>> But I'm still not keen on being right next to the ocean. <<

Check elevation maps. If you can find a house on a hill, it's less likely to flood; and if you have your back to the ocean with a hill between you, that will buffer a great deal of storm activity. Upward and inward is better if you can manage that.

>>I suspect this is just one of those problems we'll solve when we HAVE to.<<

Sadly so -- and by then, people won't have the resources to address it all at once.