Grammy Legend Roberta Flack’s Former Virginia Home Is Now for Sale at $1.89 Million
I’ve covered a lot of real estate stories. But this one stopped me mid-scroll.
A 1951 mid-century modern home in Alexandria, Virginia just hit the market for $1.89 million.
Four bedrooms. Half an acre of Japanese maples. A pool. And tucked downstairs, a private recording studio that once belonged to Grammy legend Roberta Flack.
This isn’t just a home sale. It’s a piece of American music history stepping back into the light.
The Home and What Makes It Rare
The property at 1927 Marthas Road sits inside Hollin Hills, an architecturally protected neighborhood on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places.
Every home here was designed by architect Charles Goodman, who believed houses should fit the land, not fight it.
Floor-to-ceiling glass walls. A two-story brick fireplace. Vaulted ceilings. A spa-like primary suite. The kitchen has been updated, but the soul of the 1951 design is intact.
And then there’s the basement studio, warm wood paneling, still full of character, where Flack is said to have created music during her biggest years.
Who Lived Here, and When
Roberta Flack lived in this home during the 1970s, the exact period when she became one of the most important voices in American music.
Her 1972 recording of The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face sat at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 for six weeks after Clint Eastwood used it in Play Misty for Me.
A year later, Killing Me Softly with His Song made her the first artist ever to win Grammy Record of the Year in back-to-back years, a record that stood until U2 matched it in 2001-02.
According to the home’s listing and multiple Alexandria-area reports, Flack worked on ‘Killing Me Softly with His Song’ while living at this property, the track that would win her back-to-back Grammy Record of the Year.
She wasn’t performing from a stage when she lived here. She was at home, in this house, in that studio.
Jazz musician Les McCann, who first discovered Flack performing at Mr. Henry’s on Capitol Hill, once said: “Her voice touched, tapped, trapped and kicked every emotion I’ve ever known.”
That voice was made, in part, in this building.
The Detail Every Article Is Missing
Here’s what almost no one is reporting, and it matters.
Gil Scott-Heron, the poet-musician behind The Revolution Will Not Be Televised and a foundational figure in hip-hop’s origins, also lived on Martha’s Road in Northern Virginia, according to Beltway Poetry Quarterly.
Two legends. One address. Both shaping Black American art at the same moment in history.
That’s not a footnote. That’s extraordinary.
It’s the same reason a story like the Kennedy heir’s Cape Cod retreat stays with you long after you’ve read it. When a home carries that kind of legacy weight, the address becomes part of the history itself.
Why This Matters Right Now
Roberta Flack passed away on February 24, 2025, after battling ALS. She was 88.
This listing, coming just over a year after her death, is the first major property tied to her legacy to re-enter the market. According to Redfin’s luxury market data, the typical luxury home in the U.S. sat at $1.8 million in 2025.
This property is priced right at that threshold, but it carries something no comparable listing can offer: verified music history, architectural prestige, and a working creative space.
Homes with cultural provenance consistently attract premium attention. The Kennedy Georgetown townhouse listed at $4.6M in 2024. The Home Alone house sold for $5.25M. History adds value, both emotional and financial.
We’re seeing the same pattern play out when artists use real estate as a cultural tool, like when Killer Mike launched his rent-to-own program in Atlanta, turning property into a statement about legacy and community.
The intersection of music and real estate keeps getting more interesting.
If you want to stay on top of stories like this as they break, there’s a WhatsApp channel worth bookmarking. It covers real estate and cultural property news worth knowing about.
Who Should Actually Be Looking at This
If you’re a musician, a music historian, or someone who simply values spaces where great art was made, this property deserves your attention.
The full listing is available through The Zebra’s original report, and you can search 1927 Marthas Road, Alexandria directly on Zillow, Redfin, or Long & Foster’s website. The listing agent is the Poole Braun Team at Long & Foster Real Estate.
This isn’t the first time a celebrity’s property has come with a story bigger than its square footage. Ken Griffey Jr.’s $27 million Florida fortress was another one of those listings where the name attached changed everything about how people looked at the property.
Key Takeaways
- Price: $1.89 million
- Location: 1927 Marthas Road, Hollin Hills, Alexandria, VA
- Design: 1951 Charles Goodman, National Register of Historic Places neighborhood
- Features: 4BR, private recording studio, pool, half-acre lot
- History: Roberta Flack’s home during her 1970s peak; reportedly also lived in by Gil Scott-Heron
- Listing Agent: Poole Braun Team, Long & Foster Real Estate
Before You Go
Homes like this don’t come around often. The architecture alone justifies the visit. The history makes it unforgettable.
Would you buy a home because of who once lived there? Drop your answer in the comments. I read every one and I’m genuinely curious where people land on this.
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Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only. Listing details are subject to change. Please verify current listing status directly through Long & Foster Real Estate or major real estate platforms.
