If others in your neighborhood grow Bermuda, and it seems to do well there, then yours should too. With lots of sun, tall fescue will also work, which I personally prefer over Bermuda. It's less invasive, stays green all year when healthy, and because it grows long puts down a deeper root system. It also looks really nice when "striped." It's been many years since I researched Bermuda, but my memory tells me that it's pretty difficult to grow from seed, albeit not as hard as Zoysia. Fescue is easy to sow, though I wouldn't do it until the fall. Your plan of cutting short, topdressing, sedding, topdressing sounds viable to me. I would add compost (I like Black Kow) to the topdressing as well. You should also press the seed into the soil. The flat side of a garden rake works fine for relatively small lawns, although you'll want to rent a roller for anything of real size. Good luck.

Picked up about 1.5 yards of composted manure, mostly it was horse with lot of brown, compost color was dark black and completely decomposed, had no foul smell, and I had to dig into the pile to get the good stuff out. Per my understanding a well composted horse manure kills its seeds within the manure during the composting process if done right. Anyway, for it was free, I think I got a great deal. Anyone in Orange County/LA County/Riverside County Area can go there and pick it up. The place is called Shoestring Ranch in Long Beach behind Edison's yard by the River.

In a effort to be clear I have rewritten my post about Dr Ingrams. I have used contemporary language to the best of my ability. If there are still questions of what I am saying I will attempt to try again... Im tired of people messing with Dr Elaine R. Ingrams. Dr Ingrams be working hard, real hard. Dr Ingrams got courage and character just like Superman. Dr Ingrams, that girl know about her compost tea (dirt too!), she in the front row (snap) sitting on the corner. Dr Ingrams was telling people to geek up their compost tea. Somebody found out she was doing wrong and put it in the funny papers. You know everybody seen that! Dr Ingrams jumped up and told everybody they were right with the quickness. She covered that butt and dont care what nobody say behind her back. People be talking about they be calling Dr Ingrams all the time. I bet they be calling her when she get off work too, and she talk to them anyway (hmmph). I am NOT having no talking about Dr Elaine R. Ingrams behind her back just so you can stay stuck on stupid. Dr Ingrams is a real nice lady and helps everybody, even if they talk funny to her. Dr Ingrams take them just like they come, she dont pick and choose. If you wants to talk about somebody with me you best be picking somebody else. If not, you can talk to the hand Blutranes

OK. I can't think of something that has everything you want that would fit that location. You may have to decide what you want to compromise on. Tupelo Tower would fit your site, resist hurricanes, not be messy, and have great Fall color. Catch is it grows really slowly and is hard to find. Baldcypress would grow fast, not be messy, and resist hurricanes. Catch is it would get way to big for your spot. Quercus macrocarpa 'Big John' or Regal Prince Hybrid Oak would be something in between. You could also plant a male American Persimmon or a poplar.