Phillip Lombardi

A Seattle native, Phillip has spent his entire professional career in real estate, building expertise that spans residential brokerage, commercial real estate finance, construction, development, and asset management. He began working in the industry while putting himself through college at a combined residential brokerage and mortgage lender, where he processed and closed mortgages and escrows and earned both his Salesperson’s and Escrow Officer licenses.

He later earned an MBA in Finance from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business while simultaneously working for a developer on a 2-million-square-foot adaptive reuse project on the Chicago lakefront that included 399 luxury condominiums. Starting as a construction superintendent and later becoming residential marketing director, he led a seven-agent team that significantly outperformed the market during a challenging period.

After graduating, he was recruited by Citibank as an asset manager, launching a decades-long career managing, acquiring, and restructuring commercial real estate loans and assets for major financial institutions across the United States from offices in Chicago, San Francisco, and Los Angeles.

Since becoming a full-time Palm Springs resident in 2012, he has focused on residential real estate sales. Working first as a solo agent and then in a small team with his husband, Carlos Aquino. He consistently ranked among the top-producing agents in a brokerage of 250 agents and then served as Vice President of Finance and Operations for several years.

He has known Leslie McGrath for years and has long admired her work ethic, real estate expertise, and exceptional attention to detail. When she offered him the opportunity to join her team as Director of Operations and Listings, he was thrilled. The role allows him to combine his administrative and operational experience with direct client interaction while contributing to the continued growth and success of the team—an ideal fit for both his skill set and his passion for real estate.

From Phillip: “I have known Leslie McGrath for years. Her work ethic, real estate knowledge, and her attention to detail have always been beyond impressive. I was thrilled when she offered me the opportunity to join her team as Director of Operations and Listings. Being able to apply my administrative abilities to help grow the team, while also being able to interact more directly with clients, is a great fit with both my skill set and my passion for real estate.”