Meet Your Mortgage Adviser: Koulla Kakouris

At Bower Wealth, good advice starts with understanding the person in front of us. Koulla Kakouris is a Senior Mortgage Adviser who brings more than three decades in premier and wealth banking to helping clients across the whole mortgage market. Whether you are buying your first home, arranging buy to let lending, or navigating a more complex income, Koulla takes the time to explain every option in plain English, so you can move forward with confidence. 

Her clients say it best. Koulla consistently earns five-star reviews, returning to her and recommending her for her knowledge, her patience and the way she keeps people informed at every step. 

‘I wish to thank Koulla for providing a sterling service in respect of my remortgage. Nothing was too much trouble for her: professional, conscientious and detail oriented. Would use again without hesitation.’ – Eric Wilson, Google review 

Koulla’s Background 

Koulla spent more than thirty years at Barclays, latterly as a Senior Wealth and Premier Relationship Manager, looking after a portfolio of affluent and high net worth clients and earning national recognition for the service she delivered. That grounding in wealth and premier banking means she understands not just the mortgage in front of a client, but how it fits into their wider financial situation. She is one of the most experienced mortgage advisers on our team, and clients return to her again and again. 

Koulla holds the Certificate in Mortgage Advice and Practice, the Certificate in Financial Advice, and the Certificate in Regulated Equity Release, giving her the knowledge to advise across residential mortgages, buy to let and later life lending. 

Independent, whole of market and experienced 

As part of an independent mortgage broker, Koulla is not tied to any single lender. She searches the whole of the market to find the mortgage that genuinely fits each client, and can often reach rates and lenders that are not available on the high street or on comparison sites. Just as importantly, she manages the whole process on your behalf, from application through to completion, so it stays straightforward from start to finish. 

What Koulla specialises in 

Koulla now advises across the full mortgage market, including: 

1. First time buyers taking their first step onto the property ladder 

1. Landlords arranging buy to let mortgages, including those building a growing property portfolio 

1. Higher value property purchases and more complex lending cases 

1. Mortgages for self employed applicants, sole traders and company directors, where income can be harder to evidence 

1. Professionals with complex income, such as dentists, doctors, consultants and solicitors, whose earnings may combine salary, dividends, partnership profit and bonuses 

1. Banking and finance executives whose income includes significant bonus, deferred or share based pay 

1. Limited company buy to let and limited company mortgages, where dividend and profit income sit side by side 

1. Remortgages for home movers looking to review their current deal and manage their mortgage payments 

1. Mortgage protection, helping clients think about how repayments would be covered if income was affected by illness or loss of work, and how any debt would be managed

   Her breadth of experience means she is as comfortable guiding someone through their very first mortgage application as she is arranging lending for a growing property portfolio. 

Complex incomes are where Koulla’s depth shows 

For many professionals and business owners, the real question is not whether they can afford a mortgage, but how their income is read. A dentist or consultant may take a modest salary and draw the rest as dividends or a share of practice profit. A company director might leave profit in the business one year and draw it the next. A senior banker’s package may be weighted towards bonus, or towards deferred and share based awards that vest over time. 

Lenders treat all of this very differently. Some work from salary and dividends, others from salary and a share of net profit, and a smaller number will consider retained profit or an accountant’s projection. The same income can produce a very different loan, or even a decline, depending purely on which lender it is placed with. 

This is where Koulla’s depth of market knowledge counts. She knows which lenders read complex and self-employed income favourably, how to present company accounts, tax calculations and tax year overviews so an underwriter sees the full picture, and how to structure limited company and limited company buy to let cases where dividend and profit income sit side by side. It is the difference between being squeezed into a high street bank’s rigid affordability calculator and having your case placed with a lender who understands how you genuinely earn. 

‘Koulla is a fantastic mortgage broker. She was able to understand the complexities of my husband’s self-employment.’ – Briony Jean, Google review 

Some buy to let and limited company lending is not regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. 

Approach to clients 

“I want every client to feel they understand their options and are making the right decision for them.” 

Clients working with Koulla benefit from great communication and a personal service throughout the whole process. Here is what to expect when you speak to Koulla: 

1. An initial conversation to understand your plans, circumstances, deposit and income 

1. A review across the market to find lending that genuinely fits your financial situation 

1. Support through the application process, from mortgage application to a formal mortgage offer, with clear guidance at every stage 

1. A clear recommendation with the reasoning explained in plain terms, including the interest rate, any fees, and early repayment charges where relevant 

Koulla’s expertise means clients get advice they can act on with confidence, and she takes the stress out of what can otherwise feel like a daunting process. 

Your home may be repossessed if you do not keep up repayments on a mortgage. Koulla will always make sure you understand the commitment before any decision is made, so you can weigh the lender criteria and the right solution for your situation with confidence. 

Understanding the cost of advice 

Koulla will explain any fees clearly before any work begins, so there are no surprises, and how much you pay is always agreed in advance. The first conversation is without obligation, giving you the chance to talk things through and decide whether to proceed. By searching the market on your behalf, Koulla also helps clients save money over the life of their mortgage, whether through a lower interest rate or a product that better suits their needs. 

Why clients choose Koulla 

Clients value Koulla’s calm, thorough approach and her knack for explaining complex lending in plain English. Many describe the excellent service and expert advice they received, and say Koulla took all the stress out of what can otherwise feel like an overwhelming process. 

‘Koulla was absolutely brilliant always replied to emails and always answered the phone 10 out of 10’ – Daniel Cocklin 

‘Our broker, Koulla Kakouris, could not have been more helpful or knowledgeable. No question was too trivial or too silly.’ – Pe Jo, Google review 

‘Koulla has been fantastic and professional from start to finish in helping us secure a good rate for our mortgage. We highly recommend Koulla and Bower Home Finance.’ – Melina Philona, Google review 

‘Koulla really helped me massively to secure my first time buyer mortgage. She was always available to answer every question.’ – Stevie Adu, Google review