(MONEY Magazine) – Lee and Barbara Jones of Redmond, Wash. (at right) love their house's exterior blend of mauve and purple. But the color scheme could be appropriately called grape of wrath. The homeowners association in the tract where the Joneses live recently won a state court order requiring the couple to repaint the purple trim around their four-bedroom $210,000 home to fit in with the neighborhood's more traditional beiges, browns and grays. The Joneses' tab so far for legal fees to fight the association: $9,000. "It's absurd that we can't choose the color of our house," says Barbara, who earns a living managing a neighbor's household. "After all, it's a free country." Not for the growing ranks of homeowners in the 150,000 communities ruled by associations -- accounting for 11% of all U.S. residences, up from about 1% in 1970. These groups enforce rules ranging from how often lawns must be mowed to the size of decks. Before buying a home in such a development, ask a member of the group's board for details about recent disputes between the association and homeowners. Be sure to get a copy of the bylaws from a member of the current board and not the seller, since sellers don't always have the most up-to-date documents. Then, if you decide the association is too dogmatic for your taste, find another home.