Can't you just set up a bitpay or coinbase account? You could always just try sell the Bitcoins yourself too.
You are certainly right that one can do it himself. However, for a substantial amount of money BTC/USD volatility is certainly a risk, especially if (fiat) money is needed in the short term.
In the worst case, I will write emails to both bitpay and coinbase and ask about their policy with respect to individuals.