Real estate researcher Daneshvary dies at 62

Nasser Daneshvary, director of UNLV's Lied Institute for Real Estate Studies, died of what appeared to be a heart attack Saturday at his home. He was 62.

A prolific researcher, Daneshvary was widely regarded as a leading expert on the housing market and foreclosure crisis and was frequently quoted in the Las Vegas Review-Journal and national media.

He received the Legacy Award from the American Real Estate Society for his research on how the foreclosure crisis has affected neighborhood home values in Las Vegas and was quite honored by the award, said Mike Clauretie, finance professor at University of Nevada, Las Vegas.

It was the best paper published in the past three years in the Journal of Real Estate Research, the society's flagship journal, Clauretie said.

"He was my best friend and colleague and associate, so it's like I lost three people at once," Clauretie said Tuesday. "We sat around one time and talked about death, and he always said he wanted to go quickly and not be a burden on everybody. He loved his wife, and he never wanted to be in a disabled state."

Clauretie said he had spoken with Daneshvary on Saturday morning and an hour later received a phone call from Daneshvary's wife, who was in a panic. He went to St. Rose Siena Hospital, but Daneshvary had died.

Daneshvary was born June 11, 1950, in Iran. He came to UNLV in 1990 as assistant professor of economics and was tenured and promoted to associate professor in 1992. He became a full professor in 1995 and was appointed director of the Lied Institute in 2010.

He oversaw development of a major in international business, the executive master's degree in business administration and dual master's degrees in business programs with the law and dental schools.

His administrative experience included serving as chair of the Department of Economics, interim chair of the Department of Management, associate dean and associate vice provost for academic resources. He also served as former chair of the UNLV Faculty Senate.

"Nasser was a valued colleague and friend to the campus community and will be greatly missed by family, friends, colleagues and students," said Percy Poon, interim dean of UNLV's Lee Business School. "He was an energetic researcher, a dedicated teacher and well-published in both economics and real estate."

He previously taught at Southeast Missouri State University, Norwich University in Vermont and Tusculum College in Tennessee.

He is survived by his wife, Rennae, and son, Arash. Memorial services at the university are pending.

Contact reporter Hubble Smith at hsmith@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0491.