Several estate agencies in Mallorca were vandalised with graffiti this week accusing them of fuelling the housing crisis, prompting property professionals to denounce the attacks and call for constructive dialogue instead of scapegoating.

In the early hours of Wednesday morning, multiple estate agent shopfronts across Mallorca were discovered defaced with spray-painted messages blaming the real estate sector for the region’s worsening housing situation. The attacks, which were both anonymous and coordinated, have raised alarm within the industry amid rising public frustration over soaring property prices and housing shortages across the Balearic Islands.

Strong condemnation from ABINI

In response, the Balearic Association of National and International Real Estate Agencies (ABINI) issued a strong statement condemning the acts as “cowardly and inexcusable”.

“These kinds of attacks only distract from the real issue,” said the association. “This is a complex crisis that demands real, effective and sustainable solutions — not anonymous finger-pointing and violence.”

ABINI was unequivocal in rejecting the notion that estate agents are to blame for the housing emergency, describing that accusation as unfair and misleading. Instead, the association highlighted the sector’s long-standing efforts to draw attention to persistent problems such as the shortage of public housing, slow administrative processes, and restrictive planning regulations.

“We have consistently warned of the consequences of poor planning, delays in executing public housing projects, and state legislation that has generated more uncertainty than clarity,” the group said.

“Real estate professionals are not the problem – we are part of the solution.”

Call for dialogue and policy reform

ABINI issued a call to institutions, political parties, and civil society leaders to reject violence and encourage constructive cooperation.

“Nothing can be built from hatred or vandalism,” the association stated. “What we need is coordinated public-private collaboration and the political will to unlock land, expedite licences, promote rehabilitation, and develop truly affordable housing.”

The association also reaffirmed its ongoing commitment to working transparently with public authorities to help alleviate the housing crisis — a crisis it acknowledges as one of the defining challenges of this generation.

Frustrations on all sides

While ABINI’s statement was broadly focused on industry defence and appeals for calm, the incidents underscore growing tension in Mallorca over housing affordability — especially for local residents increasingly priced out of their communities.

Though property developers, private landlords, and estate agents often find themselves in the crosshairs of public anger, experts widely agree that the crisis in the Balearics is driven by a combination of limited developable land, bureaucratic inertia, heightened demand from international buyers, and a shortage of financially viable housing initiatives.

Even as the situation escalates, ABINI maintains that vilifying sector professionals will only hinder progress.

“Far from hiding behind graffiti, our members show up every day to help people find homes,” the association said. “But we need respect and policies that make real housing solutions possible.”