Complete Beginner Question

[Jose Jusino]

Hi BP,

Please excuse me as I am new to the field of REI so this might be a silly question but I'm just seeking information and knowledge.

I've been reading about finding leads and one thing that comes up often is "find out if the property has a current mortgage that needs to be paid off". 

As an investor who is interested in buying this property, is the current mortgage a bad thing? I just want to understand why this has to be known.

Again, sorry if this is a dumb question but thank you all so much for all the invaluable information you provide!