Crissinda Ponder

Crissinda Ponder is the managing editor for the mortgage vertical at LendingTree, where she leads a team of writers in developing and producing consumer-friendly content that guides readers through the many nuances of buying and financing a home. 

Crissinda joined LendingTree as a staff writer in 2018, covering a range of topics for the mortgage team. She worked her way to senior writer and was eventually promoted to editor. 

Prior to that, Crissinda served as a content editor for MoneyGeek.com and HigherEducation.com, where she managed a team of contributors and oversaw the production of personal finance and higher education content.

Earlier in her career, Crissinda was a mortgage reporter/analyst for Bankrate — a role she held at the company after first gaining experience as an insurance reporter/analyst and copy editor.

Specialites

• Homebuying and mortgage lending
• Purchase and refinance rate shopping
• Mortgage lender product reviews
• Auto, health and home insurance
• Credit and debt management

Achievements

• More than 10 years of experience covering personal finance content
• More than 15 years of writing and editing experience
• 2014 SABEW Health Care Fellow

Education

• BA, University of Georgia

Crissinda’s favorite mortgage tip

“Before you spend hours house hunting and touring homes, save yourself some time and heartbreak by first getting a mortgage preapproval to determine how much house you can actually afford. This way, you don’t fall in love with any properties that are priced above what you qualify to borrow.”