ART FINANCE

ART FINANCE

Art finance is becoming increasingly popular as it allows collectors to tap into the value of their artwork to raise capital. Ultra-high-net-worth individuals can use their pieces of art as collateral to secure loans, typically worth up to 50% of the work’s value.

Both novice art lovers and professional collectors can use the value of their pieces to gain extra financial flexibility. Using art as collateral for finance enables you to make opportunistic investments, like purchasing a property, launching a new business opportunity or acquiring more artwork without having to sell existing pieces.

However, obtaining fine art finance can be extremely challenging. The lenders operating in this niche market can be difficult to find and even more tricky to negotiate with. That means you need expert insight to guide your fine art finance deal and help you secure the best package possible.

Art finance is a specialist area but, despite the small market size, it can enable you to borrow significant funds. Art finance falls into two categories, the direct purchase of a piece of art or the refinancing or equity release of artworks.

A lender may be willing to provide loans worth millions of pounds in the right situation and for the right borrower. It depends on the piece of art being used as collateral, the owner’s level of wealth and the size of their art collection. Generally, the more famous or sought after the artwork or artist is, the easier it may be to get an art finance loan and the more money you may be able to borrow.

The specialist nature of fine art finance means very few lenders are operating in the market. Additionally, the high risk these lenders take means it’s only worthwhile for them to consider lending vast sums of money.

Securing art finance can be a complex process, while the limited number of lenders in the space can present further challenges. This means the interest rates that lenders offer can vary drastically based on the piece of art being financed and other considerations, like risk assessment and valuation processes.

Art finance was initially led by private banks, and some do still operate. But it’s more common to go through niche, specialist lenders, which can be challenging to find and get in contact with. So you need to work with an Art Finance specialist like Hectocorn.

Most lenders won’t let you retain the piece of art used as collateral in your possession. Most countries, including European nations and the US, have codes that define this, but it often boils down to lender appetite. Lenders want to ensure that the artwork retains its value throughout the term of the loan, which means verifying the art remains authentic and can’t be stolen or damaged. So if you want to retain possession of the artwork, it’ll likely mean you’ll pay higher loan costs and require additional insurance payments.

A buyer’s existing collection also plays a crucial role in how fine art finance works. Some lenders prefer people to have a diverse collection of artworks, while others will accept finance on people with one piece of art. But a portfolio of fine art will certainly count in your favour.

Privacy is often necessary when it comes to fine art finance, with ultra-high-net-worth individuals often wanting to keep their art collection confidential. It’s often vital to retain ownership of specific pieces or collections private for security reasons. So in these situations, it’s essential to work with trusted lenders that understand the need for confidentiality and discretion.

Another factor you need to consider is the length of time it takes to secure fine art finance. Lenders require artworks to be appraised, authenticated and valued by experts, which can be a time-consuming process.

Gaining finance using art as collateral can be challenging. Not only is it difficult to find niche brokers and lenders that operate in the space, it’s also a very competitive market. That makes it critical to understand how the market works and specific nuances that will allow you to negotiate the best deal.

So doing this alone is far from straightforward. Finding and approaching lenders to compare their rates will take time, and you may get frustrated by repeatedly having the same conversation and answering the same questions. While the terms lenders offer are often complex, making it difficult to understand what the best deal is.

Furthermore, art finance is very much a lender’s market – meaning they have free reign to decide whatever terms and rates they wish. This can make negotiations even more challenging, so you need inside knowledge, authority and respect from the lender.

Our expert guidance in this niche area is vital to helping our clients get the best financial package and rates and terms you won’t be able to negotiate yourself. Working with Hectocorn will help you save significant time and money and get the most competitive fine art finance deal tailored to your specific requirements.

Some lenders demand high rates on finance agreements, so you need to work with an expert to negotiate these deals. We can help you make significant savings on your repayments by brokering a deal that offers more advantageous rates.

Our trusted relationships with lenders also enable us to keep your personal details confidential in the early stages of negotiations. However, lenders will require documentation and specific personal information about buyers before accepting a fine art finance deal. This includes additional information such as provenance, which involves details of the families that acquired the artwork and where the collection is based, images of the works, full cataloguing of a collection, including title, medium, dimensions, and year of creation, and valuation and who approved it.

Hectocorn’s relationships with specialist lenders in the fine art space will help you gain the best possible art-backed finance deal. Our process begins by contacting lenders with relevant details of the artwork you want to use as collateral for finance. We negotiate with the lender to secure an appealing offer, at which point the lender will want to have the artwork inspected by an expert to ensure it’s authentic and genuine. They’ll also then want additional documents and personal details to secure the deal and, after approval, funds can be released within two to three weeks.

Get in touch now to discuss your fine art finance plans and discover how we can help you structure the best deal for your specific needs and requirements.

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