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Meet The Team

Adam Gilbert is a third-generation resident of Palm Springs and an entrepreneur involved in various fields related to real estate. Adam began his career as a civil litigation attorney and quickly found his passion for real estate focusing his skills on Sales and Development. As a principal and President of The Firm Commercial, Adam leads a team of dedicated agents with offices in Palm Springs & Palm Desert, CA, specializing in: commercial real estate sales, leasing, land acquisition, development, government relations and value-added entitlement deals. As a principal of Gilbert Avriette Vacation Rentals, Inc., Adam managed 35+ vacation rentals throughout the Coachella...

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Brian Rix brings a wealth of experience as a highly successful business entrepreneur to his new position as Executive Vice President of The Firm Commercial. For the last 10 years, Brian has owned and operated Burke Rix Communications, a marketing and advertising company, working on national, state and local campaigns. He has been very involved in land use issues, including entitlements, licensing and community outreach for large commercial and government projects. Brian was a commercial real estate owner in Beverly Hills and Los Angeles, and supervised the management and leasing of a large commercial office building in Valencia. Additionally, he owned a commercial ta...

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Joel Handshuh is a 2nd generation Palm Springs Native who graduated from Palm Springs High School in 2003. After attending college at the University of Arizona, Joel fell in love with the Culinary Arts and pursued this passion, working tirelessly to develop his necessary work-ethic, organizational mind-set and problem-solving mentality through fine-dining and Michelin starred restaurants before becoming a private & personal chef for Paul Allen, co-founder of Microsoft. Afterwards, he went on to be the executive chef of the critically acclaimed Lakehouse in Bellevue, Washington and win Rising Star Seattle from Star Chefs. Post Covid and the collapse of the restaurant ...

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Joshua Gilbert is a 3rd generation resident of Palm Springs, CA. After receiving his B.A. from Chapman University in 2011, Joshua moved to Los Angeles to attend music production school to pursue his love for music. He went under the stage name “Apek” to perform on multiple world tours and successful radio campaigns, producing multiple releases and charting on the Billboard Top 40. Following his music career, he moved back to Palm Springs to become the Vice President of Operations for Desert Fire Extinguisher where he manages a team of 40 people and has expanded the business to San Diego, CA. His introductory experience into the world of real estate was succes...

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Nic was born & raised in the Coachella Valley and always had ambitions of working in real estate. After graduating from The University of California, Santa Barbara, Nic set his sights on real estate, devoting all of his efforts to the industry. Studying from various books and online platforms, he focused on wholesaling properties, where he began to virtually buy, hold, and sell investment properties in New Orleans, LA from his home in La Quinta, CA. After having some early success in this endeavor, Nic utilized his newfound skill set to help land a mentorship job at The Firm Commercial with Adam Gilbert, one of the Coachella Valley's top agents, investors, and ...

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David Rios is an energetic designer with an eye for fusing modern art, mid-Century homes, and boutique resort styles together. He's been selling, flipping, and designing homes in Orange County, Los Angeles, and Palm Springs for the past 26 years and breaking sales records in Southern California consecutively for the past 5 years. David loves bringing the design dreams of his clients to life often going beyond expectations of what can be accomplished. David's passion for design and people is evident through his outgoing and over-the-top personality. He works professionally with major design brands and will be featured on a new motel renovation show debuting this June...

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Morgan Janney has been a top producing Realtor for over 6 years here in the Coachella Valley. Originally hailing from North Carolina, Morgan fell in love with the desert after just one visit and has lived here ever since. Specializing in marketing via social media platforms and "out of the box" techniques; coupled with killer negotiation skills and Southern charm, Morgans record of achieving the highest sales prices and best terms for her clients is a testament to her ability. Morgan has vast knowledge in the Vacation Rental sector as well as being responsible for the portfolio development for one of the most successful vacation rental management companies in the ...

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Michelle brings more than 20 years of commercial banking, business management and real estate experience to her role as Executive Vice President. Michelle launched her career with Palm Desert National Bank in the 80’s. She moved to Las Vegas, Nevada in 1990, where she worked for eight years at the largest Nevada based bank and gained much of her experience working with clients at the highest level, serving all of their financial needs. In 1995 she decided to transition to sales and marketing in the bustling hospitality industry, where she found success as the VP of vacation rentals. Michelle moved back to the Coachella Valley in 2005, where she worked as the Vi...

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Courtland has lived all over the valley. From the beautiful Palm Springs Indian Canyons during his childhood, centrally located Rancho Mirage, to La Quinta more recently so he could be closer to his horses at the polo fields. Courtland started his real estate career in acquisitions and underwriting of foreclosed properties in Orange County but eventually found his way back home to focus on developing the cities close to his heart. Now at the Firm Commercial, Courtland focuses on helping people find their dream homes and businesses to find the perfect location to foster success.

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Ryan Berkowitz is seasoned financial advisor and real estate agent with a strong educational foundation from UCLA. His professional expertise lies in providing strategic financial guidance and navigating the complex realm of real estate transactions. With a commitment to client success, Ryan seamlessly combines academic knowledge of markets with practical insights to help individuals achieve financial and property goals. When Ryan is away from work he enjoys improving his golf game, traveling, and spending time with his family.

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Patryk Swietek is a young and successful entrepreneur who has made a name for himself in the world of real estate investing. At the age of just 14, he founded his first tech company, and since then, he has been making strides in the business world. Currently, he is a real estate investor who owns six short-term rentals and manages 20 others for investors in the Joshua Tree area. Swietek is also the founder of STR Nation, a company that educates other investors on how to become financially free through real estate investing. He is passionate about helping investors make the right property investments and is always happy to provide his expertise and knowledge to hel...

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Josh Rudin is a seasoned real estate investor with over 11 years of experience in house flipping. He has successfully flipped over 100 houses in his career and has become an expert in the real estate industry. Currently, he owns eight short-term rentals in the Joshua Tree area and manages 20 others for clients. Rudin's expertise in real estate investing extends beyond flipping houses. He also helps first-time home buyers and other investors make the right decisions when it comes to buying a home or investment property. He has the necessary skills and knowledge to guide his clients through the entire process and ensure they make informed decisions that align with t...

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Born and raised throughout the Coachella valley, Delfina possesses an impressive understanding of the local market. With an extensive background in sales, management, and development in the multimillion fine dining industry, Delfina transmits her hospitality skills to turn first-time clients into life-long family. Her attention to detail and needs, integrity, and fierce work ethic help her provide creative financing, savvy negotiations, and customized solutions for her clients. Whether it’s purchasing your first home, purchasing an investment property, or opening your own business, Delfina has an eye for residential and commercial real estate opportunities th...

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Joffrey Gurule received his business degree from CSUSB and his MBA from U of R. Driven by a passion for business and a love for serving others has been his keys to success. With over 15 years of experience in business to business consulting, he has built several multi million dollar businesses from the ground up. Experienced in residential, investment properties, and STRs. He says real estate is part of his DNA, as a boy his grandfather would take him to help fix the properties they managed. Most recently he added “Producer” to his title with a lifestyle show on NBC Palm Springs!

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Marc has extensive background in business operations and supply chain, and helped Silicon Valley technology companies to streamline processes and reduce costs. He parlayed that experience into real estate as an active investor, and has advised clients and the investor community with their real estate deals based on each client's unique needs. Early in his career, Marc supported the Los Angeles small business community by helping them navigate local government requirements and contract opportunities. Marc earned his MBA from the University of Southern California. In his spare time, Marc enjoys CrossFit and golf.

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