I have never tried to sell bitcoin for cash... pretty much for the precise reasons you're describing here, which match the majority of experiences I have had people tell me.
At this point, I'm quite content with the Steemit ► Bittrex ► Coinbase ► PayPal ►cash (ATM) route, which I can generally run through in about 90 minutes, beginning to end. Only problem is withdrawal limits from ATMs, but most of the time I use my PayPal debit card, anyway. Yeah, there are some fees involved...
Good luck, going forward!
Yeah that's easier, but I like to pay everything in cash. I'm trying to keep cash alive and prevent a full digital spending world... Have a read on Spychips. I also don't want things in paypal and government linked hands. I've used localbitoins for paypal and then bank transfer. You have a paypal card?