You can trade using online banking on localbitcoins, you don't actually need to be local. In fact I've done over 70 trades on localbitcoins, and never met in person for any one of them.
oh wow, I didn't realize that at all. I might do this, I appreciate the advice.
How on earth do you verify security for that?
What do you mean? The BTC goes into escrow with Localbitcoins, then the buyer sends the money to the seller's bank account, and then the seller releases the BTC from escrow.