Bluff repair work is really tough. In many cases landslides and such are deemed an act of god and many insurers will not cover them. The advice from golf in the previous post is good however I am not sure if there is anything the HOA will be able to help you with. Also HOA and property management companies will NOT give much information out to anyone who is NOT a homeowner, they actually cannot do that. HOA and prop managers get demands from escrow to deliver bylaws, minutes, meeting notes etc… One thing you can do is ask your agent to get you the individual names of the officers of the HOA and try to contact them and talk. You may or may not get reliable information and surely not warrantied or anything but having a talk with them is often VERY insightful.
For absolute sure you would want to get supplemental insurance for such a unit which means you want to contact insurance companies on your own. Insurance from the HOA is very very subjective and reviewing the policy for your unit that is covered by the policy purchased by the HOA is not only burdensome, but scary when you realize how much you ARE NOT covered for.
If you are really wanting true oceanfront then no you will pay much more then 500 a square foot. It really depends on what part of the coast you are on. Solana Beach will be much more expensive then say Oceanside. The further up the coast you get the better with regards to price.
Looking exclusively at Solana Beach you have the primo places going from 800 psf on up for really nice unobstructed views and such. If you are diligent and choosey and can be patient you can most likely find something. True oceanfront is a very limited commodity. I am not saying those homes will stay that expensive forever but…. I don’t expect them to dump in price. Other people who are more bearish may feel differently.
The bluffs issue and sea wall issues are tough calls though.
