About Us

Bela Casa or “beautiful home” in Portuguese, was founded by AJ Bishop-Andrews. As a previous wealth management executive, AJ moved for work assignments to new cities and coupled her curiosity with real estate. After 15 moves in less than 10 years, along the West Coast, AJ acquired and rented out multiple homes but never felt HOME until she arrived in the beautiful city of San Diego and the vibrant community of Normal Heights.

Enter Tim Andrews! Tim, a rare and engaged Native San Diegan, had roots in the city going all the way back to when his father was stationed at the local Naval facilities as a dentist back in the 60s. Growing up bicycling through Mission Valley to the beach, Tim decided to stay local and studied at San Diego State University and after graduating planted roots in University Heights and then the bay community of Crown Pointe.

Fast forward to 2019, after meeting for a first date in Little Italy, the two became quickly inseparable for many reasons, but one in particular was their shared passion of turning less than desirable living conditions into beautiful spaces. Neither had considered themselves “real estate investors” but a handyman and an eye for interior design.

In the summer of 2023, Tim and AJ decided to make real estate investing official and purchased a duplex in the middle of North and South Park. They wanted a place where traveling nurses (Tim’s sister is an ER RN) and digital nomads (AJ’s previous career) could feel like they had a home away from home. #homeaway

Four walls doesn’t always make a home, so they made sure to bring every convenience they could think of to life, while balancing a minimalist car-free lifestyle. Individuals and families who decide to stay with Bela Casa will love how walkable the area is and all the local shops and sense of community you’ll feel every day.

We hope you enjoy your stay at our “Urban Jungle”