My job should make this incredibly easy, but for some reason I'm having difficulty trying to sell off my minis (40k included). So given that it's somewhat of a loss on top of a fee taken by Ebay, would it be easier to try a trade or light sale at a brick store? Or... Something.

Have you tried forums, many wargaming forums have a marketplace were you can sell stuff perhaps DakkaDakka for 40K and X-Wing here.

I found someone on Facebook on one of the closed Imperial groups.

Gave them a good deal.

When I moved back home from overseas I sold all of my 40k stuff for $100 to get rid of it. Easily $1000 worth of models, paints and hobby supplies.

I probably only put $100 on it so people would look. A lot of folk are skeptical if it's free.

Don't forget http://www.bartertown.com/trading/

You can sell them or try to trade for something.