Meaning they went into a standalone bank account (not mixed with your other personal funds). 

Did you work with any real estate professionals (agents, lenders, etc.) that you'd recommend to others?

I have used avail.co in the past with great success but it appears this software and others no longer market on zillow which I know to provide a lot of leads in the past. 

And it could take even longer than 6-12 months to find a replacement depending on the area.The other things to look at carefully are major Capex or maintenance expenses - you didn't mention whether this was a NNN lease.

Evictions follow the same process from county to county in NC, however some counties are slightly more challenging than others.

If local options aren't a fit, expand your search to other markets with strong rental demand.

They should also be able to get paid in certain scenarios other that selling and/or they can charge an up front retainer fee to charge you for the paperwork if that is all they do.

That said, the other agent and I frequently reduce our commissions on these deals to make them work and, even if the agents don't, the seller would still be getting around 3% at closing with a 10% down payment which, to me, could be a win-win depending on their situation.  

Did you work with any real estate professionals (agents, lenders, etc.) that you'd recommend to others?

Remember there are income limits, contribution limits and other personal factors to consider.