Helper class to create ready to use SelectLists for ASP.NET MVC

SelectListHelper.cs

public static class SelectListHelper
{
    private const string DataValueField = "Value";
    private const string DataTextField = "Text";

    public static SelectList CreateSelectList<TSource>(IEnumerable<TSource> items, string dataValuePropertyName, string dataTextPropertyName)
    {
        if (!ArePropertiesValid(items.FirstOrDefault(), dataValuePropertyName, dataTextPropertyName))
        {
            throw new ArgumentException("Such property does not exist: " + dataValuePropertyName + " or " + dataTextPropertyName);
        }

        var finalList = GetSelectListItems(items, dataValuePropertyName, dataTextPropertyName);

        return new SelectList(finalList, DataValueField, DataTextField);
    }

    private static bool ArePropertiesValid<TSource>(TSource testItem, string dataValuePropertyName, string dataTextPropertyName)
    {
        return IsPropertyValid(testItem, dataValuePropertyName) && IsPropertyValid(testItem, dataTextPropertyName);
    }

    private static bool IsPropertyValid<TSource>(TSource obj, string propertyName)
    {
        PropertyInfo property = typeof(TSource).GetProperty(propertyName);
        return property != null;
    }

    private static IEnumerable GetSelectListItems<TSource>(IEnumerable<TSource> items, string dataValuePropertyName, string dataTextPropertyName)
    {
        return items.Select(m => new
        {
            Value = typeof(TSource).GetProperty(dataValuePropertyName).GetValue(m).ToString(),
            Text = typeof(TSource).GetProperty(dataTextPropertyName).GetValue(m)
        });
    }
}