How can i tell the difference between a refi and a 2nd mortgage?

[Ivan Lopez]

Hello BP community,

I've been doing lots of driving for dollars and while researching the properties I'll sometimes see multiple loans since the last purchase date of the property. I wanted to see if there was a way to see if those loans were the seller refinancing or taking out second mortgages. 

So for example lets say the last purchase was 20 years ago for 70k but in 2001 there was a mortgage for 100k and latter in 2006 there was another one for 130k . 

If these are refinances that fine but if they are multiple loans that puts the property at 230k making it pointless for me to pursue as in many cases as the owner would owe more than its worth.

Thank you in advance,