Thanks for the detailed info - it's just the sort of thing I was looking for...I'm just trying to understand how it all works so I can get my feet wet with making a few purchases. (I do live in a remote area, but I don't think I was using the localbitcoins.com search correctly, because I went back and got different results.)

What you describe sounds simple enough, but what safeguards are there that the person isn't going to rip you off? Isn't it taking a really big chance to send a nameless, faceless person $100 and trust that they'll send you the bitcoin you're expecting? Isn't there some sort of peer rating or something?

And if I choose a seller who wants money deposited to a specific bank - how does that work? Do I go to any branch of that bank, say Wells Fargo, and deposit my cash into a bank account number the seller specifies?

Or if the purchase is made using a postal money order - don't they require filling out the names of the sender and receiver?

Sorry for all the questions.