How do you grow your portfolio with no borrowing power?

[Roberta Marcos Marcos]

My husband and I have two investment properties that are rented with tenants paying us rent beginning 2020. Both of these were purchased via conventional loans. Now we are trying to either grow our portfolio or buy a home for ourselves (one of our properties was our home but we moved out of state). The problem is that a mortgage broker told me our rental income does not count as income until 2 years of receiving rents. Additionally my husband switch jobs with the move so I cannot count his income. With just my income and the mortgages, my debt to income ratio does not allow for any more debt.

What are non traditional ways we could borrow money or keep investing?

Also- are there some mortgage brokers that would include rental income sooner or allow my husband's income to count despite being in a new job?

Thank you!