edward, 61, Ted, 54, and Kecalf, 48, may have to wait years to find out how much of their mother’s estate they’re entitled to.
Don Wilson, a lawyer based in Los Angeles who worked for Franklin for 30 years, was previously quoted as saying: “I tried to convince her that she should do not just a will but a trust while she was still alive.
“She never told me, ‘No, I don’t want to do one.’ She understood the need. It just didn’t seem to be something she got around to.”
Mr. Wilson added: “She was a private person.”
Aretha owned her estate and maintained ownership of the songs she wrote – except her most popular singles like “Respect.”
Kenneth Abdo — who has worked on the estate of Prince, who also died without a will in 2016 — has said the Internal Revenue Service will carry out an audit.
