The Loan-to-value (LTV) ratio is a financial term used in the mortgage lending industry to express the ratio of the principal amount of a given loan to the value of the secured asset being financed. The term is commonly used by banks and lenders to represent the ratio of the total indebtedness on a property as a percentage of the total value. The valuation of a property is typically determined by an appraiser, but can also be based on an assessment of current market conditions and recent comparable sales. The higher the LTV, the riskier the loan is for a lender.