At Home With Jason & Julie Barry

At Home With Jason & Julie Barry

Posted on November 1, 2018

Jason & Julie Barry say they have much to be grateful for this Thanksgiving. The Rancho Santa Fe couple were married 21 years ago this month, after meeting in physics class at UC San Diego. Since then, the couple has welcomed four children — two boys and two girls from nine to nineteen years old —  given back to their community, and achieved remarkable success in San Diego real estate.

Jason’s parents, Daniel and Catherine, were teachers at Carlsbad and Valhalla high schools before turning to real estate in 1986. Four years later, the couple founded Barry Estates in Rancho Santa Fe, which over the years has become a family affair. Jason, sister Laura, and brother Sean are all involved in the business.

Fresh out of college, Jason teamed up with his mother, and the duo racked up more than $3.5 billion in sales to date. Since 2008, The Wall Street Journal has consistently ranked them the top team in San Diego by sales volume. Jason’s sister, Laura, has made impressive waves of her own with her own entity, Laura Barry Elite Properties, under the Barry Estates umbrella. Brother Sean serves as broker and legal counsel for Barry Estates and his wife Maria is a well-known interior designer and co-owner of Le Dimora home furnishings and design services. Joining the Catherine and Jason team are agents Ryan McGovern and Kendra Gibilisco.

So, the Barrys clearly have an eye for real estate. A case in point is Jason and Julie’s Tuscan-style home in Fairbanks Ranch. They bought the property in 2006, but spent a year making extensive renovations to accommodate their growing family and active lifestyle. The couple loved the layout of the home, but the backyard needed work, so the Barrys brought the outside in. They installed La Cantina doors and created an outdoor oasis that includes a covered trellis, fireplace, terrace, and vanishing edge pool with waterfall. The yard below has a treehouse, jungle gym, playset, and baseball field where the family practices hitting “homers” into the pool (and where Jason once smashed a ball right into a family room window). “It was not a home run,” he recalls with a laugh.

The family room is the home’s heart, with a huge sectional that is big enough to seat a baseball team.  Indeed, the room has been the setting for team parties, school events, and family gatherings. The couple gutted the expansive, adjoining kitchen, adding distressed alder wood cabinets and granite countertops.

The busy family eats “super simple” fare, says Julie, because they’re always on the go with work, school, sports, and church activities. That often means takeout or grabbing quick dinners from Del Mar Highlands favorites Urban Plates and Mendocino Farms, and the couple also likes Samurai, Brigantine, and Pacific Coast Grill. Favorite restaurants in Rancho Santa Fe include Mille Fleurs and Thyme in the Ranch, as well as Veladora and the Pony Room at Rancho Valencia, where the Barrys also enjoy yoga, fitness classes, and the spa.

Grateful for all the opportunities they’ve had, the Barrys give back to community, including Scripps La Jolla, Susan G. Komen, A Bridge for Kids (which supports high-achieving, low income teens), and the Rancho Santa Fe Community Center. Julie volunteers at Nativity and St. Augustine, the children’s’ schools, and with Teen Volunteers in Action, which helps boys develop leadership through community service.

Last year, the Barrys hosted their extended family for Thanksgiving, setting up tables in the foyer to handle the throng. This year, dozens of family members will gather at Rancho Valencia for the traditional feast. As the celebration draws closer, the Barrys grow reflective, thankful for their family, friends, and especially, each other. “Julie has been by my side through everything. She has helped me be better, be stronger,” says Jason. “I feel so fortunate and blessed to have her.” Adds Julie with a smile, “I’m thankful for my family, for being the mother I’ve always wanted to be. We have a blessed life for sure.” Andrea Naversen

Photography by Vincent Knakal