The other brokers meet the requirements (time, education, etc.) but are still working under the primary Broker.

The "2 of the last 5 year rule" in U.S. real estate allows homeowners to exclude up to $250,000 ($500,000 for married couples filing jointly) of capital gains from their income when selling their primary residence, provided they meet two criteria: they must have owned the home for at least two years and lived in it as their primary residence for at least two years within the five-year period ending on the sale date.

is it a primary or investment ? 

My primary home has a first mortgage but the SBA has a lien on my home and in 2nd position.

His primary mortgage was sold to a private lender in the early 2000s and he claims he had to give an explanation each time as to why he financed with a private lender with such poor reputation every time his credit was pulled.

I am still, however, buying with leverage but have a paid off primary and am open to putting 30-40% down rather than the absolute minimum. 

This was my primary residence until 2022 and during those years I did a lot of renovations.

Happy to be connected to any good qualified intermediary in NJ. 3) I did live in it first year as a primary residence in 2018, but rest 4yrs were all investment property usages on my tax.

I bank with TD Bank and they last I checked will allow a HELOC on primary + 4 investments.  90% LTV

You will not get lower than those options unless you claim it to be a primary residence which would not be ... legal.